Breeding Zebra Danios

[leadfish]

I currently have a 55 gallon tank with 7 Mickey Mouse Platies, 4 Zebra Danios, 10 Neon Tetras and 1 Plec.

I wanted to add a few more Zebra Danios to my tank, so I thought I would try to breed some more myself. When I purchased the first 4 Zebras I put them in a 10 gal Quarantine tank. I was quite surprised that they spawned within a few days of getting them. I did manage to raise one of them to about 1". Then a couple of months later, one of the 5 Zebras died suddenly. So now I have 4 left.

I set up my 10 gallon last week. I used some of the tank water and plants from my 55 gal tank, and I put in some used filters from the 55 gal into this tank for a few days to get the cycle started. I then added some flat glass marbles and some regular marbles to the bottom of the tank. The tank is only half full.

Yesterday I moved the 4 Zebra Danios to the 10 gal. This morning when I checked the tank, they were all busy scouring the bottom of the tank looking to eat their eggs. I spotted a few eggs still hidden in the marbles. I put the temp up a degree to 80 and waited some more. Eventually they started spawning again. Even as I tried to gather the adults up into my bucket, they were still spawning. After I moved the adult fish over to my 55 gal I covered the tank with a towel and turned off the light - I read somewhere that it would be better for the eggs if it was dark. Don't know if this is true or not?? So now I have a 10 gal tank half filled with hopefully some Zebra Danio eggs.

Since the last time they spawned was not too successful, probably due to my lack of information on raising the fry, I have been doing some research about breeding Zebra Danios. I could find some information, but I have a few questions I would like answered. If there is a web site out there that would answer all my questions, please point me in the right direction.

1. What should the temperature be set at during each stage of development?

2. What type of filter should I be using? I currently have an Aqua Clear filter for 10 Gal set up in this tank, set to the lowest flow possible. Since the tank is only about half filled, the water from the filter is dropping down into the tank. Will this be too much flow for the fry?

I have read that I should be using a "sponge filter". I don't know what type of filter that is. My concern about the filter is the intake tube....the holes are too big and they will likely suck up the fry once they hatch. The last time I had Danio fry, I tried covering up the intake with clean panty hose and elastic. This worked, I suppose, but it was a pain in the a** as it would get clogged up almost as soon as I had put in on. Is there another solution to this problem? I purchased a submersible filter (Elite Stingray- 5 gal) thinking that it might work better than what I have, but after opening it, I am wondering if it will provide enough flow and oxygen in the tank?

Any information on the type of filter I should have would be helpful.

3. Feeding the fry....I have read that I can purchase some liquid fry food. I'll have to make a trip to the lfs to see what they have. I have fry food in powder form, but I don't think it is small enough for the Danio fry. What / how should the fry be fed while we are on vacation (1 week)? Any suggestions?

Sorry this is such a long post....
Thanks

 

[sylvia]

I suggest you post a link to this thread in the cyprinids section (that would be the correct place for this) so that more people reply.

Sponge filters: http/www.firsttankguide.net/sponge.php

This is a DIY sponge filter article: http/www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/diy_spongefilter.php

You should realy be using a filter along those lines because of the risk of fry being sucked up. I don't know how else you could block the filter except the panty hose like you did before unless you use another piece of sponge/filter media - it may still get clogged up though.

In terms of the temperature, leave it as it is. Technicaly, the higher the temp., the quicker the fry will grow - but it's best to not change it now. Exactly what is it at currently though?

For food, the commercial liquid fry foods you mentioned are fine but you can also feed live foods such as microworms, baby brine shrimp, vinegar eels etc I'm pretty shure there's a pinned article somewhere (probably the betta section) concerning this. You can usualy feed powdered flake to danio fry as well since they are not quite so small.

Unfortunately, I doubt your fry will survive that week off unless they are large enough by then to be kept with the adult fish and be treated the same way as them for that duration.

 

[dylema]

Just a little note on the filter intake. I got a replacement sponge filter fine sponge and put this over the intake to my canister after I tried with fabric that got chewed and ripped by my plecos. At 500lph I have to wash the sponge no more than twice a week (usually only once). Perhaps you could make something to disperse the outflow from the filter if you want to keep that filter.

Good luck

 

[The-Wolf]

If there is a web site out there that would answer all my questions, please point me in the right direction.

points in the right direction
http/www.danios.odd-fish.net/DANIO/SexingBreeding.html

 

[leadfish]

Thanks for all your advice. I will definately investigate purchasing or making my own sponge filter.

 

[leadfish]

Update on breeding Zebra danios - I now have at least 16 (maybe more) Zebra Danio fry in my 10 gallon. I purchased a small sponge filter for $8 which is working pretty good.