How to Set Up a Freshwater Breeding Aquarium

If you have freshwater aquarium fish, and are an experienced fish keeper, then maybe it is time to consider attempting to breed your fish. Breeding egg-laying fish is something for the serious and experienced fish owner. It is not easy to breed fish in captivity, but it can be done.

Choosing the Tank Size

First, you need to make sure you have a large tank for the breeding fish. Fish will not breed when they feel crowded in their environment. This is perhaps an instinct due to the fact that fish have hundreds of eggs in their brood. So have at least a twenty-gallon tank to breed your fish. Larger is better. Set it up with a sponge filter if you plan on raising the baby fish in the same take where they hatch. This will keep the fry from being sucked up into the filter.

Setting up Your Tank

Next, you need to set up the tank appropriately for the fish you want to breed. Do some research on different types of fish, as each fish will have different breeding requirements. If you are trying to breed egg scatterers, such as danios and barbs, then set up a tank that has a net or marbles at the bottom. The eggs will fall through this layer when they are laid, and they will be out of reach of hungry parent fish. Once spawning is complete, the eggs and parents must be separated. It will probably be easier to separate the parent. Some egg scatterers lay adhesive eggs, and for these types of fish you need a substrate and fine leafed plants for the eggs to adhere to.

For egg depositors, the tank will be furnished depending on the type of surface the fish prefer to lay their eggs on. For examples, angelfish prefer vertical surfaces to place their eggs on, but some fish prefer cavities, like an overturned pot. Do some research about the type of surface that is best for your fish. If the parents are the type that cares for their young, they can stay in the tank once spawning is complete. If they are not, you can either remove the parents or remove the item they laid the eggs on.