So you bought a betta fish, and now you’re wondering how they reproduce. How do I spawn them? Spawning your betta fish can be one of the most exciting parts of owning a betta.
If you’re planning to breed your betta fish, you might wonder how the spawning process works, what the eggs look like, and how to have a successful spawn. This article explains everything you need to know about betta fish eggs and spawning.
What Do Betta Fish Eggs Look Like?
Ordinary betta fish eggs are small, oval, about one millimeter wide, and white. If you have a mouthbrooding betta fish, the eggs are typically bigger, around 2-3 millimeters, and take longer to hatch. The egg color will change if fertilized, developing gray or black spots.
Hatching Time
Betta fish eggs typically hatch within three days. However, a mouthbrooder betta’s eggs typically take up to a month to hatch.
Betta fish hatching time can also vary based on several factors.
Temperature
Eggs in a 75 ยฐF+ environment can hatch within 24 hours, while eggs at lower temperatures can take up to three days or longer.
The best temperature for breeding is between 79 and 82ยฐF. Any hotter and the adult betta fish could die.
Water Quality
Water quality can drastically affect how fast betta eggs hatch and their hatch rate.
If the water has too much waste from fish and bacteria, ammonia levels can rise, which can harm bettas and eggs. Make sure to do a water change before spawning to reduce the risk of this happening.
Species
Different species of betta fish have different hatching times for eggs. Bubble-nesting betta fish eggs hatch quickly, while mouthbrooding species, such as Betta Macrostoma, can take over a month to hatch. The average hatch time for most mouthbrooding species is 10-14 days.
How Many Eggs Do Betta Fish Lay?
According to Pet Fish Online, betta fish can lay up to 500 eggs per spawn, although this is rare. Betta fish lay 30-100 eggs per spawn on average. This estimate depends on the species as well as the following factors:
Size and Age
A betta reaches sexual maturity at 2-3 months, but a betta’s ideal time to spawn is when they’re 6-8 months old.
Some have found that females are the most productive at one year old.
Experience
Female betta fish that have previously spawned are more likely to lay eggs, and there is a higher chance of the male fertilizing the eggs. An inexperienced female betta will typically produce more unfertilized eggs.
Conditioning
Conditioning a male and female betta fish can raise the success rate of the eggs. Condition your betta fish by feeding them high-protein frozen foods multiple times daily.
Breeding Behavior
Skin changes allow you to tell when a healthy betta female is ready to mate. Their skin color darkens and produces a barred pattern. Then, a vertical stripe appears around the midsection. Lastly, the egg hole will open more frequently.
Male bettas will build bubble nests to create a space for the eggs. Males typically eat unfertilized betta fish eggs but may eat fertilized eggs when stressed or due to lack of experience.
Ensuring a stress-free environment before and during breeding will prevent the behavior.
Why Do Bettas Make Bubble Nests?
Betta males build bubble nests to provide a safe space for the eggs and recently hatched betta fry.
The bubbles provide enough oxygen at the water’s surface to protect the eggs and new hatchlings since they can’t swim on their own after they have hatched.
More information about betta fish bubble nests and what they look like can be found here.
Other Fun Facts About Betta Fish Eggs
Female betta fish can produce eggs without males, although they won’t be able to hatch.
Betta fish eggs can hatch without a bubble nest, but the baby bettas may not survive.
The betta father solely cares for the nest. Once the female lays the eggs, he puts them into the bubble nest and tends to them until they hatch.
Final Thoughts
There you have it! Everything you need to know about your betta fish and spawning.
Spawning your betta fish can be a very exciting process. Just remember that your bettas can produce over 400 babies. If you aren’t ready to co-parent so many babies, mouthbrooders usually have less than twenty.
Regardless of type, betta fish enthusiasts need to be prepared for breeding by having the right tank conditions and environment.
If you are interested in learning more about betta eggs or spawning, visit modestfish.com.