My Low Tech and Trouble Free Breeding Tanks

PineSong · February 6, 2022

I have these tanks that seem to run themselves: my 10g French blue star endlers and my 5 gallon ginga sulphureus guppies. Each has an adult trio and all of the offspring generated since they arrived in August and September--about 40 endler juveniles and fry and maybe 30 of the gingas; some ginga offspring are now breeding.

Both are lit by incandescent lamps that I already had in the room and happen to be where the tanks can use the light. The 10g is not far along the wall that has a window and gets sideways light from that. The 5g sits four feet from a large window.

I turn the lights on around 6:30 am and leave them on until after dinner. Sometimes I forget to turn them off until late when I'm going to bed. Sorry for the fried eyeballs little guys!

Both tanks grow enough plants to keep the fry safe and (apparently) manage the water quality. I dose with Easy Green once a week and never "have" to do a water change but sometimes will do one just so I can say I did. Co-op sponge filters are all they have running. The gingas are unheated.

Looking at these photos, it's clear each tank could use some gardening and rearranging to look better. As for function they are working well. It doesn't look like there are 30+ fish in each of these tanks but I promise there are.