Betta Breeding Growout Container Prep

[Fish Folk]

We’re planning to start breeding betta splendens here in the next month. Biggest challenge is deciding in advance how to prep for growout. One of our friends works at Chick-fil-a here locally, and can get us these clear 1-gallon plastic jugs that they sell tea in. So, as proof-of-concept, we set up a couple yesterday. Used cycled tank water from female Gourami aquarium, added 3x marimo moss balls to each, floated water lettuce, and clipped pothos portions to grow emmersed. Stuck a light airline in, but ran it through the jug handle so that the bubbles can be limited, leaving water surface tension undisturbed so males can build bubble nests, etc. put in 1x alder cone, and a thumbnail-sized piece of Indian almond leaf - both for boosting tannins. I can fit 14x along the edges of this rack we built. Figure the females can grow out in the breeding tank, and males can mature in these for sale. Kind of quirky, but materials are free!  

[OceanTruth]

It looks like you have a solid plan in place going forward. Good luck with the breeding. I hope to see how it goes, if you're planning to share your progress that it.

[Daniel]

Back when I was breeding bettas, I grew thousands of them out in 1 gallon wide mouth glass jars, which is pretty similar to what you are doing.

I did daily or every other day 100% water changes, so I didn't have plants or aeration in the jars.

[Fish Folk]

16 minutes ago, Daniel said:

I did daily or every other day 100% water changes, so I didn't have plants or aeration in the jars.

Water changes will be some work! Have this idea of running airline tubing out to a small capped PVC pipe, with a valve on one end that can be attached to a python. So, attach the python, turn the valve to “open,” turn on, and _in theory_ water can slowly be drained through airline tubing and replaced by reverse method (with much lower water pressure). Mocked up a picture...

[Daniel]

Changing several hundred jars a day was daunting work and depended on help from my 2 sons.  One morning my 6 year old son said (bursting into tears):

"Dad, I wish I had two broken legs!

Me, "Oh no! Why?"

Son, "So I didn't have to change the bettas jars every morning!"

At 26 years old now he thinks it is pretty funny, but not so at the time. Not sure why he has never kept an aquarium?

You system looks more sane.

[Fish Folk]

5 minutes ago, Daniel said:

Changing several hundred jars a day was daunting work and depended on help from my 2 sons.

Saw this guy’s video who inverted a bunch of 2-liter bottles, and screwed a pipe line on the end of each, then drained / refilled by flipping a switch. That’s how to do it! 😂