Basics of Breeding Aquarium Fish

pregnant guppy

The first thing you need to know about breeding aquarium fish is that they can be divided into two categories based on the type of breeder they are – livebearer or egg layer. Livebearers undergo internal fertilization and give birth to live fry. Egg layers, on the other hand, may spawn via either internal or external fertilization and the young are born in eggs. If your fish are egg layers, you may need to delve a little deeper to determine which type of egg layer the species is. Egg laying species of fish may be egg scatterers – fish that scatter their eggs among fine-leaved plants – or they could be egg depositors which deposit their eggs on flat rocks or hide them in caves. Some species build nests for their eggs or actually take the eggs into their mouths where they will be protected until hatching.

Breeding Tank Requirements

While each species of fish may have certain requirements for breeding tanks, the general principles remain the same for most species. The breeding tank does not need to be large – a 15- or 20- gallon tank should be sufficient. In order to facilitate easy cleaning, keep the tank bottom bare with the exception of fine-leaved plants for egg scatterers and broad-leaved plants or flat rocks for egg depositors. Outfit the tank with an aquarium heater to help maintain a stable water temperature and install a sponge filter in one corner of the tank. A sponge filter will provide the necessary mechanical filtration and will provide a place for beneficial bacteria to grow while producing a current gentle enough that eggs and newly hatched fry will not be put at risk. Once you have the basic setup for your breeding tank completed you can make adjustments based on the specific requirements of the species.

Spawning Aquarium Fish

Before introducing your fish into the breeding tank it is wise to condition the breeding pair on healthy live foods for at least a week. Once you introduce the fish, keep a close watch on them to be sure they get along. Some fish will spawn readily upon being introduced into the breeding tank while others may require several hours or even days to breed. During this time, monitor your fish to be sure the male does not overly antagonize the female. After spawning has occurred you may want to remove the parent fish from the tank so they do not eat their eggs. Some species exhibit parental care behaviors, however, in guarding and feeding their young so do some research beforehand to determine whether your fish will do so.

Additional Tips and Considerations

As is true of any aquarium, maintaining high water quality in the breeding tank is extremely important. If the water quality in the tank is poor, your breeding pair may not be inclined to spawn. If spawning does occur, poor water quality could lead to an increased risk of the eggs succumbing to fungus. To keep the water in your breeding tank clean and clear, consider adding a mesh bag full of EcoBio-Pebbles to the aquarium. EcoBio-Pebbles are made from porous volcanic rock and are infused with beneficial bacteria and essential nutrients. After the bacteria have been introduced into your breeding tank they will multiply rapidly to form a colony that will help establish and maintain the nitrogen cycle, keeping your tank water pure and healthy. By keeping the EcoBio-Pebbles in a mesh bag you can keep the bottom of your breeding tank bare for easy cleaning while still benefiting from the water clarifying quality of the pebbles themselves.

How to Spot Healthy Fish

Local pet store's aquarium section

When you first set foot into your local pet store, before you even look at the fish they have available, take a look at the facilities. Do the stock tanks look clean or are they overgrown with algae? Do the tanks appear to be well maintained or are the water levels low due to evaporation? If the facilities in which the fish are kept do not appear to be clean, the chances of those fish being healthy are greatly diminished. If, however, the store itself is clean and the tanks are well-maintained you can move on to observing and examining the fish themselves.

Locate the tank housing the type of fish you are interested in purchasing. Observe the fish for a few minutes, looking for healthy activity and coloration. Healthy fish will be active and will not have any difficulty swimming – fish that appear lethargic or float near the top or bottom of the tank are likely affected by disease. The fish themselves should not have any visible deformities, the fins should be whole and there should be no patches of redness or discoloration on the fins, gills or scales. The eyes of healthy aquarium fish will be clear and, if you are able to observe the fish being fed, they should display an eagerness to eat.

Before Introducing New Fish

After selecting and purchasing your fish from the pet store there is one more thing you need to do before introducing them into your tank. Many aquarium hobbyists recommend quarantining all new fish for a minimum of two weeks before adding them to the main tank. Even if you have taken the time to observe and examine the fish before buying them, they could still be carriers of disease. Quarantining new fish is a simple and effective way to lessen the chances of your tank becoming exposed to disease. Keep your new fish in a quarantine tank for at least two weeks and, during that time, observe them for signs of illness. If, after the two weeks are up, the fish still appear to be healthy you can safely add them to your main tank.

Tips for Keeping Fish Healthy

Keeping your aquarium fish healthy does not need to be a complicated matter. If you are able to keep the water quality in your tank high and feed your fish a healthy, varied diet they are likely to thrive. To boost the health of your aquarium, and thus your fish, consider adding an EcoBio-Planter to your tank. EcoBio-Planters are made from porous volcanic cement and are conveniently shaped to accommodate a small live aquarium plant. In addition to providing a place for live plants to grow, EcoBio-Planters are also infused with beneficial bacteria that will multiply to establish a colony once added to your tank. These bacteria will help to maintain the nitrogen cycle in your tank, breaking down wastes and removing harmful toxins to keep your tank water clean and clear. In conjunction with the aforementioned precautions, an EcoBio-Planter can help keep the fish in your tank healthy by keeping the water quality in your tank high.

Small Species of Fish

Neon Tetras

Many of the smaller species of freshwater fish you are likely to see in pet stores are hardy and tolerant of varying water conditions. Some of the most popular small species for beginning aquarists include neon tetras, danios, barbs and livebearers such as guppies, mollies and swordtails. Do not think that just because a species of fish is easy to care for that they are also boring – guppies, for example, are known for the vibrant colors and patterns displayed by males of the species. Mollies, platies and swordtails are also available in a wide variety of colors and can be mixed in different combinations to create a colorful array for your first tank. Keep in mind when selecting small species of fish for your first tank that many of these species prefer to be kept in groups with others of their kind and, because they are small, they should not be kept with large or aggressive fish.

Medium and Large Species

One of the most recognizable species of freshwater fish is the angelfish. Not only is this species very popular, but it is also a fairly hardy species, easy to maintain in the home aquarium. Another popular group of fish for new aquarium hobbyists is the gourami family. Gouramis can be found in many different color combinations and most species are hardy, peaceful fish well suited to the community tank. Pearl gouramis, for example, have a very mild temperament and exhibit beautiful coloration that can enhance the aesthetic appeal of any community tank. Another species recommended for new aquarium hobbyists is the plecostomus. Small plecostomus are great for community tanks and require little care because the majority of their diet is gleaned from algae growths and uneaten fish food. When stocking your tank with medium and large species, keep in mind that as these fish grow they may become territorial. This is particularly true regarding plecostomus and male gouramis.

Tips for Starting a New Tank

If you are starting your first tank, there are a few things you need to do in order to ensure that the tank is a safe and healthy environment for fish. Not only do you need to make sure you dechlorinate the tank water and install all of the necessary equipment, you also need to cycle the tank before you can add any fish. The nitrogen cycle is the process through which nitrifying bacteria in your tank convert harmful toxins like ammonia into nitrites and then into less harmful nitrates. Adding an EcoBio-Stone is a simple way to introduce some of these bacteria into your tank to help start a colony for maintaining the nitrogen cycle. EcoBio-Stones are made of porous volcanic cement and are infused with beneficial bacteria. Once these bacteria enter your tank they will multiply and work to keep the water clean and clear while also helping to maintain the nitrogen cycle. Though the species of fish previously mentioned are tolerant of changing water conditions, all fish are more likely to thrive in a clean tank where the water parameters remain stable.

Types of Fish That Eat Aquarium Plants

While many species of aquarium fish are likely to nibble on the plants in your aquarium, some are capable of decimating your entire planted aquarium in a matter of hours. Silver dollar fish, for example, are particularly notorious plant eaters. Other species like mollies and swordtails may nibble at your plants but will rarely do any major damage. Though they may not actually eat your aquarium plants, some larger species like gouramis and cichlids may uproot and break apart the plants in your tank and algae eaters may chew holes in them.

Species of Fish Safe for Planted Tanks

If you have taken the time to cultivate a planted tank you should also make the effort to ensure that the fish you add to your tank will not destroy all of your hard work. Most small, community species of fish pose no threat to aquarium plants. Barbs, tetras, danios and guppies are all unlikely to do anything more than pick flakes of food from the leaves of aquarium plants. Even some of the slightly larger species like discus, killifish and dwarf gouramis are safe for planted tanks. Other species that are recommended for planted tanks include corydoras catfish, platties, gobies, minnows and betta fish.

Tips for Maintaining a Planted Tank

Healthy Planted Tank

There are many benefits to cultivating live aquarium plants in your tank. Not only do live plants enhance the aesthetic appeal of your tank but they can also increase the oxygen level and help filter out harmful toxins. In order to keep your aquarium plants healthy you need to provide a healthy aquarium environment. To create this type of environment you will need adequate light, nutrition and filtration.

In addition to these three things there is something else you can do to keep your tank a clean, healthy environment for your plants and fish. Introduce an EcoBio-Planter to your mid-size aquarium as a simple way to remove odors and clarify your tank water (for larger tanks, simply add another planter or a stone). EcoBio-Planters are made from natural zeolite and crushed stone which has been infused with beneficial bacteria. Once introduced to your tank, these bacteria will multiply and establish a colony that will then work to break down wastes, remove odors and speed up the nitrogen cycle. EcoBio-Planter is also terrific for your plants. Simply place a small root ball in the opening and the plant will grow and thrive, greatly adding to the beauty of your planted aquarium.

Typical Aqurium Tank

There are several common misconceptions surrounding aquarium size. One of the most common mistakes a novice aquarium hobbyist can make is to think that a larger tank is more work to maintain than a smaller tank. In many cases, the opposite is true. When choosing the right size aquarium there are a variety of factors to consider including the level of maintenance you are willing to perform, the space you have available in your home and the types of fish you want to raise.

Tank Maintenance

If you set up your tank with the right equipment there should be relatively little maintenance involved, regardless of your tank size. Your aquarium filter will do most of the work in keeping your tank water clear by filtering out waste and toxic substances. Larger water volumes equate to a greater level of forgiveness for mistakes on the part of the aquarium hobbyist because higher water volumes dilute toxins better than small volumes. The water in smaller tanks must be changed more frequently than that in large tanks to prevent it from becoming too hard.

How to Choose the Right Size Aquarium Tank

The size and location of the space you have available in your home should be one of the major factors in considering the right size for your aquarium. You need to be able to place your tank in a low-traffic area out of direct sunlight in order to prevent accidents and excess algae growth. Before you shop for your tank, measure the space where you intend to install it and be sure you have a sturdy cabinet or stand large enough to accommodate the tank size you want. You should also keep in mind, when selecting a location for your tank, that you need to be able to access it easily in order to perform routine maintenance tasks.

Type of Fish

It may seem counterintuitive to select your aquarium fish before purchasing a tank, but doing so will help you to determine the right tank size. If you plan to fill your tank with small community fish like tetras and guppies you probably will not need anything larger than a 20- or 30- gallon tank. Larger fish, however, such as cichlids and many saltwater fish require upwards of 50 gallons of tank volume. When determining the proper size for your tank, consider the full-grown size of your fish – not the size at which you plan to purchase them. If you are just starting out, stick to the rule of purchasing one inch of fish per one gallon of tank capacity. This rule will help to prevent overcrowding in your tank.

Other Tips for Maintaining Your Tank

Choosing the right size tank for your fish is one of the simplest ways to ensure that they are able to enjoy a healthy environment. The larger the tank you select, the less you will have to worry about toxicity and overcrowding but not every hobbyist has room for a large tank. No matter what size tank you choose there are a few simple things you can do to keep it clean and healthy. Introducing an EcoBio-Stone, for example, is an easy way to boost the nitrogen cycle in your tank, ensuring that the water stays clean and clear. EcoBio-Stones are made from natural volcanic cement and infused with special beneficial bacteria. Once introduced into your tank, these bacteria will multiply and establish a colony of beneficial bacteria that will work to revitalize your tank water, remove odors and reduce the amount of necessary maintenance you have to perform.

Platy fry

While several species of freshwater aquarium fish breed readily under a variety of circumstances, some have specific requirements that must be met before they are likely to spawn. The basics of breeding, however, are fairly uniform among most species of freshwater aquarium fish. The first thing you must do is to select a breeding pair, or a trio for some species, and quarantine them in a breeding tank. Once you have done so, you can begin the process of conditioning your fish for breeding.

Setting Up a Breeding Tank

The size of the breeding tank should depend on the size of the fish, but ten to twenty gallons is usually sufficient. The tank should be bare-bottomed in order to make it easier to clean and it should be decorated sparsely. It is wise to provide a few hiding places like large rocks or terra cotta pots in the event that the female needs a place to rest and recover from the male’s aggressive advances. Some species – egg-layers in particular – prefer a breeding tank stocked with live plants on which they will deposit their eggs.

Encouraging Your Fish to Spawn

Maintaining a steady temperature and providing a healthy, varied diet are two of the most important elements in encouraging your fish to spawn. The temperature of the breeding tank should be determined by the breed of fish but, in many cases, slowly raising the temperature encourages breeding behavior. In some species, however, the opposite is true. Corydoras catfish, for example, typically spawn after a recent rainfall has lowered the temperature in their native habitat, the Amazon River.

Offer your fish a varied diet consisting of small amounts of live, frozen, flake and pellets foods several times a day in order to condition them for breeding. After a few days you should begin to notice courtship and spawning behavior. The male of the species will often chase the female around the tank and some fish, like betta fish, will prepare a bubble nest and collect the eggs after spawning has occurred.

Caring for Fry

Some species of fish, such as cichlids, care for their fry after they have hatched but most freshwater fish are more likely to eat their own young. This being the case, it is wise to remove the parents from the breeding tank as soon as possible after spawning has occurred. If you are breeding an egg-laying species, dose the tank with methylene blue to prevent fungus from killing the eggs. Install a sponge filter in the corner of the tank to provide filtration without putting the fry at risk for being sucked up an intake valve.

For the first few days after hatching, the fry of most egg-laying species will subsist on the remainder of their yolk sacs. The fry of live-bearing species, however, should be started on a diet of newly hatched brine shrimp or a liquid fry food such as infusoria. During the first few weeks after hatching it is important to feed the fry small amounts several times a day. Once they have tripled in size you may begin to feed them finely crushed flake foods and, as they continue to grow, move them to a larger tank.

Tips for Breeding Success

If your fish are not in prime condition, they will be unlikely to spawn. In addition to a healthy diet, clean water is essential to the health and well-being of your fish. Establishing a colony of beneficial bacteria in your tank is one of the best ways to keep the water quality in your tank high. Install an EcoBio-Stone to begin a colony of nitrifying bacteria that will help to remove odor, break down wastes, and keep the water clear. EcoBio-Stones are made of natural volcanic rock infused with beneficial bacteria that will multiply readily upon being introduced into your tank. Not only is this product perfect for the breeding tank, but it can also be used in fry tanks where power filters are not recommended due to the danger they pose toward delicate fry.

Variety of aquarium filters

Many people are choosing to have aquariums with many different types of fish in them. Certainly, they are beautiful and relaxing to look at, but it takes some knowledge and work to ensure that your fish remain healthy and that your aquarium looks as good as you envision it will. One of the ways to ensure that it does is by choosing the best aquarium filter for your fish.

Even before deciding upon the filter, you need to decide what type of aquarium you will have. If this will be your first aquarium, it’s advisable that you start with a small aquarium first, as they are a little easier to maintain. Plus, you can always upgrade to a larger aquarium if the need and desire arise later.

Second, you need to carefully consider what filter will work best with your chosen aquarium. The filter is vital equipment, as it removes impurities from the water of your aquarium either via fine physical obstacles or via chemical processes. Choosing the right type of filter now can save you from hours of backbreaking maintenance work later on.

You should consider all three types of filters: biological, chemical, and mechanical.

Wet-dry filters actually employ all three types of filtration systems mentioned above, leading to less maintenance requirements than other types of filters. Wet-dry filters are more expensive, however, so they may not be the best choice for people who have an aquarium for the first time and/or are on a limited budget.

The three types of filters use different types of processes in order to eliminate the impurities in the water and to make the water cleaner and safer for your fish. Biological filters use bacteria to crack ammonia and nitrites.  Chemical filters use activated charcoal in order to eliminate unwanted dissolved wastes from the water. Mechanical filters use filtering particles and filter floss in order to remove impurities from the water.

If you choose to use a biological filter, it’s important to add the filter to the aquarium BEFORE you add the fish. You should also NOT add too many fish to the aquarium too soon, as the bacteria from the biological filter needs time to reduce the ammonia and nitrate levels. Too many fish in the water will cause the biological filter to work overtime, and the bacteria won’t be able to keep up with the increased demand, leading to high ammonia levels and the deaths of your fish.

You can help to make sure that there are enough bacteria in the water by using EcoBio-Block® products, which regularly adds nitrifying bacteria to new aquariums so that the water in your aquarium is safer and more beneficial for your fish. This will keep your water clear and healthy and reduce maintenance work.

One of the best choices of aquarium filters, especially for new and inexperienced aquarium owners, is an undergravel filter. This type of filter is inexpensive and totally keeps out debris from the aquarium. It also pulls water that is rich in oxygen through the gravel to help make the aquarium environment more livable for your fish.

One other type of filtration for you to consider is a sponge filter.  This filter is one that provides both mechanical and biological filtration. It has a large foam rubber (like a sponge) block that is connected to a lift tube or small power head. Water is drawn through the sponge to remove small particles from the water and to help grow bacteria that will keep your pond in great condition for your fish and plants.

Having your own aquarium tank can be a wonderful experience, as the beautiful fish can mesmerize you and your guests for hours. Maintaining the health of your aquarium does take some work, but by choosing the proper filter for your aquarium, you are well on your way to creating a hospitable and beneficial environment for your fish so that they can mesmerize you for hours on end.

Tropical fish enjoy themselves in water clarified by EcoBio-Stones. Beneficial bacteria in the stones multiply in the block and disperse into your fish tank, using nature’s own cleansing system to create clear water and a healthy environment for your fish!

Clownfish in a quarantine tank

If you have saltwater tropical fish, it is virtually essential that you have a quarantine tank for them. Why? This is because most saltwater tropical fish are mostly wild and are not used to captivity when they are caught. As a result, they are more susceptible to diseases than their freshwater counterparts. Therefore, a quarantine tank will be quite helpful for treating sick saltwater tropical fish, as just one diseased fish in an aquarium tank full of fish can wipe out the entire fish population in that tank.

In addition to a quarantine tank being more convenient for saltwater fish keepers to treat their diseased tropical fish, most saltwater fish keepers will also have invertebrates and live rock in their tanks that they will not want to cover with the harsh medicines that will be needed to treat their diseased tropical fish. Some harsh medicines can even wipe out all invertebrates in an aquarium tank, so it is especially vital to have a quarantine tank ready for your saltwater tropical fish when they contract a disease or infection.

It is relatively simple to set up a quarantine tank. A tank size of 10-20 gallons will be sufficient for most people, though if you have larger fish, you can turn a larger tank into a quarantine tank as well. The main items you will need for your quarantine tank are the following items:

• Some type of filtration.
• A heater.
• A powerhead and/or airstone to increase surface agitation.
• Aquarium test kits to test for nitrate, nitrite, ammonia, and pH levels.
• A fish net, as you should use a different net for your quarantine tank than you do for your main tank.

You should first fill the quarantine tank with water from your main tank and then turn on your quarantine tank.

When you place newly acquired saltwater fish in a quarantine tank, you should monitor them closely for a period of two to three weeks. Monitor the water conditions with your test kits and see if there are any bacterial infections or parasites present.

If your newly acquired saltwater fish do contract something, youíll need to treat them with the appropriate medication and keep them in the quarantine tank for an additional two weeks to ensure that you have eradicated the infection or parasite. If no problems are present after those two weeks, then you can acclimate them to the main tank and introduce them to the other fish.

If your saltwater tropical fish develop an infection or disease while in the main tank, net them and place them into the quarantine tank. This is why it’s important to use water from your main tank in the quarantine tank, you don’t have to acclimate them to the quarantine tank. Diagnose the infection or disease, treat them accordingly, then hold the fish in the quarantine tank an extra week to ensure that the fish have been completely treated before introducing them back into the main tank.

To help keep your tanks clean and risk of infection low, use the EcoBio-Block line of products in your tanks. EcoBio-Blocks are available in different sizes to keep your home aquariums clean and healthy for your fish. Be careful not to put these blocks in your quarantine tank, however; as the beneficial bacteria in the Blocks may not survive any medication necessary for treating your fish.

It’s important for owners of saltwater tropical fish to have a ready supply of saltwater on hand in case of an emergency. You don’t want to have to mix up a batch of saltwater in the middle of an emergency. Additionally, freshly mixed saltwater can be quite toxic to many saltwater tropical fish, as well as be very difficult to get accurate readings of the water with your hydrometer. Therefore, you should always have a supply of extra saltwater on hand just in case.

As you can see, having saltwater tropical fish virtually necessitates having a quarantine tank for treating your fish when they contract a disease or infection. Failure to act in removing them from the fish population could wipe out your entire population. Additionally, the treatments used to treat these diseases and infections could have adverse effects on invertebrates and/or live rocks you have in your tank.  It’s relatively easy to create a quarantine tank to help treat your fish when they become ill.  Having an additional supply of saltwater on hand is also good to deal with emergencies when they occur. By following the information here, you can increase the chances that your saltwater tropical fish will live long, healthy lives.

Healthy small tank

Creating healthy small aquariums that have around 10-20 gallons of water in them for your freshwater fish isn’t that hard and can be quite rewarding, as your aqua ecosystem will flourish with life.  You must be diligent though, as small problems can become large problems in aquariums that are small and where fish are closely living together. One disease or infection could wipe out the entire population if you delay in taking appropriate action. Therefore, you need to be committed in order to successfully create a healthy small aquarium.

You should pick a kit with integrated filtration and lighting already built in. This way, the system will be virtually foolproof and you won’t have to combine elements to create a healthy small aquarium. The only thing you’ll need to add is an appropriate heater.

You should invest in an appropriate aquarium stand, as even a small aquarium that is filled with water can easily weigh over 100 pounds! An appropriate aquarium stand will handle the weight and even provide extra storage space for supplies.

You should choose a theme for your aquarium.  Populate it with a specific region, species, or community grouping so that it is easier to keep the water parameters in good balance for all of the inhabitants of the aquarium.

It’s important when you have a small aquarium not to overpopulate it with fish, as it will be virtually impossible to keep the water quality at the level it needs to be, to ensure the health of your fish. You should only introduce a few of the smallest fish possible into your aquarium over a period of several weeks or even a few months to ensure the health and safety of your aquarium.

It is best to have natural filtration for your freshwater aquarium. You should avoid artificial plants and structures,  and instead opt for live plants and eco-complete gravel. The EcoBio-Block line of products is a great option for keeping your freshwater aquarium in optimal shape as it keeps your water clear and healthy. The EcoBio-Stone S works perfectly for small aquariums that have 10-15 gallons of water in them.

Brightening the lighting of your aquarium can increase plant and reef growth. This is important because having healthy plants and reefs are critical to the health of your fish and aquarium. Retrofit kits are easy to find and install to adjust the lighting of your aquarium.

Daily testing and observation of the water in a small aquarium is absolutely necessary, since water in small-volume aquariums experience accelerated cycles in water quality. You should keep track of your fishes’ behavior and any gasping, hiding, drifting, or darting should be taken as a sign that there are invisible health dangers present in the water that need your immediate response.

It’s vital that you change 10-20% of the water in your aquarium as often as twice a week. This is important because you want the aquarium water to be as fresh as water found in nature, and nature will recycle water via rain and water currents. This helps to eliminate much of the toxins found in the water before they rise to dangerous levels for your fish. You can reduce the frequency of water changes though, if you choose to use the EcoBio-Block products which eliminate the toxins which are bad for your fish.

It’s important to change your filter media as often as the manufacturer recommends. That filter media keeps larger pieces of waste out of the water; neglecting to change it regularly could lead to that filter media (especially the chemical type) to allow toxins to seep back into the water, threatening your fish and aquarium.

As mentioned earlier, it’s vital that you respond to any problems immediately. Even a slight delay could lead to the death of your fish and the loss of your aquarium. You should observe daily, test often, and respond to problems within the same day to ensure the health of your fish and aquarium.

As you can see, having a small freshwater aquarium can be a very enjoyable experience, but you must be committed to maintaining the health of your aquarium and be observant for any potential problems. By following the information here, you can be prepared to keep your aquarium in optimal shape and give your fish the best chance at living long and healthy lives.