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Conditioning
your breeding pair is one of the most important parts of breeding.
Conditioning your pair is the process of ensuring that your breeders are in top health for
spawning, which can be a stressful experience on both bettas. Here
are 4 easy steps to getting them ready. |
| 1)
Your conditioning
period should be from 1-3 weeks. Pet store bettas should be
conditioned longer due to their horrible living conditions prior to
purchase. It will take them some time to recuperate and recover. Bettas
purchased from breeders through the mail also need extra time to adjust
due to the stress of shipment. I have, however, heard of breeders that
breed them immediately upon receiving them. This is where you need to
use your good judgment. Keep both of these facts in mind when deciding
the length of your bettas' conditioning period. If you have owned your
bettas for some time (1 month or more) then 1-2 weeks should be
sufficient time. You should also use this information when determining
a waiting period between spawning your bettas multiple times/tries. |
| 2)
Clean water is a
must. Keep your bettas' bowls cleaner than normal during their
conditioning period. If you keep your bettas in ½ gallon containers or
smaller, water changes every 2 days are advised. Condition the water as normal,
adding vitamins if available. A temperature of 76°F-80°F is ideal,
though many people are unable to provide heat to individual bettas. |
| 3)
Feeding is very
important in conditioning. Live foods are the best choice. Live black worms,
adult brine shrimp & mosquito larvae are good choices. Mosquito
larvae, when in season, are the top choice because they are free and
they happen to be a Betta's favorite food. To get Mosquito Larvae,
simply fill a bucket with water, add a few leave to the top and in a
week or so, you will see them wriggling all around. Use a net to catch
them. Rinse them and I use an eye dropper to feed them to my bettas.
Note - Be sure to check your city ordinances, in some cities you cannot
have standing water for mosquitoes to reproduce in. If you do not have
access to live foods, frozen can be used. Frozen Bloodworms & Brine
Shrimp are good choices. Alas, if you are unable to provide live or
frozen foods, Freeze Dried Bloodworms and brine shrimp can be substituted. Feed your
bettas 2-4 times a day, small portions. |
| 4)
There are many
opinions on whether or not the breeding pair should remain within view
of each other during this period. Use your own judgment and preference.
If a pair of bettas are very comfortable or relaxed with each other, I
would suggest separating them from each others' view. Absence makes the
heart grow fonder :) |
| Please keep in mind that
an adult female betta will always have eggs, the conditioning
period is more for the health and vigor of the pair than for egg
development. During this time your female will most likely produce more
eggs (picture). Once they are
conditioned you can move onto Tank Setup. |
| Keywords: Condition, conditioning,
egg production, breeding bettas, conditioning foods, conditioning period |
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