Siamese fighting fish breeding is quite enjoyable task.However risk factors rises because of their aggressive nature towards same species. This fish can successfully breed in less amount of water, i would prefer 10 gallons minimum.During spawning their may be very high chances that your fish may get few injuries and you are ready to take the risk.They give about 500 eggs at a time so you should have facilities to arrange home and food for them.Don't add any stones or gravels to the bottom of tank.
Steps:
1.Arrange 10 gallons tank, with clear water , add sponge filter ,water heater.Set the temperature of tank 80-82 degrees.The most important thing is that you should be able to partition the tank with glass so that they can see each other and you should put lots of hiding places in tanks so that female can hide.
2.Arrange for 1 male and 1 female ensure that they are nearly of same size and they are in healthy condition.The age of them should be around 1 year.
3.Feed them high quality food,especially live food or you can opt for frozen bloodworm.
4.Put lots of live plants as they will provide hiding place for females and food for fries however fake plants will also work as hiding place.
5.Add the tank divider in the tank you can give more space to male.
6.After 3-4 days turn of the sponge filter and introduce the male in one section and female in another after 1 hour when male is added.
7.Turn off the sponge filter now. remember the male and females should not be able to have direct contact.
8.Now observe them, if they are interested in each other the male will develop bubble nest and should be flaring his fin around the female and female will angle her head down submissively and develop vertical bars on body.Then if they are extremely aggressive and trying to attack through glass, then remove them try this after few days.Other wise this is right time to release female(probably 1 day after introduction)
9.Now, they will chase each other, some aggression will normally observed.So you should have provided hiding places.Chasing can be violent they may nip each other fins and tails.If spawning doesn't occur in 48 hours then try after few days or you can try with different pair.
10.If they are interested i have told the sign before, don't feed them. When both of them are ready to breed then female will move under the nest and male will wrap his body around the female.They will embrace each other.
11.This help female in squeezing the eggs.During this time females doesn't show movements and becomes like zombie during the falling of eggs.While male starts putting the eggs in nest.This process is repeated several time .When this process stops remove the female from the tank remember don't disturb nest and male.
12.Treat the tank with Maroxy as it prevents fungus attack on eggs and help in recovery of fishes.
13.After 3-4 days the babies will start coming out from the nest.Turn on the sponge filter but at very low power (slow rate).Take care that babies are not get squeezed by it or any other filter.Remove the male now.
14.Now feed the fries with microworm after 8 hrs , don't overfeed them.Use eyedropper and put 2-3 drops only.You can find that babies are feeding on worms on close observation.
15.If you find microworm on the bottom of tank till the nest feeding time ,then skip the next feed.
16.Microworm older then 1 day should be removed with siphon carefully , don't suck any fry.
Repeat this process for 1 month.
17.After 1 month you can feed them some larger food like baby brine shrimps,frozen daphnia
little pieces of frozen bloodworm.
18.Gradually increase the amount of food.If death rate of fries is very high then check for pH and temperature etc.
19.After 5-6 week starts feeding them frozen dried flake and pellets.Now starts moving the males into separate container at the age of 7-8 weeks.However females can be kept together at some extend.
20.After 8 weeks you have to find new home for new generation,you can put them in pond or sell to pet dealer and earn some credits.You can gift them to your friends and family members.
Breeding of fighter fish is quite tough job as compared to molly fish but however it is extremely fun doing it and you will have great time doing this.You are fee to share your experiences and suggestions.
