3 Must-Dos for First Time Fish Breeders

To put it simply, all you need is to put a pair of a trio of male and female fish in a well-planted 20 to 30 gallon tank to have them breed—the easy way of fish breeding without much intervention on your part!

Although most aquarium fish will mate readily without any help from their keeper, their reproductive success depends very much on the care you lavish upon the parents and their offspring. The main challenge usually faced by a fish breeder is how to prevent as many fry as possible from being eaten.

Tank Preparation

Other than the main aquarium, one or more independent tanks must be established for various parts of the breeding process, such as conditioning the selected breeding pair, spawning, and rearing the fry.

The water quality of each of these aquariums must be properly managed through the nitrogen cycle. This can be done either by seeding sponge filters with good bacteria or by maturing them in the selected tank. The latter one is the preferred choice.

Environment and Food Conditioning

If you have selected a breeding pair, it is best to move them to into separate tanks where they can be primed into top reproductive condition first. Feed them high-quality, high-protein foods, such as live or frozen foods, at least two or three times daily.

When they are ready to mate, place them together in a tank that is large enough for the fish to keep out of each other’s way, especially if they are aggressive and territorial in nature. If necessary, do research to determine the size of tank suitable for that particular species of fish.

Delivery Tank

If you are breeding live bearers, a delivery tank is often necessary to prevent the adults from cannibalizing the young.

Cannibalism varies in intensity from one species to the next. In some cases, newborn fry are ignored unless the parents are poorly fed. Postpartum adults have ravenous appetites, so the availability of food may help reduce the incidence of maternal cannibalism. If you are unable to provide the optimum diet for your fish, check the female as often as possible and separate her from her fry immediately after birthing.

In general, water conditions in a delivery tank should be similar to those of the female’s previous living environment. Place a tight cover on the tank as some fish are excellent jumpers and will be especially nervous about being moved.

If You only have One Tank and still Intent to Breed

Here are some pointers you should consider:

• Minimize the threat other fish may pose to newborn fry by using smaller 10 to 15 gallon tank.
• Lower the water level to one-third of the tank’s maximum capacity.
• Make sure the tank has a dense layer of floating vegetation to provide shelter for the fry.
• Feed the female generously with combination of dry and frozen/live foods.

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