Betta Fry: Survival Rate, Growth, And Food
Fry? French fries? Betta fries? Confusion. So much confusion. Do you often hear the word “betta fry” from your fellow betta owners and get confused? Are you too embarrassed to ask other people for help? If are you anxious about the growth of your “fries”, then congratulations! You are at the right place.
When the fry are too young they only eat live feed, for example, infusoria, microworms, Bloodworms, banana worms, and grindal worms. Once your Betta fry has grown up a little like 2 weeks and above start giving them flakes and pallets.
In this article, we will try to resolve most of your queries related to
What is Meant by “Betta Fry”?
Really sorry to break it to you but it is not the name of a dish (sadly). Betta fry is simply a newly hatched betta fish. It is just a fancy term for newly born Betta fish till they reach the age of maturity.
Betta Nature
The male Betta is responsible for taking care of the Betta eggs and fries. The male Betta uses its labyrinth organ (the lung-like organ that helps betta fish breathe outside water) to make bubbles. The bubbles are organized in such a way that a bubble nest is formed. As soon as the female betta lays the eggs the male betta is responsible for keeping the eggs in the bubble nest. Placing in the nest ensures safety from other predators. If an egg falls from the nest then the male betta is responsible for putting it back in it. Once the eggs hatch, the male betta provides the same safety to the fry and keeps them in the nest till they are mature enough.
As soon as the female lays the eggs it is your responsibility to remove the female from the tank. This is because by nature a female betta fish might harm or eat the fries. The male betta could also get aggressive with the female betta’s presence, so you must separate the two.
The Survival Rate of Betta Fry
The Betta fries are so tiny and fragile that most people might assume that they die easily. But this is not the case. Betta fries have an extremely high survival rate. A 90% survival rate is recorded in Betta fries. This number suggests that the Betta fry should not die usually. So if Betta fries keep on dying in your fish tank then there is something definitely wrong in your tank.
Size of Betta Fry
Betta fish start off as tiny eggs with a diameter of fewer than 0.03 inches. They become 1.9 inches long after 11 weeks. The fins of the Betta have reached maximum growth at seven months of age, and its length will be between three and four inches. Betta’s size and growth rate are ultimately determined by tank size and circumstances.
Why does Fry keep on Dying?
Sometimes despite the 90% survival rate, the Betta fry keeps on dying. This could be because of various reasons. Some of the reasons are listed below;
- An aggressive betta father could harm the fry.
- Bacterial and Fungal infections can cause the death of betta fries. Betta dropsy and Betta ich are some common diseases seen amongst betta fry.
- The bully fish present in the tank might injure, harm, or even eat the Betta fries.
- Unsuitable Tank Conditions
Unclean Tank
An unclean place is a hub for different diseases and parasites. An unclean tank makes an unhealthy living place for the newly-born betta. It is natural that they will get sick in such a place and will die way before they would if the tank was clean.
Unsuitable Temperature
The ideal temperature range for betta fries is 75 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit which is 23.5 to 26.5 degrees on the Celsius scale.
Unsuitable pH
An out-of-range pH value of the tank water can cause the death of betta fries. The ideal pH range for betta fries is between 6.5 to 8.
Lack of Dissolved Oxygen
In such a case they have to struggle to get oxygen from the surface of the water. So this lack of oxygen can also lead to the early death of the betta fries
Chemical Composition
Excess ammonia and nitrates in the tank can be dangerous for betta fries. As the amount of waste material in the tank increases so does the concentration of these chemicals.
Excess Betta Feed
If the food given to the fish in the tank is more than the requirement then excess food accumulates in the tank. This food decomposes and releases toxins in the tank water. These toxins can be fatal for betta fries or make them unhealthy generally.
Light Requirements
Betta fries have a sleep cycle according to the lighting. They sleep only in the dark because they have a diurnal sleep cycle. If the light is not controlled properly then the betta fries cannot fulfill their sleep requirements which will negatively impact their health.
Overcrowded Tank
An overcrowded environment is stressful for the Betta fries and they cannot thrive in it. Moreover, an overcrowded tank makes it difficult to keep an eye on the bullies.
How often can you feed the Betta Fry?
Betta fry can be fed 3 to 5 times per day. It is suggested to give them 5 small meals per day rather than giving 2 big meals. This keeps your fry satisfied for a long time and they do not get stressed out.
Related post:Infusoria for Betta Fry
What do Betta Fries eat?
Betta fries are carnivorous (they eat meat) in nature. So while feeding the fries you should keep this in mind. Fish pellets are useless for the fry since they do not eat them. A few food options according to the age of your fry are listed below.
Options for Newly Born Fries
Newly born fries require a lot of protein and fat to survive. Starting them to feed vinegar eels and nematodes is a good option. Betta Fry starter food mixes can also be found at a pet store.
Infusoria
These are single-celled organisms on the leaves and stems of living plants in the tank. The fries eat these organisms and keep on eating them for the rest of their lives. So you must make sure to add natural plants and leaves to your fish tank.
Baby Brine Shrimp
For Betta fries that are a few days old, Brine Shrimp is an excellent food option. Brine shrimp are less than 1mm long. Their small size makes them easier to eat. They are rich in protein which makes them a great meal option for your newborn Betta fry.
Worms
Once the Betta reach the age of 5-6 weeks you can add worms to their diet. Live Grindel and black worms are great options. Both of these are full of the nutrients your Betta fry needs.
How to speed up the growth of the Betta Fry?
There are a few tips that can help improve the growth of the betta fry. We all want the fry to grow up quickly now, don’t we? I will now discuss some of the things which can help in the growth of betta fry.
Doing a 50% Water Change Frequently
Betta fry releases a Growth Inhibiting Hormone which can be a hurdle in their growth. So to get rid of this hormone in the tank you should change the tank water often.
Avoid Plant-Based Foods
The plant-based feed can cause the betta fry to bloat. This bloating can prove to have a negative impact on the fry’s health and slow down its growth.
Separate the Fries From Bigger Betta
The fry must be in a safe environment to be free of stress and have good growth. So it is advised to keep the fry in a separate tank where no other fish teases them.
Use a Bigger Tank
A big tank gives the fry a better environment to grow. They can roam around freely without bumping into each other. This open environment helps them to stretch and exercise so the growth of the fries is improved by this.
The Bottom Line On Betta Fry
Raising little ones is not a walk in the park, it requires hard work and dedication. Betta fries grow up to be beautiful betta that makes your fish tank even more beautiful and colorful. One thing that you need to keep in mind is that every journey has its ups and downs but one must never give up. I hope through this article you got an idea about betta fry and how to take care of them. You just have to take care of the tank conditions and their diet and the rest is up to fate. So this was all you need to know about the betta babies, I really hope it helped. May your betta fry grow up to be happy and healthy. So good luck to you and till next time, happy fishkeeping folks!
