caring for many baby bettas

[bethyMT]

Hello all. Thanks to a very generous member of this forum, I wil be recieving a group of 9 week old betta babies. I have some questions as to how to care for them until I can rehome them....I am undecided on whether or not to grow them out first.

Number: about 12
Gender: Mixed ( I think)
Type: Giant/typical HMPKs

My questions:
1. Can you sex bettas at 9 weeks old? How would I do that?
2. Can they all be housed together for now in a 20 gallon with lots of plants/cover?
3. When is the time to separate the males out? Do I need to be ready for that now?
4. What do they eat? Do I need to get special food? I have hikari mini pellets and omega one pellets, also tropical flake food and frozen bloodworms.

I have done research and I feel confident that I can care for these babies....I have a 20 gallon and a 5 gallon tank; the bigger can be a harem if need be and I can use a few 2L pop bottles to house males in the 5 gallon. My 10 gallon is not quite done cycling, but should be done in a few days. All tanks are filtered and heated. I can get anything else I should need. I am planning on 50% daily water changes to inhibit any stunting in thier growth (per bettysplendens' recommendation.)

It's quite exciting to be doing this! Please, I can use any advice/help I can get though. I am pretty experienced as a fishkeeper, but bettas are newish to me.
TIA!! Sincerely!

[registereduser]

I'm just curious.......

Isn't the seller willing to answer these questions for you?

[bethyMT]

Here is the honest truth: I am having a hard time understanding him. English is his second language. This is no offense to him whatsoever, I have gotten the information that I can from him, and I think I know the answers to some of these questions, it's a double-check.

Oh, I hope I haven't offended him!! This is just the truth!!

ETA: He is sending food and plants with the babies... I re-read an email and figured that out. I am really not the sharpest tool in the shed sometimes. But I still would like to know what others feed.

[registereduser]

ah! that makes perfect sense.......

You might want to check the breeding forums, especially this thread:

http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?t=116065

[babystarz]

I have raised a pack of babies that were 7 weeks old, they're really fun at this age and it's so exciting to watch them grow!

1. Can you sex bettas at 9 weeks old? How would I do that?
This is right on the cusp of when the males start to become more obvious. Look for longer ventrals on the males and egg spots on the females. Males may also start to become more aggressive.

2. Can they all be housed together for now in a 20 gallon with lots of plants/cover?
Yes, just keep an eye on their behavior and do frequent water changes to make sure there isn't a buildup of hormones released by the males that will stunt the growth of all the fish. The plants will help filter the hormone a little, but I would be doing at least 25% weekly changes.

3. When is the time to separate the males out? Do I need to be ready for that now?
Individual males will start to become much more territorial pretty soon. If you are interested in show quality males you want to separate them as soon as you suspect they may be male, so they develop the largest possible fins.

4. What do they eat? Do I need to get special food? I have hikari mini pellets and omega one pellets, also tropical flake food and frozen bloodworms.

A high protein live food in addition to these is a good idea, especially because their mouths might not be big enough for anything but the mini pellets yet. If you have access to Hikari's frozen BABY brine shrimp (not regular brine shrimp) that will be fine. Or you could look into a grindal worm culture.

[bethyMT]

Thank you!! I have read those articles, unfortunately I'm afraid it's not all sinking in due to this stupid bad cold I have...

Babystarz...so glad there are others with experience with this. Would it be OK if I chop up some frozen blood worms for them? I think I will be well enough to go to the store tomorrow to get some baby brine shrimp or something like that, but would that work in a pinch? And I am planning 50% daily water changes, to help keep that hormone from stunting them. I think bettysplendens recommended that somewhere. It's no big deal.

If all goes well, I'd like to grow them out before I take them to the local LFS. They seem to refuse to admit the speciality of this breed, and I want to show them how amazing they are.

[babystarz]

Originally Posted by bethyMT

Thank you!! I have read those articles, unfortunately I'm afraid it's not all sinking in due to this stupid bad cold I have...

Babystarz...so glad there are others with experience with this. Would it be OK if I chop up some frozen blood worms for them? I think I will be well enough to go to the store tomorrow to get some baby brine shrimp or something like that, but would that work in a pinch? And I am planning 50% daily water changes, to help keep that hormone from stunting them. I think bettysplendens recommended that somewhere. It's no big deal.

If all goes well, I'd like to grow them out before I take them to the local LFS. They seem to refuse to admit the speciality of this breed, and I want to show them how amazing they are.

Yes tiny bits of frozen bloodworms should work for a few days, just make sure they're tiny chunks so they don't end up with indigestion issues :)

[Xeek]

baby brine shrimp can help with indigestion issues... fiber keeps them going. Brine shrimp may be to big (use baby). I fed my baby on micropellets for a few weeks until she could get a normal pellet in her mouth.

[bettasareawesome]

I've heard lot's of protein helps them grow. I think you might be able to get ideas on what gender they are with this: http://www.theaquariumwiki.com/image...ale_bettas.jpg
also the eggspot but I don't know if they have them from that young of an age and if they do it would be tiny. How much are their?

[bethyMT]

Thanks everyone for your help. I have learned a lot from you.

I will be acquiring baby brine shrimp today. I still feel sick, and I'll be lugging my two little kids with me, but I want to be prepared when the babies arrive, and that could be any time now.

Again, thank you.