The Spawning of Fancy and Texas Girl

April 30,2001

Condition the chosen pair for at least two weeks prior to spawning by feeding small amounts often. Frozen, Freeze Dried or Live foods are best, along with the best pellet or flake food for bettas you can find.

Prepare a Spawning Tank, anywhere from 2 1/2 to a 10 Gallon tank. Fill it with 3 day old aged water, about 5 inches deep. Bare bottom, cut a styrofoam cup in half and tape it in place, add a floating plant, real or soft plastic, and I also use part of half a flower pot with the edges sanded smooth, to make hiding places for the female. A small sponge filter set in place but not running, and a submersible heater set at 80 degrees.

Place the male into the tank and wait 24 hours before adding the female. When the female is put in the tank she needs to be confined in a jar or encased by a candle chimney. The male should flair for the female and build a bubble nest. The female will develop vertical bars and her ova depositor should be quite visable.
(see pictures below)

Once you have a bubble nest and determine the female is ready, you can release her. Usually the first thing in the morning as spawning can sometimes go on for hours. The male may chase her around the tank for a couple hours, and their fins may become riped. This is normal. I never leave mine unattended and if you should have to leave, slip the chinmey back over the female. I also confine her at night if the spawn did not take place during the day. If a spawn does not occur in 3 or 4 days, return the pair to their usual jars, placing them in medicated water to prevent infections or fungus from attacking the torn fins. Condition them for another two weeks and try again.

Texas Girl showing vertical bars and ovapositor
The white blunt egg tube on her belly

Cortship dancing and getting into position.
Their very first embrace

Embracing

The male breaks away,
the female remains paralized for a few seconds

After the embrace the male catches the eggs
as they fall and places them in the nest.
Some females will help pick up the eggs,
and also place them in the nest.

The process was repeated many times

The first few embraces produced no eggs,
then one or two, and finally a bunch each time.

How do you know when its time?
The male will usually build a bubble nest,
The female will display vertical bars,
and the ovapositor is very visable.
When she is ready to spawn
The female goes willingly under the nest.

More Pictures of the Spawn

Closeup of the Ova Depositor