Learning the needs of each fish species is the key to successful breeding. Some fish lay eggs on rocks or in nests or hatch eggs in their mouths and others give birth to live fish.
Optimal Water Conditions for Fish Breeding
Things to consider are water temperature, alkalinity and acidity of water, water hardness and providing decorations in the aquarium to enable fish to spawn.
A test kit and the chemicals to raise or lower the levels are essential for aquarium maintenance. Each species is different; African Cichlids need water with a higher PH whereas Discus need a lower PH.
In addition to making sure the water readings are optimal for each species of fish, water changes must be done in order to reduce nitrites, nitrates and ammonia. These levels will rise if fish are overfed or if the tank is not kept clean or if filters are not rinsed out on a regular basis.
Once the water conditions are set and maintained, more research is required on how to re-create the habitat for the species.
Aquarium Conditions for Egg Scatterer Fish
Fish that spawn in open waters or fast-flowing rivers can’t care for their fry because many are swept away in currents or are killed by predators. Large numbers of eggs have to be produced to ensure the survival of the species. The eggs in this type of fish are very small.
- To reproduce this habitat, there must be steady water flow in the aquarium. This is achieved by installing a power head or a filter that creates a current.
Aquarium Conditions for Egg Depositor and Mouth Brooder Fish
Some habitats have hiding places, such as plants, wood, rocks or gravel. This environment provides the fish with many secure places for their eggs to be attached, incubated and hatched. This type of fish has the chance to keep the nest clean, to protect their brood and to lead them out of the nest to look for food.
With these fish, the eggs are a bit larger and a bit better formed but lesser in number than eggs from egg scatter fish. More eggs survive because of parental care.
Mouth brooders need fewer eggs to ensure the survival of their species. With some species, the mother will carry the eggs in her mouth the minute they are fertilized. With other species, the fertilized eggs lie in the substrate until they hatch, then picked up by the mother and held in her mouth. The mother will let her fry out for short periods to look for food and only when it’s dark outside.
Eventually the female mouth brooder will no longer take the fry back in her mouth and they are allowed to swim freely. The eggs are larger that those of egg depositors and egg scatterers.
- To reproduce this habitat, the aquarium needs caves built out of rock or pieces of driftwood to provide hiding places. Plants may be used in the aquarium but some fish will eat them so it’s important to find out which species of fish will not destroy plants
Aquarium Conditions for Live Bearer and Nest Builder Fish
Live bearers do not lay eggs because their fry are born alive and free-swimming. Parents and tank mates like to eat the fry so it’s important to have areas where the fry can hide.
Nest builders will lay eggs in bubble nests among plant leaves. The nests are built by the fish excreting saliva to create bubbles which are able to stick together.
- To reproduce this habitat, the aquarium needs bushy plants on the bottom and floating plants on the top.
Researching each species is important because every fish is different. Knowing how each fish breeds and its habitat will help with successful breeding.
Douglas DuHamel - I have been in the tropical fish/aquarium hobby for the past 47 years. Over the years, I have bred over 300 species of tropical fish ...
