Trying to Breed Aphyocharax rathbuni (Green Fire Tetra)

[MuddyWaters]

Anyone here ever bred this fish?

I've tried twice so far with no luck.

First Method:
I built a contraption like this one. He built it for Celestial Pearl Danio, but it should work for any tight scattering fish that likes to drop eggs on moss. (Emphasis on 'tight' in my case, I think). I did have gravel in the tank, but I took out all the plants except the moss on top of the box that would catch the eggs. No luck. I never saw an egg that I could confidently say was an actual egg.

Second Method:
Frustrated with the lack of success (especially after seeing how easily it worked for the guy who I got the idea from), I removed all plants, gravel and rocks from the tank. Empty tank. I built a screen that would allow the eggs to drop through but would keep the fish out of the bottom of the tank. I used #7 plastic canvas, with sponges around the outside. I had to use some filter floss to plug some gaps around the edges. It wasn't perfect, but I just wanted to see some eggs. Again, I didn't see anything that I would really call an egg for sure....not that I'd know for sure anyway, but still.

Now- third idea: I am taking the 2nd idea to another level. I'm building a BOX out of plastic canvas so that

1. It will keep the fish contained
2. It will be easier to lift out of the tank and replace if I want to get the eggs out to hatch them elsewhere.

Again I'll have nothing on the bottom of the tank, and only some moss at the bottom of the box. I also found GREEN plastic canvas, so I'm hoping that color will make them think plants.

I read conflicting reports of how they breed. One site says the eggs will fall through the moss. Obviously, that's what I've been counting on. Another site says the eggs are adhesive. This site states that the breeding is difficult and that they don't lay many eggs. This is why I was hoping I could leave ALL of the adults in there and let the eggs fall through.

I have checked the ph and GH to make sure it's on point (one site notes GH of 4, others say very soft water, which to me is GH of 1 or 0 like the water here, so again, lots of conflicting info)

I've been feeding them high protein small pellets, blood worms and baby brine shrimp.

What should I do? If the eggs are adhesive how do I make sure I get the fish out at the right time?

NOTE: I keep them in my laundry room which is on the first floor and has no windows, so when a site says, they breed in the morning, does that mean MY morning or when the light comes on in the tank?

 

[Back in the fold]

If this fish is an egg scatterer and the eggs are non adhesive then do like you would with Zebra Danio’s . Put several layers of glass marbles on the bottom for the eggs to drop in and have a low water level of about 4 inches so the eggs have a chance to sink before the breeders race back and forth eating them . Morning is morning and fish do know but if you don’t have a window in your basement put a low watt light on a timer to to come on an hour or so before your aquarium lights come on to simulate sunrise .

 

[MuddyWaters]

I read one post that mentioned using marbles- that's a good idea about leaving the water level low so they can't zip around and eat them. I'm guessing I should do this with one pair?

Also, how do I tell if there are eggs down in the marbles?

 

[Back in the fold]

I read one post that mentioned using marbles- that's a good idea about leaving the water level low so they can't zip around and eat them. I'm guessing I should do this with one pair?

Also, how do I tell if there are eggs down in the marbles?

I don’t have any experience with this Tetra but if their eggs are like Zebra Danio eggs which are very small and clear you will need a magnifying glass and sharp eyes to see them , the same with the newly hatched fry which are very small . Zebra’s are spawned with one female and two or three males but I don’t know anything at all about tetras . Tetras are difficult to be successful with but I read about more and more success with them all the time . Used to be that any tetra was difficult or impossible to induce spawning .

 

[GaryE]

I haven't bred rathbuni. But with other tetras, I set up a tank that is dark, with very soft water. I separate the sexes for a week, and feed them well. I choose a tank of at least 5 gallons, ideally larger. I heat it to 25-26.
I've been using craft/dollar store plastic plants, sold in mats. I cut it to a tight fit on the bottom, and two layers don't hurt.
When the females look rounded, the group is combined in the evening. After the lights come on, I look to see if the females have lost weight. Are the eggs probably out of them? If yes, I remove the adults and darken the tank for 3-4 days. rathbuni probably take a couple of days to hatch, so I don't look. Many tetra eggs can be killed by light.
I usually put a towel over the tank. That species is said to live in shade under vegetation (Seriously Fish) so that suggests possible light sensitivity.

If there are eggs, and you haven't fed the parents in the breeding tank, you should get a lot of tiny slivers.

Do you know if there are fertile eggs? No.
Do you light the tank? No.
Is this frustrating? Yes.
Do you feed the fry even if you can't see them? Yes, as long as you wait til hatching is due. Lots of tiny feedings only.
After about a week, I remove the sheets of fake plants and start to get an idea of what I have, if anything.

 

[MuddyWaters]

I haven't bred rathbuni. But with other tetras, I set up a tank that is dark, with very soft water. I separate the sexes for a week, and feed them well. I choose a tank of at least 5 gallons, ideally larger. I heat it to 25-26.
I've been using craft/dollar store plastic plants, sold in mats. I cut it to a tight fit on the bottom, and two layers don't hurt.
When the females look rounded, the group is combined in the evening. After the lights come on, I look to see if the females have lost weight. Are the eggs probably out of them? If yes, I remove the adults and darken the tank for 3-4 days. rathbuni probably take a couple of days to hatch, so I don't look. Many tetra eggs can be killed by light.
I usually put a towel over the tank. That species is said to live in shade under vegetation (Seriously Fish) so that suggests possible light sensitivity.

If there are eggs, and you haven't fed the parents in the breeding tank, you should get a lot of tiny slivers.

Do you know if there are fertile eggs? No.
Do you light the tank? No.
Is this frustrating? Yes.
Do you feed the fry even if you can't see them? Yes, as long as you wait til hatching is due. Lots of tiny feedings only.
After about a week, I remove the sheets of fake plants and start to get an idea of what I have, if anything.

WOW. I may have bitten off more than I can chew for my first breeding attempt ever. I just love them so much and you can't find them very often. People don't realize how beautiful they become after a year or 1 & 1/2 year.

I'm still going to try, though. I haven't tried separating the males / females, but I've read that. I also haven't bothered with dark, but I can do that no problem. Knock on wood.

 

[GaryE]

The thing with fish breeding is that yes, it can take some prep. It isn't automatic, and very few hobbyists breed tetras. But if you can pull it off, you have bragging rights, and great fish. We often can't afford big shoals of beauties like rathbuni. But with a bit of work, we can make them. The aquarists in my grandfather's time got very good at this, as it was a largely working class hobby and fish were not cheap. The old keepers looked at new purchases as puzzles, which was a lot more interactive than buying them to look at them for their lifespans.

Those guys influenced me as a teenager, and I'm glad of it. There's something satisfying in looking at a shoal of tetras and knowing most of them began their lives in your tanks. It's gardening versus buying cut flowers.