Q&A for How to Breed Betta Fish

Once the male knows the female betta has eggs, he will court her and come close to her. They mate and the male uses an action that fertilizes her eggs at the same time as he squeezes the eggs from her. When the fertilized eggs start falling in the water, the male takes them with his mouth and blows them into the bubble nest he prepared prior to mating. He keeps a close eye on the eggs as they’re being inserted, and recaptures any that drop down out of his bubble nest. After that, his part is done and he stops being interested.

They’ll likely fight, and putting a male and female betta fish together is definitely not something a novice fishkeeper should try. If you’re knowledgeable about fishkeeping, including knowing the signs of a distressed fish, etc., and you want to try this, then only keep 1 male with 1 female to begin with and see how it goes. Before adding them together, provide plentiful hiding spaces so the female can hide if the male gets aggressive, and also make sure the tank is very long so they can swim without bumping into each other that often. If you notice any aggression, separate them immediately. If the male proves okay and you’d like to add more females, this is something you can try but again, be watchful and separate if any aggression occurs. Never have more than 1 male in with the female(s). If you’re new to this or just hate the thought of anything going wrong, use a tank divider to keep them in the same tank but away from each other.

Yes, betta fish can eat their own babies. The father fish is more likely to eat the baby fish (fingerlings), while the mother fish might ignore them if the living conditions are not stressful to her (e.g., she lives in a large tank where water is clean, she is getting sufficient good food, and she has plenty of swimming space, etc.). Some betta fish are just not good parents and they will eat the babies regardless. If that is the case, separate the baby fish from the adult fish, or just don’t wait to find out and separate them anyway. After all, they have a much smaller environment to stay safe in when in a tank than when they’re in the ocean.

Betta eggs take 36 or 48 hours to hatch after spawning.

He is probably sleeping. Many types of fish sleep with their eyes open. By turning the light on, you are signaling that it is daytime, and time for him to swim, eat, etc.

No, that just means he likes the environment you provided him with and you are doing a good job taking care of him. Many male betta behave this way when the environment is ideal.

Yes. Any live insect is fine, but it would be a good idea to get the insects from a pet store or fish tank store. Wild insects often carry harmful diseases that can hurt your fish. Betta fish in particular seem to love blood worms, both frozen and freeze dried.

The male betta does that because it feels that the tank you have provided it with would be a good place to have fry. If a female ever came along, it would be prepared. This is a compliment to your excellent tank arrangement.

I imagine you mean the same type of betta, or same coloration. In this case most of the young will bear those features. Keep in mind that, like pretty much anything else, Bettas have regressive genes, so you may get a few with surprisingly different features. If you mean the same as in 2 fish from the same spawn, this is inbreeding and can result in deformities and weak genetics. I would not do this myself, nor would I sleep with my sister.

Your betta will see the female and begin to flare at her. When you put them in the same tank, they will most likely fight. This is normal, and it's okay -- they are pretty tough.

You can not speed up the breeding process of 2 Bettas, because there is a certain time when the Bettas breed together to make fry and eggs. Also know that all Bettas are different, and some breed early, some breed late. Just make sure your Bettas are healthy and not aggressive.

Yes, she should be kept in a different tank. If not, she and the male will fight and risk injury to themselves and damage to the eggs.

If you've raised them together since hatch day and they're not very aggressive or competitive they might do fine, but when feeding lead them to two other directions and watch until each is done eating. It's harder to maintain them in the same tank, but it's possible.

No, because the betta may attack the goldfish which could wound up wounding or killing it.

Then he is not ready for breeding. Don't try to breed bettas if the male does not make a nest.

If your fish is large enough, yes. He will enjoy the hunt (and so will you) and the fact that you give him meat. Betta are carnivores (meat-eaters) and should not be forced to eat the same fish flakes for their entire lives.

If you are not planning to breed him, then yes. If you do not have a female where he can see her, then he is building a nest to say he thinks the tank would be a good place to have fry.

See Part 5 of this article, where is is headed "Sexing Young Bettas". Everything you need to know is explained in detail there.

Yes.

It depends where you live. With my first Betta, which I got in the summer, I didn't need a heater until the winter and it had very little natural sunlight. But for prime conditions I would just use one. I am using one that I got for $5 off of Amazon. It is a 1-inch diameter tube that is about 3-5 inches long and suctions right to the side of my tank and has been working great for over 6 months. It even lets you know when it is good or too cold. I just think that they are better to have. I'd rather be safe than sorry.

No, some males do not seem to be interested in making a nest without visual contact with females. If your betta has long fins, bright colors, and some aggression, it's most likely a male.

Nope.

It means that your female is too aggressive or your male is just shy, this can happen. Observe their behaviors, be sure to intercede if they do not really get along.

Yes. This is called a sorority. If you plan to have a sorority of female bettas, make sure to have at least a 15 gallon tank. Once you put the females (most likely 3-5 of them) in the tank, observe closely to make sure none of them have a problem with another. Always make sure you have another cycled tank ready to go just in case.

It really depends what type of betta fish you are buying, as well as what gender. Basic male bettas and female bettas are relatively cheap, usually between $2 and $5. Fancy bettas can get to be really expensive, sometimes over $20!

Your betta will take care of the bubble nest itself! Just keep your fish happy and the fish will care for its nest.

Your male is very aggressive. Try letting the fish make visual contact for several days, then introduce the female. If he still attacks her, then he may not be into mating.

He is making beds! If you don't like his behavior, they commercially sell Betta hammocks, which your Betta will lay on.

If you can't find any at your local pet shops, I would recommend looking online for one. Amazon has them.

It just means he's getting ready for a female, and it also means you're taking good care of him. You don't need to do anything.