Five Examples / Approaches to Breeding Fish

[Fish Folk]

Thought I’d share some fish breeding projects going on in my little fishroom, and explain a few approaches.

(1) Live-Bearer Colony (Snakeskin Guppies)

I begin with 2-3 pairs, or 2 trios. Lots of Najas to hide fry from possible predation. Temperature kept up near 78-80°-F. Feed variety, including live BBS. As fry mature, they are moved / sold. Unwanted fry culled, fed to larger cichlids.

(2) Double Species Growout (EBAs & BNPs)

I began with a single pair of Ancistrus, added two batches of 1-month-old Electric Blue Acara fry, and now the EBA fry have matured and are spawning. A few of their fry survive. EBA adult Parents added as well. Loads of fish sold from this tank — hundreds. Still at least a hundred+ to sell.

(3) Parental Fry Care (Betta Imbellis)

This guy’s story has been interesting. Lots of drama — he arrived in mail nearly dead. Now, he’s being a great first time daddy. He’s vigilantly guarding his offspring as they attempt to develop their labyrinth organ. Feeding them vinegar eels. Sure to switch to BBS once  large enough.

(4) Eggs pulled to separate tank (Killis)

I can’t remember how many dozens of eggs I pulled last month from the mop of the Fundulopanchax Scheeli — Emerald Killifish —  now a few fry are finally hatching in 2.5 gal tank. They’ll stay here for ca. 2 months before being added back over to the Scheeli colony. I also allow fry to just survive in the adult tank if they can. Overfed BBS today.

(5) Eggs pulled to floating flow-through isolation / hatch out containers (BNPs, GBRs)

I pulled a clutch of BNP eggs from the Killi colony to preserve them from getting gobbled up by Killis when newly hatched. They’re growing fine, eating some Omega One algae wafers now. Tank water flows in through sponges. Airline keeps water circulating, oxygen up, and aerobic bacteria developing in sponges.

In Discus tank, I also pulled a stone on which a pair of German blue Rams laid a clutch of eggs abs placed in another DIY floating fry container. Java moss added. Fed on vinegar eels and BBS. Touch of New Life Spectrum Grow fry starter powder.

Every tank I keep is either a breeding tank, a future breeding project, or a post-breeding aquarium. 

[Griznatch]

Thanks for sharing , always interesting to see what you have going on in the fish room.

[Cinnebuns]

STOP ENCOURAGING MY NEW BREEDING ADDICTION!!  

In all honesty tho this is great. I really wish I had more space and money to do some of these projects. Maybe someday I will end the current ones and start different ones. I swear at least 2-3 times a week I have to talk myself out of breeding something new. I did convince myself its ok to add on Japanese trapdoor snails cause they breed so slowly and babies can just be added to existing fry tanks. 

[Beardedbillygoat1975]

@Fish Folkwhere do you think you are in terms of colony breeding the BNPs in some of your tanks? Percentage wise 25-75%? I'd imagine in the EBA tank the survival rate would be low but wondering about your other examples. I've got a 40 b setup for the BNPs with some immature Gardneri fry and some Orange Sakura shrimp. My guess is that my survival rate at 1 week post release of fry that I am at 50-75% as I don't see any predators in there besides the other BNs. 

[Fish Folk]

On 3/21/2022 at 4:11 PM, Beardedbillygoat1975 said:

@Fish Folkwhere do you think you are in terms of colony breeding the BNPs in some of your tanks? Percentage wise 25-75%? I'd imagine in the EBA tank the survival rate would be low but wondering about your other examples. I've got a 40 b setup for the BNPs with some immature Gardneri fry and some Orange Sakura shrimp. My guess is that my survival rate at 1 week post release of fry that I am at 50-75% as I don't see any predators in there besides the other BNs. 

I’ve got two tanks where BNPs are breeding regularly. In the larger one, with all of the Acaras, fry get gobbled up immediately now. When the EBAs were smaller, they never bothered to eat at the BNP fry, so several nice batches successfully made it.

In the Scheeli (Killi) Colony, the BNPs can survive in the tank with them once they’re about 1-month old. They’re just too big for the Killis to want to eat. But smaller BNP fry are prey.

[Beardedbillygoat1975]

Well this is motivation to eventually getting the killis in their own setup. 

[SJ fishing]

   Fun projects!