Community breeding egg scattering fish

[keddre]

Is there any special ways to community breed egg scattering fish (specifically white cloud minnows)? As I research the topic, it seems the popular way is to put them in a tank filled with marbles or bigger rocks so that they can not turn around and eat their eggs. I understand that, but I want to try and setup planted indoor tubs (mini pond style) but also want to try and start breeding my minnows.

It would be a species only tank, but anything I could do to protect the eggs without inhibiting plant growth?

[gardenman]

The only way to stop egg predation is to separate the eggs from the fish. A piece of window screening precisely cut to fit in the tub could allow plants to grow under the screen while the fish were trapped above it and any eggs they laid would fall through the screening to protect the eggs. Then you have the problem of protecting the young fry from the parents as they might be able to swim back up through the screening and get eaten. Also, future eggs laid in the pond that feel through the screening could get eaten by their slightly older siblings already under the screening. Those trying to breed egg-scatterers on a commercial scale tend to move the parents from tank to tank after they've spawned and let each batch of fry grow up in the tank they were spawned in.