Conditioning fish on Prepared food.

[Goosedub]

Anyone do this regularly? How do you do it. I don’t have the time to consistently feed live food right now but want to breed. Trying to spawn my Apistos, Enigmatichromis, Rosy Barbs but Not getting any spawns atm. I think they need a better more regular conditioning regimen. 

[Fish Folk]

On 1/20/2024 at 5:38 PM, Goosedub said:

Anyone do this regularly? How do you do it. I don’t have the time to consistently feed live food right now but want to breed. Trying to spawn my Apistos, Enigmatichromis, Rosy Barbs but Not getting any spawns atm. I think they need a better more regular conditioning regimen. 

For each species of fish, there are certain “triggers” to cue them up for spawning. As you’ve correctly inferred, live foods tend to be a very good method for conditioning — but they may also be a trigger in certain circumstances.

If you want to condition fish to breed using dry foods, you need to select a variety of quality foods to compose a balanced diet. Then figure out multiple other triggers to get your fish to spawn. The most important foods will assist in the production of milt & roe. Enough fatty acids are key.

If you’re Ok buying frozen foods, you can get away using that in the place of live foods. Certain fish do not do well on blood worms. Others thrive on them. Frozen Tubifex worms (hard to come by) are excellent.

For dry foods, I like Bug Bites, made from Black Soldier Fly Larvae, for fatty acids… Xtreme Krill Flakes for carotenoids… and some vitamin-supplemented Omega One flakes. But many picky fish will refuse to eat. I suggest fasting your fish for 2x days before switching to dry foods. Just feed a little at first to ensure they’ll eat it.