How To Breed Danios?
- Thread starter alex271
- Start date
It’s been a while since I last bred Danios of any sort, but this is an account of how I did it: (this is also the method I used for most Characins and other egg scatterers…i.e. red eye Tetras, Black widows, - mainly all non adhesive egg fish)
pH was not much of a focus area as Danios are reasonably flexible in ranges from 6.8 to around 7.4 and the temperature ranged between 25 & 28 deg C.
Ideally, 3 tanks (24”x12”x12”) produces the best results for mass spawnings … one tank to condition the males, one tank to condition the females and one tank to spawn them in…. (I used 3 tanks because I had them available, but you can get away with using 1 tank with a partition between the male and female sides which is removed when you want to spawn them)….I always used two more males than females i.e. 5 males to 3 females, 7 males to 5 females etc.)
At least a week before the spawning date, I’d separate the males and females and “condition” them (mainly) on live Daphnia, Newly hatched brine shrimp and bloodworms.
The spawning media may vary from marbles covering the whole base area, to a cluster of thick plants (hornwort or Cabomba) bundled in the darkest corner & weighed down by a small stone. (Plastic spawning mats are also effective).
I find that the best positioning of your aeration is directly in the v of the back panel on the same side where you've clustered your targetted spawning area. A medium flow which visibly circulates the water in this area also seems to stimulate breeding to some extent
Two days before I intend to place males and females together, I would add 4 drops of Liquifry to the spawning tank, so that infusoria can start developing as first foods for the fry when they hatch.
On the evening before the “planned” spawning event, I would drain the water to around 4” depth, cover the tank (in darkness) if the light cannot be switched off, and set my alarm for sunrise the next morning.
When I remove the covers in the morning (or switch on the light), I’d fill the tank to around 8” depth with water at a slightly lower temp than the water in the tank, and remove the partition between males & females, or if more tanks was used, transfer the males to the female tank. Spawning will start immediately and carry on for almost 4 hours.
Observe periodically as one or more fish may be “spawned out” long before the rest and then start egg hunting and eating them…. If you observe any such culprit, remove them immediately, as they will eat many, many eggs. (your intervention will not stop the spawning activity)
After some time, you will observe that most of them would have no further interest in spawning, (and all indulge in egg-eating) at which time you remove them all to their original quarters.
When all spawners have been removed, syphon water out from the top on the opposite side of your "targetted" spawn area to a depth of 4",- just making sure that none of your spawn receptical protrude above water level - (so that you can just top up 1" of water per day after the fry becomes free swimming and you do not have the risk of syphoning them out when doing water changes during the first week).
And then…. Congratulations!!!... you’ve achieved your first spawning…. As easy as that. (the fish will be ready for their next spawning about 8 days later if the same procedure is applied.)
pH was not much of a focus area as Danios are reasonably flexible in ranges from 6.8 to around 7.4 and the temperature ranged between 25 & 28 deg C.
Ideally, 3 tanks (24”x12”x12”) produces the best results for mass spawnings … one tank to condition the males, one tank to condition the females and one tank to spawn them in…. (I used 3 tanks because I had them available, but you can get away with using 1 tank with a partition between the male and female sides which is removed when you want to spawn them)….I always used two more males than females i.e. 5 males to 3 females, 7 males to 5 females etc.)
At least a week before the spawning date, I’d separate the males and females and “condition” them (mainly) on live Daphnia, Newly hatched brine shrimp and bloodworms.
The spawning media may vary from marbles covering the whole base area, to a cluster of thick plants (hornwort or Cabomba) bundled in the darkest corner & weighed down by a small stone. (Plastic spawning mats are also effective).
I find that the best positioning of your aeration is directly in the v of the back panel on the same side where you've clustered your targetted spawning area. A medium flow which visibly circulates the water in this area also seems to stimulate breeding to some extent
Two days before I intend to place males and females together, I would add 4 drops of Liquifry to the spawning tank, so that infusoria can start developing as first foods for the fry when they hatch.
On the evening before the “planned” spawning event, I would drain the water to around 4” depth, cover the tank (in darkness) if the light cannot be switched off, and set my alarm for sunrise the next morning.
When I remove the covers in the morning (or switch on the light), I’d fill the tank to around 8” depth with water at a slightly lower temp than the water in the tank, and remove the partition between males & females, or if more tanks was used, transfer the males to the female tank. Spawning will start immediately and carry on for almost 4 hours.
Observe periodically as one or more fish may be “spawned out” long before the rest and then start egg hunting and eating them…. If you observe any such culprit, remove them immediately, as they will eat many, many eggs. (your intervention will not stop the spawning activity)
After some time, you will observe that most of them would have no further interest in spawning, (and all indulge in egg-eating) at which time you remove them all to their original quarters.
When all spawners have been removed, syphon water out from the top on the opposite side of your "targetted" spawn area to a depth of 4",- just making sure that none of your spawn receptical protrude above water level - (so that you can just top up 1" of water per day after the fry becomes free swimming and you do not have the risk of syphoning them out when doing water changes during the first week).
And then…. Congratulations!!!... you’ve achieved your first spawning…. As easy as that. (the fish will be ready for their next spawning about 8 days later if the same procedure is applied.)
No geez!!!... I put some effort into this & deserve some response... Anybody got something to comment or add about my "procedure".... it's worked for me for 40 years without fail. Have you got an alternative method
.... tel us about it!
.... tel us about it!
shelaghfishface
the one and only
i was just thinking the very same thing Ludwig 
although i dont/have never/never intend to breed danios.. the information that you have provided is excellent,and easy to understand..
.. and i appreciate the work you put into typing it all
shelagh xxx
although i dont/have never/never intend to breed danios.. the information that you have provided is excellent,and easy to understand..
.. and i appreciate the work you put into typing it all
shelagh xxx
i was just thinking the very same thing Ludwig
although i dont/have never/never intend to breed danios.. the information that you have provided is excellent,and easy to understand..
.. and i appreciate the work you put into typing it all
shelagh xxx
Thanks Shellagh.... Only because I'm talking 40 years foolproof methodology here... are there some new.. easier thing which I have not heard of
.. I'd really appreciate some criticism here....
Harlequins
***Corydora Crazy***
Fab advice 
If i hadn't just sold my silvertips i would've have tried that with them,they had been spawning but in the main tank,hence eggs were lost forever
40 years of experience counts for a lot
edited to add- that should be pinned ludwig
If i hadn't just sold my silvertips i would've have tried that with them,they had been spawning but in the main tank,hence eggs were lost forever
40 years of experience counts for a lot
edited to add- that should be pinned ludwig
Fab advice
If i hadn't just sold my silvertips i would've have tried that with them,they had been spawning but in the main tank,hence eggs were lost forever
40 years of experience counts for a lot
edited to add- that should be pinned ludwig
Yes... It would've been applicable to your Silvertips as well.... I've bred them like that as well.
hughessomefish
Fish Addict
ludwing, and I agree that should be pinned you deserve it !!
agree that should be pinned you deserve it !!
ludwing, and I
I have to add though... the spawning process is the easy part of it.... (& believe me... if you do it in this way, you will have the spawning done).... The hatching and rearing is where the challenge lays.... I can elaborate on that aspect as well if there is an interrest.
Harlequins
***Corydora Crazy***
Yes please definatelyludwing, and I
I have to add though... the spawning process is the easy part of it.... (& believe me... if you do it in this way, you will have the spawning done).... The hatching and rearing is where the challenge lays.... I can elaborate on that aspect as well if there is an interrest.
Yes please definatelyludwing, and I
I have to add though... the spawning process is the easy part of it.... (& believe me... if you do it in this way, you will have the spawning done).... The hatching and rearing is where the challenge lays.... I can elaborate on that aspect as well if there is an interrest.
He! he!.. I just hate doing this during my leisure hours.... I'll see what I can put together during "working" hours tommorow (at work)....
waterdrop
Enthusiastic "Re-Beginner"
Are you kidding Ludwig?? I was struck dumb, so to speak. It was such a wonderful account of accumulated experience that I just read it several times, shook my head and felt myself lucky to have found this forum that has enough to attract the really old (meaning many years of experience!) pros like yourself so we can get to hear things like that. Many thanks!No geez!!!... I put some effort into this & deserve some response... Anybody got something to comment or add about my "procedure".... it's worked for me for 40 years without fail. Have you got an alternative method
WD
Now I have become interested in trying it. I have never tried egg scatterers before so it is time. My pH is well above 7.4 but I have heard of people near me having some success with zebras. Would this method work with rasboras? Those are fish that I can actually enjoy keeping. I find newborn food easy to have, there are always microworm cultures in my fish room. I do like the idea of giving the tank a head start with some liqui-fry though. I may try that with the "golden pearls" that are meant to be a first food for egg layer fry.
I will go as far as to say "I guarantee success with this method"....
... Rasborras also lay nonadhesive eggs, so it will work for them as well... The easiest fish (for egg scatterer beginners) though would be your Zebra danio and Blackskirts... and then advancing to Red-eye Tetras and Rio Tetras...Water quality only comes into play when you try Neons & Glowlights... (Black neons of course not included)... Go on Oldman... I challenge you!Edit:... ouch...sorry.... just realised that Harlequins are also Rasborras... no... it will not work with them.... They actually lay their eggs from an ovipositor, so will not be suited for this method... sorry if any inconvenience.
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