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Old 01-10-2012, 10:28 AM   #13 (permalink)
john_ny
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Default Re: Betta splendens, Siamese Fighting Fish

The eggs should hatch in a couple of days. The young are very tiny and, for the first couple of days after hatching, they remain, like little eighth inch long hairs, hanging from the nest, while they absorb their yolk sacs. The male will retrieve any that fall out, and return them to the nest.
When they become free swimming, the male should be removed. I use a coarse net for this, so any of the little ones that get caught up can swim through. Now they are going to need to start getting some food. The first food should be infusoria, little one celled animals, like paramecium. You can start an infusoria culture by placing some pond water in a jar (I used a 1 gallon mayonaise jar) and adding some greens, like grass or lettuce, with an airstone in the jar.. This should be started before breeding the pair, so you have the food ready when you need it. The animals are attracted to light, so if you turn the air off, and place a desk lamp near the jar, they will congregate near it. With good eyesight, you can see them, like powder in the water. Siphon them off through a very fine net, and add the to the tank with the young. If you don't have a fine enough net, you can place a piece of a bed sheet, or a tee shirt in a regular net.
After a few days of this food, they're ready for something a little larger, like newly hatched brine shrimp. The dry shrimp eggs are obtainable in a pet shop. Place some eggs, in salt water, in a jar, with air, as you did for the infusoria. They hatch in about 2 days. Like the infusoria, they are attracted to light, so get the old desk lamp. Siphon through a fine net, rinse with fresh water, and add to the tank.
As a food supplement, you can mash up the yolk of a hard boiled egg in some water, and freeze in an ice tray. Chip off a little piece for feeding.
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