# Sticky  Raising Betta fry



## Fishy friend2

So. You thought breeding the fish and spawning them was the hard part.... now, raising fry is the really hard part. Follow this guide for help on raising them



Supplies Needed For Raising Betta Splendens Fry
 



A source of heat or an aquarium heater. Betta fish fry require temperatures a bit different than adults for best and optimal growth, mid to high eighties is what I would recommend for best growth in fry. so 82-85 should suffice
Live food cultures. Betta Splendens Fry require live food cultures as a food source. these can be purchased online as they are rarely found in an aquarium shop. Microworms, WalterWorms, BananaWorms, Brine Shrimp, Fairy Shrimp, Vinegar Eels, and GrindalWorms are all great fry food.
A tank of 20 gallons or larger. An aquarium of 20 gallons or larger should be used as a tank for the fry. This is the perfect size for growing out fry
Individual Containers. you will need individual tank setups, jars, or anything else to house aggressive males in the growout tank. They become nippy and bother siblings so they must be separated
Q-Tips. Q-Tips are needed for harvesting some of the live food cultures for your fry such as MicroWorms and Banana worms off the side of the container they are in
Turkey Baster (Optional). A turkey Baster is optional But I love having them as a tool to spread the food cultures evenly throughout the growout tank
Live Plants (Optional). Live plants are optional for the growout tank but are beneficial as they are believed to promote growth in fry and they also provide a food source called infusoria for very young fry. the older fry cannot eat this.
A Net. A Net Is not optional In My Opinion, It is needed to cause minimal stress on the fry when catching aggressive males or it can be used for removing Dead fry
A Light. A light is definitely needed for the fry growout tank. It can be natural sunlight or artificial light.
A Filter. A filter is an absolute need as it adds oxygen to the water and helps clean the water. pristine water quality is one of the most important things when raising betta fry
A cover or top - Obviously you dont want your fry jumping out of the water or anything getting into your tank that could harm the Betta fry, they are prey to many types of nymphs that can find there way into your tank.
 



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*Fry Foods*


Baby Brine Shrimp.

Okay to feed to fry from the free swimming stage up until they are too big to notice them. Feed the Brine shrimp when the brine shrimp are a maximum of 24 hours old. 12 hours is the best, otherwise. the brine shrimp loose there nutritional value after 24 hours.


Setting Up Your Brine Shrimp Hatchery 


Microworms

These arent worms at all but nematodes, fry love these. but they are known to cause ventral loss if you feed too much of them for too long. they can be used even at the free swimming stage.

Starting and Maintaining A MicroWorm Culture

Vinegar Eels

Just like MircoWorms, Vinegar Eels are small nematodes too. They are an amazing fry food that betta fry love. unlike microworms they can last in an aquarium for a few days and actually swim around your aquarium instead of staying in one area. They can be used during the free swimming stage aswell, and can be a fry food for a few weeks.

Setting Up Your Vinegar Eel Culture

BananaWorms

Banana Worms are small nematodes that are somehwat common. They are often sold on places such as Aqua Bid, Betta Splendens fry, aswell as many others love banana worms. Cultures can be found online. I got my banana worm culture from a website called the Bug Pantry. MicroWorms, and Banana Worms, can be harvested the same way as eachother, hence why I used the same video. just apply everything the same way but use banana worms instead. and add a small piece of raw banana mashed up inside of the mixture 

Starting Your Banana Worm Culture

WalterWorms

Walter worms are amazing fry food that betta fish absolutely love. They enjoy them and walter worms are highly nutritious, Microworms, Banana Worms and Walter Worms are basically the same. all can be fed at the same time and are practically the same size

Article and Information on Harvesting and Culturing Walter Worms

Infusoria

Infusoria is a small creature that takes a while to culture but is beneficial in the long run, they are purely for very young fry. Infusoria are naturally occurring in planted tanks so adding live plants will supply a small amount of infusoria.

How To Culture Infusoria

Grindal Worms

Grindal worms are a great food for older fry around one month old and even adults. they are easy to cultivate and grow. they are easily found on places such as aquabid

Starting a Grindal Worm Culture

NOTES



Dont Overfeed
Feed often (2-3 daily)
Remove dead food or excess food
Feed small amounts
Only feed enough for your spawn
Purchase cultures before breeding
If you buy from a bidding website such as Aqua Bid or Ebay. always check the feedback
Cultures can become stinky so store them away where people cant smell them
Most cultures like dark areas
 
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Setting Up Your Fry Grow-Out Tank

First Stage



Get Your aquarium, fill it with water, and add a quality conditioner to de-chlorinate the water
 

Second Stage




Add the heater and set the temperature to 82-85, Let the water stabilize for a while. 1-3 days should work, add any decorations or live plants as needed. Add the Filter a few hours before the fry are introduces
 

Third Stage




Acclimate the fry, floating the original spawning tank inside of the growout tank and slowly adding and removing water should work. be careful when acclimating though as these fry are highly sensitive to sudden changes in water parameters
 

Fourth Stage




Do water changes as needed, keep up with maintenance, and feed fry as needed
 



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Caring and Maintaining For The Fry




Feeding


Fry should be fed twice to three times daily. feed the recommended foods above and feed each one for the right age of the fry


Water Quality


Water Quality Is one of the most important things to having a successful spawn and fast growth within your fry, I recommend having large daily water changes and to remove dead fry and dead fry food with a siphon during these water changes.


Jarring


As you know there will be aggression within the fry tank at different stages of the fry's lifespan and as the fry get older. eventually aggressive male and female bettas will need to be separated. so remember to always have multiple containers on hand and a way to heat them to the proper temperature.



Disposing Of Dead Fry


Fry are likely to get diseases and die during the growout stage, Disposing of dead fry should not be taken lightly as some can carry diseases, dont flush them, or throw them away.... trust me, it gets smelly. I would recommend burying them under a bush or small plant outside.


Heating


Betta fry are fragile to unsustainable Temperatures or fluctuating temperatures. be sure to have a thermometer in the tank and always check it when you check on your fry. 82-85 is the best temperature. IMO




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Culling Fry and Finding Homes for Unwanted ones





> Cull Them
> 
> 
> 
> For the purpose of this section, I'm far more comfortable using the term 'cull' than 'kill', although that is essentially what most betta breeders mean when they refer to culling their spawns. Although it may seem brutal and heartless to kill a perfectly healthy betta just because it may not show a trait you want, or you do not plan to use it in your future breeding program, breeders who face the problem of hundreds and hundreds of bettas and no outlet for them may have to consider their options. Until a new breeder gains enough experience, I wouldn't recommend culling for anything except poor health or physical deformity until the fish finishes developing. Many times a young betta will not look like it will amount to much, then suddenly develop into one the best fish from your spawn. You will develop an 'eye' for what to look for as you look at enough baby bettas, but until then just look for the usual problems -- crooked spines, swimming problems, weakness, deformities, excessive color wash, etc. Although I've always been of the opinion that an ethical breeder should take responsibility for the lives he or she brings into existence through intentional breeding, any breeder who is so overwhelmed through sheer numbers of bettas to care for that they can't take proper care of their fish needs to find a way to cut back on their numbers. If you can't sell them or give them away, euthanization is an option.
> 
> There are several methods of euthanization. Out of all of them, I think feeding them to a larger culling fish is the least painful, quickest, and best way of destroying an unwanted betta. Oscar cichlids are great for this job. Get one at least 5 - 6 inches long; at that size they can handle anything up to medium-sized adults in one quick gulp. Keep in mind that Oscars can reach a size of twelve or so inches, regardless of the size of their tank, and produce a lot of waste. An adult Oscar will require a tank of at least 40 - 50 gallons and weekly partial water changes.
> 
> I have used freezing as a method of euthanizing fish that were sick beyond recovery and suffering. Just place the fish in a small cup or bag of water, place him in the freezer, and try not to think about it too much. I know a breeder that culls all his fish this way, taking his young culls and putting them all together in a large bag and then freezing them. Supposedly their temperature drops and they just go to sleep. Well, it seems a blessed relief for sick fish (they truly do look like they just quietly and peacefully die), but keep in mind that young, healthy fish have been observed to struggle during the freezing process, which may not make this as humane an option as originally thought.
> 
> If you have access to clove oil, you can put the fish to sleep seemingly painlessly. Mix it with water about 3 drops oil per 1 liter of water. This is sufficient to put the fish to sleep, and once it is unconscious add 3 more drops to kill it. There has been some suggestion of using clove oil with vodka, but vodka is an irritant to the fish, it seems to hurt the fish, and it isn't necessary. You can get clove oil at your health food store, or in the toothpaste section of most pharmacies.
> 
> Whatever you do, never flush a live betta! This is the cruelest and most inhumane way to dispose of a fish. Contrary to popular belief, sewage treatment doesn't typically involve harsh chemicals on the outgoing side of things. Furthermore, the majority of the waste product running through sewer pipes is water. It is not only possible, but also probable that the fish will survive the flushing only to die a slow and painful death in the sewer. Flushing a fish is also not an environmentally sound practice, so don't flush the dead ones either. Your best bet is to put the dead ones in a bag of water and throw them away, or give them a nice funeral in the garden.







> Give Them Away
> 
> Bettas make great pets, are low-maintenance and easy to care for, making them ideal as gifts for friends or family members. I know a breeder who jars up his surplus stock and then sits outside on his front porch waiting for neighborhood kids to pass his home while returning from school. Another hobbyist puts her extra bettas into unique and creative glass containers and sells them from her store; still another donates bettas to schools in her area as class pets. Most privately-owned pet stores will gladly accept free bettas as well.
> 
> Sell Them
> 
> This is infinitely better than just giving them away, if you have the resources. Some pet stores will take your extra stock from you for about a dollar per fish, or in exchange for store credit. The internet is also a popular venue for selling bettas, with resources like online aquatic auction houses available at cheap (or free!) listing fees. If your skills as a breeder become good enough and your reputation as a seller grows, you can also try your hand at selling surplus stock from your own website. Be prepared with the proper shipping boxes, bags, and heat packs, and invest in a decent camera. All potential buyers would much rather see a photograph of the actual fish in question than a stock photo representation that ensures them their fish 'Looks something like this'. More times than not, the fish they receive looks nothing like the one used in the ad, leaving the customer disappointed. And disappointed customers are not return customers!
> 
> Keep accurate records of your stock's genetics and ages, as those will be helpful to a prospective buyer. Only sell healthy fish that are free from deformity and genetic defects. Be prepared to answer lots of questions about your fish, both before and after the customer receives them. Be wary of using your own strain names; although these can be fun and catchy, they are also confusing and will not help your credibility among experienced betta buyers and fellow breeders.





- http://bettysplendens.com/articles/page.imp?articleid=1047


Helpful Articles 





The Basics - Clean water
The Basics - Food
The Basics - Health 
Week 1-2
Week 3-4
Week 5-6
Power Growing
Artificial Hatching 

Fry Foods & Feeding
What Fry Eat
Fry Growth
First Five Days
Culturing MicroWorms
Culturing Vinegar Eels


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## Betta man

Good report. Did you mean at a minimum of 12 hours for baby brine shrimp feeding?


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## Fishy friend2

Nope. A maximum age of 12-24 hours. Other wise they will lose a majority of there nutrition and be useless


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## Betta man

I thought you meant feed the baby bettas the brine shrimp when they are under 24 hours old.


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## Fishy friend2

oh no. feed the brine shrimp when the brine shrimp are under 24 hours old.


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## Betta man

that's nice to know. I used old bbs.


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## Fishy friend2

Yeahl old BBS may be still small enough for the fry to eat, but they are most nutritional when they are younger because they have an egg/yolk sack. The yolk sack is very nutritious and the main source of nutrition in BBS. Feeding BBS after the brine shrimp are 24 hours old is pointless as there is minimal nutritionl value


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## Chard56

Not a bad article except the temperature. I don't even raise the spawning tank that high. 78 to 80 is fine for spawning, raising and maintaining Bettas. The higher temperatures will foul the water faster and is too high for their metabolizm. 84 degrees is fine if you are treating them for a disease like Velvet or ich otherwise 82 is as high as I'll make the water.


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## Betta man

I had it at 84. Thanks for the info chard!


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## Fishy friend2

1 week old fry raised at 92 with feeding x4 daily, and daily 50 percent water changes being held in a 5 gallon until they are large enough to go into a real grow out tank


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