Gender-nonconforming betta really wants to be a mom/dad?

[Odd Duck]

I don’t think there’s a good way to limit eggs produced but if you have other fish in the tank nature will take its toll even with a male defending the nest.  You could collect a few eggs to hatch and let tank mates do the, um, culling.  But your tank will NOT be a peaceful tank.

The only time I bred bettas I ended up with about a dozen males and slightly more females by letting the male raise them until they became free swimming.  I removed him and left them in the tank (had already removed her).  I used a sponge filter so there was always air going into the tank and snugly covered the tank with plastic wrap over an already tight fitting lid for no drafts during that critical 2 to 4 week old period when the labyrinth organ is developing.  This kept the air above the water as warm and humid as possible.

[Epiphanaea]

Guys, I am dumb. 
 

There was a male betta I thought had really pretty fins and markings that I saw a few weeks go.  Didn’t get him because I was still looking at hybridization then.  Checked back last night, sure he’d be long gone - but he was still there!  Snapped him up, he’s in a pitcher because they didn’t have the type of tank I wanted.  
 

For some reason, in my head I was thinking ‘oh, he has like a rosetail configuration tail, with the ruffles, but it’s short!  How cool!’ . . . and it was just not computing that of course it’s short, he’s a baby in a cup.  It’s been a stressful few weeks, okay?  
 

Anyway, meet Cornelius, who I will probably not be breeding unless his tsil fin actually does miraculously stay short: 

[Epiphanaea]

Caught her on video!  

 

[Guppysnail]

That is incredibly interesting to see. Thank you for sharing. 

[JE47]

That is so cool and interesting.😀