When keeping fish as pets, many potential owners will often look for ways to breed their fish. This can be a fun and intriguing hobby, especially if you have the patience needed to monitor conditions and the environment of your pet fish. Unfortunately, breeding betta fish isn’t always easy. There are some challenges that you need to prepare for first before even beginning the process. Some types of betta fish are simply not suitable for breeding or hatching eggs or fry. Preparing beforehand can save you a lot of frustration later on. If you’re planning to breed your pet bettas, here are five reasons why you shouldn’t breed a giant betta for sale with a normal one:
Why You Should Not Breed A Giant Betta With A Normal Betta
Breeding giant bettas with normal bettas is a poor choice for several reasons. First off, giant bettas are incredibly difficult to care for. If you have the money and space for such a fish, you should be prepared for a lifelong commitment. Giant betta tanks are expensive and your maintenance costs could be upwards of $50 a month. Giant bettas grow to be very large, usually around 10 inches long, making them a big hassle to clean.
Not only will they need a much bigger tank, but you’ll also need to get a special filter that works with that size of a tank. Normal bettas, while still requiring some specific care, are not nearly as demanding. They grow to be small enough to fit in a standard-sized tank. They also have a much shorter lifespan, usually dying after only a few months or years. Normal bettas are much cheaper to take care of as well. You’ll have much less to worry about with a normal betta than with a giant one.
They Have Very Short Lifespans
Normal bettas have extremely short lifespans, with many dying within a few months. This is in part because they are bred as pet fish and they are often kept in poor conditions by their owners. While you might be inclined to believe that breeding your bettas would keep them healthier and allow them to live longer, this is unfortunately not the case.
As mentioned above, normal bettas are incredibly short-lived fish, dying after only a few months or years. Giant bettas are bred as food fish and do not live long enough to be sold in stores. Breeding these fish will not extend their lifespans and will only lead to a higher mortality rate amongst your new fish. This can be a problem if you are breeding your fish to sell them to other owners. You’ll have a much harder time finding a buyer if you have to replace your fish often.
They Are Extremely Sensitive To Water Conditions
Normal and giant bettas are extremely sensitive to water conditions. They are fish, after all, and all fish are very sensitive to water conditions. However, giant bettas are especially sensitive to changes in pH, temperature, and any other parameters in their water. Normal bettas need a slightly less strict water condition environment but are still not ideal for breeding.
If you have a giant betta and a normal betta in the same tank, you will notice that the giant betta is much more sensitive to any water changes. This can be problematic if you are breeding your fish and want the conditions to be just right. If one fish is more sensitive to the conditions, this can cause issues with breeding. If your water conditions are too strict, one or both of your fish might not be able to breed. This can be especially problematic if your giant betta is the more sensitive fish in the tank.
Their Fry Can Suffer From Genetic Defects
Breeding normal and giant bettas can result in some very strange-looking fry. Genetic defects are common with bettas, especially when breeding different types of bettas together. Giant bettas and normal bettas have different body shapes and coloring. While breeding two different types of bettas together might result in some very unique-looking fish, it can also result in a fry that has abnormalities.
Normal and giant bettas have different body shapes and coloring, and these traits are passed down to their fry. This means that if you breed a giant betta with a normal betta, your fry might have very strange coloring or body shapes. These defects can make your fish less attractive to buyers and can make them harder to care for.
Conclusion
Breeding normal bettas with giant bettas is a bad idea for several reasons. Giant bettas are very difficult to care for, they have very short lifespans, they are extremely sensitive to water conditions, and their fry can suffer from genetic defects. Normal bettas, while still requiring some care, are much easier to maintain. They also have longer lifespans and are less sensitive to changes in their environment. You should not breed a giant betta with a normal betta because they are more difficult to care for, die sooner, and can have less healthy offspring. It’s better to breed two normal bettas together because they are easier to care for, live longer, and have healthier offspring.
