Breeding danios or most egg scatterers

It's been a while since I last bred Danios of any sort, but this is an account of how I did it: (this is also the method I used for most Characins and other egg scatterers: i.e. red eye Tetras, Black widows, - mainly all non adhesive egg fish)

pH was not much of a focus area as Danios are reasonably flexible in ranges from 6.8 to around 7.4 and the temperature ranged between 25 & 28 deg C.

Ideally, 3 tanks (24"x12"x12") produces the best results for mass spawnings; one tank to condition the males, one tank to condition the females and one tank to spawn them in. (I used 3 tanks because I had them available, but you can get away with using 1 tank with a partition (You can use a glass devider... I normally used an 8mm thick perspex sheet with hundreds of 8mm holes drilled through it to allow some water exchange between the various compartments) between the male and female sides which is removed when you want to spawn them.I always used two more males than females i.e. 5 males to 3 females, 7 males to 5 females etc.)

At least a week before the spawning date, I'd separate the males and females and "condition" them (mainly) on live Daphnia, Newly hatched brine shrimp and bloodworms.

The spawning media may vary from marbles covering the whole base area, to a cluster of thick plants (hornwort) bundled in the darkest corner & weighed down by a small stone. (Plastic spawning mats are also effective).

I find that the best positioning of your aeration is directly in the v of the back panel on the same side where you've clustered your targeted spawning area. A medium flow which visibly circulates the water in this area also seems to stimulate breeding to some extent

Two days before I intend to place males and females together, I would add 4 drops of Liquifry to the spawning tank, so that infusoria can start developing as first foods for the fry when they hatch.

On the evening before the "planned" spawning event, I would drain the water to around 4" depth, cover the tank (in darkness) if the light cannot be switched off, and set my alarm for sunrise the next morning.

When I remove the covers in the morning (or switch on the light), I'd fill the tank to around 8" depth with water at a slightly lower temp than the water in the tank, and remove the partition between males & females, or if more tanks was used, transfer the males to the female tank. Spawning will start immediately and carry on for almost 4 hours.

Observe periodically as one or more fish may be "spawned out" long before the rest and then start egg hunting and eating them. If you observe any such culprit, remove them immediately, as they will eat many, many eggs. (your intervention will not stop the spawning activity)

After some time, you will observe that most of them would have no further interest in spawning, (and all indulge in egg-eating) at which time you remove them all to their original quarters.

When all spawners have been removed, syphon water out from the top on the opposite side of your "targetted" spawn area to a depth of 4",- just making sure that none of your spawn receptical protrude above water level - (so that you can just top up 1" of water per day after the fry becomes free swimming and you do not have the risk of syphoning them out when doing water changes during the first week).

During the spawning and hatching process.... only an airstone is necessary in the position I have mentioned.... After freeswimming (which would be on the third day after spawning)... You refill the tank by 1" per day, (having started off at 4"... as stated)...On the 4th day you will then be at 8" and only then, you disconnect your airstone and connect your tubing to a sponge filter. (doing it earlier than that, ... your fry will be sucked up by the sponge filter (or any other filter).

And then. Congratulations!!!... you've achieved your first spawning. As easy as that. (the fish will be ready for their next spawning about 8 days later if the same procedure is applied.)

 

Brilliant post Cheeta.... Im definately going to bookmark this for my next project

 

Can you use something like Coconut hair matting to cover the bottom?

 

I'm sure you can Slojo... we just need the Prof to tell us what influences this will have on the water qualities, but personally I think it will improve the water to the extent that you'll be able to do Neons, Cardinals and Glolights in this fashion too.

 

What also works in regards to protecting the eggs is to put a clear flat clear glass container in the tank wit some netting over it. Cover the netting with some moss or other plant. When they scatter the eggs in the plants it will fall through and into the glass container under the netting.

 

Set up my breeding tank for my Black eyed X-ray tetras yesterday. I dropped the Ph from 7.5 to 6.5 and woke up to them spawning over some nice java moss.

Kind of lost as to what caracins eat when they become free swimming.

Should I just drop some green water in or feed egg yolk? They will hatch in 24hrs but how long will their yolk sack last?

TM

 

Would this work for White Cloud Mountain Minnows aswell?

 

Hi TM......
Quote below extracted from my description above.:

Two days before I intend to place males and females together, I would add 4 drops of Liquifry to the spawning tank, so that infusoria can start developing as first foods for the fry when they hatch.

Yes Ruan... it will also work for White Cloud minnows, but why go through all the rituals if they will just breed spontaneously for you..... If you set up a 2ft with dense plants, add 6 (or 8) White Clouds in there... feed live brine shrimp at least 2ce per week, and be patient..... There is a good chance that your White clouds will just continue breeding and multiply without harming the fry.

 

Okay....problem

Seems as if my male x-ray tetra thinks the female is an egg vending machine. He just eats all/most the eggs she throws out.

Is this normal for tetras to do this?

I really want the eggs to hatch but this isn't going to happen with the male hunting down the eggs when spawning has only just begun.

The female is fully grown and is still fat with eggs. Hopefully the male will get full and start spawning . . .

I have some rotifier culture and a green water culture going. I will probably add that in the morning.

Thanks for the advice!

TM

 

Kewl stuff, I have four at the moment, 2 Male and 2 Female.

I will get some more when I transfer them to the 2ft, then queue the Barry White. :bigsmile:

 

WCMM must be the easiest fish to breed with.
I have a few outside and they even spawn below 10'C.
They also dont seem to eat the fry.