The Mating Period
- Make sure your water temperature stays around 80 degrees Fahrenheit.
- It's best to use a ten-gallon tank that has been filled halfway for the breeding tank.
- Use plants like java fern or java moss in your tank, because your betta's fins can get tangled or torn in the plastic plants.
- Be sure to have a little hiding place in the tank for when you introduce the female.
- Introducing the female will usually cause the male to start building his nest. (Sometimes the males will start building their nests because they're either ready to mate or extremely bored.)
- If the female is ready to mate, she will be displaying vertical bars along her body. Horizontal bars are a sign of stress.
- The best thing to do for your fish during this period is to keep the water warm and the tank light off.