Summering bettas outside?

[Raihana]

Just wondering if anyone else here does this?

For the last two summers I have summered my guys in planted container ponds outside. Since we live in a very mosquito-laden area I don't even have to feed them, they feast on live food all summer and have helped cut our mosquito population drastically! They are always bright and healthy when I bring them in and I have never lost one during the summer.

Here are some examples (the smallest is about 5 gallons):

[MoePaac]

I had been giving this serious thought, at least for my male. I know one of our members does this, but primarily for breeding purposes.

Do you keep yours in shade?
Use primarily rain water? Or do you top it off with water from inside that has been treated?
Have you ever had them overflow?

I have a good idea of how I would like to set mine up, but any experience is always helpful!

[Raihana]

My pots are sit in a mostly sunny area (two of the pots you see there are mini-bogs for carnivorous plants, they require a lot of sun) The plants help provide some shade for the fish and the water doesn't get too awfully warm. On the pots I have drilled several small holes around the pot where the lip dents inwards to allow excess water to safely drain away.

[Oldfishlady]

Love your outside setups......I put most of my Bettas outside during the warmer months as well for mosquito control and for spawning...the fry seem to grow out so much better and faster this way too-lots of natural selection so only the healthiest survive and that is what I want.....they tolerate the high and low water temps without issues-or at least mine do...I have had water temps over 100F and as low as 56F, however, at different levels of the containers they are in the water temp will either be cooler or warmer so they can get out of the heat or cool water on their own-that why I like to use deep container and not shallow ones with lots of organic matter and plants..its worked well for me...and good idea with the drilled holes for over flow-I have lost a few fry from overflow when it rains even with my holes but never any adults.

What kind of Betta do you keep and do you spawn any of them?

[Raihana]

As far as what kind of Betta... really just whatever catches my eye :) Yes my planters are deeper like buckets. The fountain is about 1' deep but it also sits in a more shaded area. This year I also hope to add a stock trough for growing water chestnuts and it, too, will get a resident betta :) I haven't tried to spawn before now but may try it out especially if I can get that set up this year.

I had just found and was reading your post on your setups. Nice! I agree with your natural selection views 100% If we always coddle the weaker ones then it weakens the species as a whole.