Breeding Fish

[smokeyjo]

As the title says I'm thinking of breeding fish I've got a 5 gallon tank just sitting there so I could use that but I was wondering how dificult it is and what requirments they would need. Some 1 use a species because I'm open to any kind

 

[OldMan47]

Many of the fish we keep can be bred easily. It is a first challenge that new fish keepers take on once they become good at keeping their fish healthy. The particular way to breed a fish varies quite a bit from species to species.

You need to decide what you would like to breed, keeping in mind that 5 gallons is tiny, and then look into those fish that you like.

For livebearers, keeping the fish in a pair in their own tank and providing a hiding places for the fry is all that is needed. I breed many livebearers by simply placing a sample of a species in its own tank with a clump of java moss and going back now and then to scoop out some of the fish for sale. On the other hand cichlids typically will care for their fry so the high fry cover is not needed but most require far more than 5 gallons to breed in. Moving up in difficulty are things like corydorus that need particular water conditions and are often placed together to breed when the outdoor weather patterns reflect a rainy season. They also get large cold water changes at that time to simulate rain runoff.

 

[smokeyjo]

Ok thanks. Yeah I understand that a tank is small but it will only b to rear the fry till they are large enough not to get eaten

 

[smokeyjo]

Could any1 recomend some live bearers that I could try breeding something that is relativly easy to start off with

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Any livebearers.


With such a small tank, you might want to go with endlers.

 

[ohiofishguy]

Could any1 recomend some live bearers that I could try breeding something that is relativly easy to start off with

Just about any of the livebearers will breed readily. I have had platies breed, guppies, swordtails, and mollies breed by just putting them together with their respective tankmates. I have found that swordtails breed easiest for me. If you are going to try to breed those then go with a 3:1 ratio of females to male.

Female livebearers you get at the petstore tend to already be pregnant in my experience a high percentage of the time.

Raising fish babies are fun though.

Any livebearers.


With such a small tank, you might want to go with endlers.

I second that.

 

[soybean]

With such a small tank, you might want to go with endlers.

Seconded. 5 Gallons isn't really very big at all.

Be sure you have a good idea what you'll do with the surviving fry before you start deliberately breeding fish, you'll be overrun in no time. Livebearer babies can quickly take over your LIFE.

Why not buy a cheap 10-15 gallon second hand, find out what your local stores might want to buy off someone locally, and breed something more interesting? Livebearers aren't a challenge, they probably breed in their sleep.

 

[smokeyjo]

Yeah that's a good call actually I'm guna have a look for a bigger tank to breed something ill go see my lfs too see what they will give me credit for they are pretty good for that so ill go and ask sorry to be a bit thick lol but what fish are endlers thanks guys

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Endlers are like guppies, only smaller.

 

[ohiofishguy]

Yeah that's a good call actually I'm guna have a look for a bigger tank to breed something ill go see my lfs too see what they will give me credit for they are pretty good for that so ill go and ask sorry to be a bit thick lol but what fish are endlers thanks guys

They are a pretty small livebearer...if I am correct about this then most if not all of the fancy guppies you see today ultimately can be traced back to endlers livebearers.

 

[soybean]

TFF Factsheet here: http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/128756-endler-endlers-livebearer/

 

[OldMan47]

Some nice small livebearers include endler, golden teddies, Heterandria formosa (least killie fish), Characodon lateralis and Zoogeneticus tequila. You find all of these at club auctions but never see any of them at pet shops around where I live in the middle of the US. I am a registered breeder of wild type endlers and have all of those other fish too. The Characodons are very colorful but a bit harder than the others to breed.