Page 66 - Encyclopedia of Aquarium and Pond Fish, 3rd Edition

64 FRESHWATER FISH: BREEDING

Breeding in aquariums

One of the most challenging yet rewarding aspects of
fishkeeping is to breed your own fish. Think carefully about
which fish you should breed and where you will house the
spawning fish, and decide how many fry you can comfortably cope
with and how you will feed them. Make a record of your successes
and failures so that future breeding attempts go more smoothly.

Many fish spawn in pairs, but some species form small breeding A male Siamese Fighting Fish, at the left of the picture,
groups—such as a male and two females, or vice versa—while courts a female, adopting a special posture and displaying
others spawn communally in shoals. You will need to sex your his long, flowing fins. Always monitor any pairings that you
make; separate the fish if there is serious aggression.
stock in order to be sure that you have fish of each sex. Sexing
is easy with species that display sexual dimorphism (see p.61). in species that display a degree of shared parental care, such as
However, some fish, such as barbs and tetras, are visually alike angelfish (see pp.140–141) or discus (see pp.142–143), since they
and hence impossible to sex outside the breeding period. necessarily spend more time with their partners. A pair of
Starting with at least six individuals of such species should discus, for example, will simply refuse to breed if they are
guarantee that there is at least one pair in the group. incompatible. Changing their partners or, better still, rearing
Compatibility—the ability of a pair to interact favorably the fish in a group so that they can choose their own mates as
and spawn successfully—is unlikely to be a problem with they mature should overcome this difficulty. By watching the
barbs, tetras, and other species in which the sexes come behavior of the fish, you should be able to see signs of
together only briefly to mate. However, it is more of an issue compatibility, because naturally matched pairs will swim

Courtship takes many forms in tropical fish. Here, the
smaller, darker male Auratus Cichlid nudges the flanks
BREEDING TIPS of a female near her vent in order to stimulate her into
breeding. This is a polygamous species, which means that
• Thoroughly research the a single male will mate with several females.
breeding habits of your fish. There is also a blue form of this cichlid (see p.151).
• When choosing breeding
stock, select young, healthy
adults, with good markings,
fin shape, and coloring.
• With fish that spawn in
small groups or shoals, rather
than in pairs, make sure
that you have a large
enough group, with the
right gender mix, to
ensure breeding success.
• Successful breeding may
result in more fry than you
can adequately care for, so
find alternative homes for
surplus fry in advance.
• Avoid allowing different
species to breed together
(hybridize). Fellow breeders
will have little interest in the
resulting offspring.

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