How to Get Betta Fish to Mate

Betta fish are well known for their elaborate colors. However, purchasing several betta fish can become costly. Instead of paying the price for individual betta fish, owners can breed them. This can be a rewarding hobby, as well as the beginning of a small business. No matter what your reason for breeding betta fish, learning how to do it properly is essential to reduce the risk of death.

Things You'll Need

  • Male betta fish
  • Female betta fish
  • 2 prepared fish tanks
  • High quality betta food
  • Tubifex worms
  • Small jar
  • Grass or straw
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Instructions

  1. Breeding the Betta Fish

    • 1

      Choose a male with colors that you like. Choose at least one female. Keep in mind that the females are rarely as colorful as their mates. Your main focus should be on choosing healthy fish.

    • 2

      Place the male betta in one of the prepared fish tanks and the female in the other.

    • 3

      Feed both the male and the female betta fish high quality betta food. This will promote fertilitiy. Feed them each twice per day. You can also begin to feed the female the tubifex worms.

    • 4

      Observe the male and the female in their seperate tanks for the next several days. You should start to notice that the male is building a bubble nest and the female should appear fatter. For lighter color females, you may even be able to spot the egg sack. This is your sign that it is time to place the male and the female in the same tank.

    • 5

      Place the male and female in the same tank and observe carefully. Do not leave the fish for an extended period of time. If the fish are not ready to mate, the male could kill the female. However, you should expect the male to get aggressive. If it seems like the female is not receiving the male's mating rituals, you will need to remove the female and try again in a few days.

    • 6

      Watch for the male to "hug the eggs out" of the female. This should look like the male is embracing the female. You should see the eggs leaving her body. Once the male releases the female, you will need to remove her. The male will start scooping the eggs up with his mouth and placing them in the bubble nest. The male will continue to brood over the eggs, returning them back to the bubble nest if they happen to fall out.

    • 7

      Observe your betta eggs. They should hatch within a couple of days. However, they will need to remain in their bubble nest for another 36 hours so that their lungs can finish developing.

    • 8

      Remove the baby betta once you see them swimming on their own. You will now need to care for them on your own. You will start by feeding them flora.

    Breeding the Flora

    • 9

      Fill the small jar with water. Add either grass or straw to the water and place the jar in a sunny windowsill. Growing flora should take about three to four days.

    • 10

      Skim the top of the flora jar, removing about an ounce of water. Avoid taking too much of the slimy stuff. Place the flora directly in the tank with your baby bettas.

    • 11

      Feed your baby betta fish flora for the next two weeks. After two weeks, you can finely crush up betta flakes to feed them until they are full grown. This should take about seven weeks. At this time, you will want to seperate the baby bettas and place each of them in their own tanks.