I bought a wild plakat male a few months ago, and found a gorgeous F1 plakat female. Set them both up in bare bottom 2.5G tanks with java fern and no filtration. Daily 25% water changes.
Here is basically what i did.
1. Set heaters to 80F. That is the optimal breeding temperature for bettas
2. Throw a hurricane vase (basically a glass cylinder with open tops and bottoms) in the tank so that it stands up on the bottom, and the top is sticking out of the water. Cn be found at most hardware stores.
3. For 2 to 3 weeks, feed on a protein rich diet, bloodworms, blackworms, and honestly, the betta food you can buy at petsmart. Bettas actually can eat a lot, and IMO the more they eat protein wise, the better off they are.
4. Look at your female. If she is very plump, has VERTICAL bars on her body, and has what looks like a white tube coming out from right in front of her butt, CAREFULLY net her out and put her into the hurricane glass.
5. Male will be very interested, and if he hasnt already, will begin working on a bubble nest. Keep close eye on the female. If it seems that she is trying to follow the male to his bubble nest, read step 6. If she is swimming away or skiddish of him, put her back in her own tank and continue steps 1-4.
6. If she tries to follow him, GENTLY remove the hurricane jar. Watch carefully for the next day or two. My breeding happened at night, and once the female starts to hide down in the corner and the male drives her away whenever he sees her, remove her. I didnt see mine breed though.
7. Once bred, especially if you see them breed. Remove female. In 3-5 days, you will see little wigglers. My male protected the fry to the point that if i put an air tube in to siphon water, he would attack the tube until it was gone. He will pick up fry in his mouth and spit him into the bubble nest, so don't worry if you see that.
8. Feed fry on daphnia and First Bites.
9. After 2 weeks, move fry to 5G grow out tank, and buy a LOT of little tupperware containers, or any sort of container you can keep single fish in. Add a small gently bubbling sponge filter.
10. As the fry grow, watch for aggression. Fins start growing within a month or two, and males must be removed immediately for optimal fin growage.
11. Daily 100% water changes on the tupperware containers and 75% on the 5G. Use airline tubing on the 5G, and look for baby bettas that got sucked into the bucket before dumping. Constant water changing and feeding will cause rapid growth and the best fins for the bettas.
12. Once there are all females in the 5G, seperate them into two 5G's as grow outs, and eventually 1 10G.
Fish are sellable at around 1.25"
Good luck!
