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Hello. I'm new to this site. Recently I got a 10 gallon tank for breeding bettas, along with a filter, heater and air pump. The plants I got were two Java ferns, and something called "frill." I'm not sure if it has scientific name. My dad is installing the equiment such as lighting tommorow.

The water level is low because I didn't want to leave them in the bag all day. We'll see how the plants go. At the moment I have the Java ferns & frill attached with pink strings to flattish rocks that are piled in the corners. They soaked in water for a day and were thoroughly cleaned, although they weren't dirty before. They aren't limestone, they're just.. regular rocks.

PLANTS: Java fern, 'Frill.'

FISH: Unoccupied.

ATTACHMENTS: Attached to rocks by thread.

SUBSTRATE: None.

OTHER: None, tank cycling for 1-2 weeks.

Hi there betta_fish,

And welcome to FP

Interesting idea, to breed Betas. I hope you know what you are doing and you have read quite a bit about Betas as you most likely will not be able to simply put a male and a female into this tank together, but that is not really the topic I want to talk about.

Frill - can it be that you mean This Plant, aka Water Lettuce? If so, then read the instructions on what to do with then and the requirements on the same link.

Why did you select not to have any substrate? And what do you mean by cicling for 1 to 2 weeks?

Anyway, have fun,

Ingo

---

Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

Hi,
WELCOME to FishProfiles!

I have a couple of comments...

First, the 10G will work for breeding them but it actually
ought to be larger, say 20G. Once the eggs are expelled,
the female Betta gets in the way, and becomes a threat to
the eggs, the nest, and the fry. The male will chase her
constantly and beat her up, maybe even killing her. In a
10G tank, she would have no place to go to escape him.

Second, the plants you currently have are good to look at
and will grow well in the tank, but are not necessarily
the best. You need a floating plant such as Ricca which
is probably the best. The male will use that plant to form
the anchor around which to build the bubble nest.

Third, you do not need the air pump at all. Set it to one
side and use it in another tank. Currents, such as those
caused by the air stone especially in the small confines
of a 10G tank, will destroy the bubble nest.

Visit this site on FishProfiles, and read this article:

http://www.fishprofiles.com/files/threads/2202.1.htm?19#

This article will get you started on breeding Betta's and
the forum that it came from will be filled with information
on your favorite fish.

Fourth, you should have at least a very thin layer of
gravel on the bottom. The reason for that is the glass
will act as a mirror and the male will see itself in the
reflection and spend most of his time fighting his image
instead of the serious business of courting. If you
absolutely need to have a bare bottom tank, then place a
something black under the tank before filling it so the
reflection does not occur. Having a bare bottomed tank
is frequently recommended in many breeding tanks so
the male can easily find the eggs but depending upon your
experiance with fish, it may not be a good idea.

While I was in High School I raised the Betta's for a local
fish store earning spending money.


Frank


-->>> The Confidence of Amateurs, is the Envy of Professionals <<<--

Little_Fish - No, that's definately not it, it's more 'frilly' and looks somewhat similar to dill, except more foliage.

Frank - I've read up on the bettas, so I know what to do for the beginning. I believe you can also use styrofoam or plastic cups to support the bubblenest, but I'm not sure if I want to go to the easier way or the more natural.

My particular male would probably respond to the mirror-reflection, but also the female. What do you reccomend for a black bottom? This is my first try at breeding bettas, so I'm not sure if I want gravel until I have a first-time experiance... the female has places to hide. So far we need to get a glass chimney for the female. You're supposed to cycle the tank for one - two weeks because the water needed to be very clean for the betta and the fry, because you move the filter up in the beginning and bacteria will form, so you don't want the babies to get sick.

If I don't get a spawn out of either of my two eligble pairs, I'd turn the ten gallon into a betta sorority and put about five in, which I think is the reccomended number.

Hi,
I've seen folks paint the outside, bottom of their tanks
with a flat, black, paint. I have also seen the outside
bottoms laid over a sheet of black construction paper.
I assume you mean that they cut the rim off of a styrofoam
cup and float that ring in the water. Interesting idea.
I used floating plants.

I'm not sure that a glass chiminey is going to work unless
it is opaque. It would be easier to hold the female in
another tank until she is ripe and he has built the nest.
Then introduce her. When the spawning is completed, remove
her from the tank back to her own refuge and begin feeding
her good, quality, food.

Frank


-->>> The Confidence of Amateurs, is the Envy of Professionals <<<--

is your frill this plant?- http://www.aquahobby.com/garden/e_Myriophyllum_hippuroides.php
Or at least, very similar? Theres a couple of others in the Myriophyllum genus that look similar to that. It should also be planted in a gravelbed. Not tied to rocks.
good luck with the bettas.

Frank - I'll try construction paper.
I currently have a female in another tank (2g) and conditioning her. She had full view of the male.

Clownloachfan - Yup, that's it. A gravelbed, huh? Well, let's see... I have four other tanks with gravel but none of them could fit it, is there any possible other way to grow it?