Breeding Fish

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If you have been successfully keeping fish for some time, you may like to try your hand at breeding.

Breeding fish opens up a whole new area of interest, and presents many challenges that are both enjoyable and rewarding to overcome.

Some fishkeepers are first introduced to breeding when a few small fry appear in the display tank. Depending on the fish being housed, they  may not last long! The size of mouth rule suggests that if the smallest fish can fit into the biggest mouth – it will probably happen. With  this natural food chain, successfully raising fry is best performed in a dedicated breeding tank, or by using a tank divider at least.

The first thing to look at is ‘Why?’ you want to breed fish. Yes it is a good challenge and can be very exciting, but what are you going to  do with the fry?

If you are an enthusiast, selective breeding is the best way to create strong and desirable lines of your preferred species. If you have one  pair with great colors, and another pair with great fins (of the same species of course), crossing partners may well result in a selection of  the fry having both. What do you do with the others? Have a look at Culling Fry.

If you are housing carnivorous fish, breeding can be a great way to ensure your food bills remain in check. Rear dedicated feeders in a separate tank, and place a few of them into the display tank on occasion. Your big fish will thank you for the healthy live treats, as they would find in the wild.

Some fishkeepers also breed with the sole intent of breeding fish for profit. This profit may start as store credit, which can be used for  more equipment and supplies, but may quickly turn to cash if you are consistently providing quality stock of species that are popular. The  professionals of this area deal with fish wholesalers who have established relationships with many fish stores, and can move large numbers of  juveniles (providing they make the grade of course).

And finally, there are those fishkeepers who like to breed just for the challenge. Their enjoyment comes from learning about a species,  creating the ideal environment, and raising the fry to maturity. This can be quite tricky for many species, and research and information they can draw on is limited – if any exists at all. When they master the techniques needed, they move on to the next species that presents a  challenge.

Aquarist societies often award points to their members based on certain criteria. It may be 5 points for an easy species, 10 for a medium and 20 for difficult. If no one in the association has bred a species before, double points may be given for successful reproduction.  This framework encourages members to expand their knowledge, and betters the industry as a whole.

Let’s quickly run through the elements you will face when Breeding Fish. Each will be expanded into a complete post in the upcoming weeks.

- Creating an environment suitable for your fish to breed
- Spawning
- Raising the fry
- Distributing the juveniles

Successfully breeding fish is very rewarding. It offers you the opportunity to hone your craft, explore your practice, and possibly save on your food bills or maybe even make you a profit. It is important to remember, there are many dedicated reference books in print that cover the details of specific species. They are an excellent place to start, by giving you more information about the fish you currently have, or those you are interested in keeping. From there, seek clarification on forums and information you find online.

If you are breeding fish yourself – why not share your experience below.

All the best with your efforts, Nigel.