Long Finned Leopard Danios: Breeding?

[fishRfriends]

Hey everyone! Long time since Ive been on here since school started back up. Im deciding to venture from the nice easy world of livebearers and try to breed my first egg layers! Ive heard danios are the easiest so I bought (what I think to be) 3 female and 3 male long finned leopard danios.

Ive done alot of research and I think I sorta get the process down, but then I came onto a petsmart site and found this:

"Breeding
Adult females have silvery high lights and adult males have golden high lights to their bodies. During spawning 300-500 eggs can be produced. Leopard Danio pairs do not produce any fertile eggs. Offspring only seem to be produced when paired with a Zebra Danio.

Additional Comments
There is argument that the Leopard Danio is a morph of the Zebra Danio and that is why they can't produce fertile offspring. Recommended for any beginner aquarium."

Is this true? I didnt find it anywhere else so Im kinda weary but boy do I hope they lie! lol.


But, if this isnt true, I have a few questions. I have a 5.5 gallon set up with marbles as the substrate, set to about 80 degrees, with a sponge filter. I pu what I thought to be two females and two males in the tank. Now, Im not sure if this was the right move becuse I dont know how "fat" the female is supposed to be when she is ready to spawn, and I couldnt find any pictures. Do they get huge, or just a small belly? Any help would be great. I know I have to lower the water level by half when they are ready to spawn, but I dont know how to tell when that is.

Thanks for any help!

 

[dwarfgourami]

There is argument that the Leopard Danio is a morph of the Zebra Danio and that is why they can't produce fertile offspring.

What a bizarre explanation! Why would being a colour morph make you infertile? Anyway, there seems to be plenty of accounts from people who have bred these fish. A quick yahoo search brought up this blow-by-blow account as its first suggestion: www.aquarticles.com/articles/breeding/Lindler_Leopard_Danio.htm

 

[fishRfriends]

Oh phew! I sure hope thats true! I think they are starting to show spawning behavior, if thats what you call it. The boys are chasing the girls around like crazy (then again, these guys are so hyper that could just be them!). Thanks!

 

[OohFeeshy]

Danios breed like rabbits, it's just salvaging any eggs that is the hard part. Many people use a substrate of marbles to catch the eggs where they can't be eaten, others use a mesh suspended above the tank floor. Either way, or another way completely, you'll need an extra tank or container to raise fry seperately from the parents.

 

[fishRfriends]

Ohhh I am so excited and depressed at the same time. I used a very small siphon (like 1/4 inch) to drain the water because I guess its supposed to be about 5 inches deep. And the stupid danio sped right so fast I didnt even have a chance to move the tubing He got sucked in, and stuck in the tube. My mom blew on the end and he got out, but his back was snapped . Through me bawling by eyes out I saw that the remaining two females and one male were spawning! They would swim close and then do a couple of circles and poof! Out came eggs (that the other girl qickly swam over and ate some bad girl! But I guess thats why they have so many). So I am so happy that they are spawning but I feel like the worst fishy mommy in the world because I killed my poor little boy . The girl that he seemed to have paired with is a little confused and isnt as, um, enthusiastic? as the other, but I did see her laing eggs with the other male so I guess thats a good sign, poor little girl. Well, hopfully I will have teeny tiny danios soon!! Thanks everyone.

ETA: I have a sponge filter in the tank and I was just wondering, there seems to be alot of eggs on it, like 20 or so that I could see. Is the suction from the sponge filter high enough to hurt the eggs where I should shut it off and let the eggs get off or will the eggs be ok on it? Should I maybe just turn the bubbles down? Thanks!

 

[fishRfriends]

Yay!!!! I have fry today! They are soooo much tinier than I expected they would be. Im soooo exited !!! So, whatever that source was saying, they lie!
I have one quick question though, Ive searched around and I couldnt find anything that said how often danios can breed. Anybody know how soon they can safely spawn again? Thanks!

 

[dwarfgourami]

Congratulations!