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My betta, Smokey, the male I keep posting about has finnally started a nest. I moved him into a 1g (he was in the 10g w/female in jar) and he started building a nest. I moved him into a 1g with no gravel and he seems quite content ^_^

Hopefully I can get him to breed in a couple of weeks


Once he builds in the 1g, should I try breeding him in there or should I move him to the 10g again?

Inky

people will tell u no, and so do i if u haven't breed bettas alot in the past.

i personally have breed bettas in less than agallon, bbut in the long run larger tanks are better.

can i ask you something? why are u in a rush about breeding this one male, b/c again if he isn't ready it is not worth the risk of trying to force him to breed.

Im not trying to be rash....

He is an AWSOME colored crown ^_^ If he is not ready, I will wait until he is. He is starting a nest, so he should be ready in a couple of weeks or a month. I don't want to force him.

The first time I bred bettas it was in a one gal (I was 15) Its been about 5yrs, and thats why I have alot of questions. Im trying to do what is best for the fish, and I don't want to be one of those fools who shove them in a little cup and hope for the best.

Also, I have NEVER lost a fish during the breeding process, and I am very,very careful.

Inky

and I don't want to be one of those fools who shove them in a little cup and hope for the best.

their is no need for saying this, as this is a topic i feel divided on, and i can understand as fishkeeper that it isn't the best for the fish, but i can also understand the veiw of the bussiness man and why it is done.

back on topic... a bigger tank is better, and from i took your statement for i want to explain, as it sounds like u want to force breed him b/c of the statement

Once he builds in the 1g, should I try breeding him in there

it sounds like force breeding.

my advice is to leave him be, outside of breeding for a month, and than recondition him again for 2 weeks, and than try breeding in a 10g.

and u should probably know the basics but here u go:
10 gallon 1/3 full
bare tank,
cup for female,
half cut styro cup,
sponge filter,
heater,
water- 7.2 (good for getting an even balance of male/female ratio. and a temp of 85*F

Alrighty. I will wait awhile and try again in the 10g. Also, I wasn't trying to insult you or anything, but I have heard of it being done. Also, when I say fool, I mean someone with no knowledge whatso ever, and was not trying to insult you. If I did, I am sorry.

Inky

Heya ink

Great that he's nestbuilding

The benefit of using the 10 is that you don't then have to uproot the babies within a few days of freeswimming as you would have to do in a 1gal. A 10 would allow you to add a sponge filter and some live plants for protection from the male, and raise the fish to a reasonable level before needing to separate them

About a 5gal would be the lowest I'd go

For animals, the entire universe has been neatly divided into things to (a) mate with, (b) eat, (c) run away from, and (d) rocks. - Terry Pratchett

I will try the 10 g again. I also noticed that I had the water level too high in the 10g (1/2 full instead of 1/3) that may have something to do with it. I really hope this works soon!

Inky