Things You'll Need:
- Two clear plastic juice or soda bottles
- Scissors
- String
- Sharp nail
- Lit candle
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Step 1
Cut the bottom 4 inches from two clear plastic soda or juice bottles. They will form the aquarium breeder box. It is best to choose clear plastic with smooth bottoms so you can view your baby fish as easily as possible. To minimize the chances of any bacteria or mold living on these juice bottles, wash them in a solution of bleach and water to kill any microbes. After washing, rinse them in clear water thoroughly to remove all traces of the bleach.
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Step 2
Light the candle in a safe and convenient location. Heat the end of the sharp nail in the fire for a few seconds. Take care not to burn yourself. Then use the hot nail to make tiny holes on the sides of both plastic bottle ends. The holes are made so that aquarium tank water can flow in and out of the breeder box, but the fish fry cannot escape. Since you want a good exchange of water from the aquarium into the breeder box, position the holes no more than a half-inch apart.
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Step 3
Use the hot nail again to make the same tiny holes in the bottom of one of the juice bottle bottoms. This piece will be used as the very bottom of the aquarium breeder box. The holes must be small enough to prevent the baby fish from swimming out. Next, use the hot nail to make two to four larger holes in the top edge of the plastic bottles.
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Step 4
Slip the bottle with the larger holes at the bottom into the other bottle end about halfway down. You want about 2 inches of space underneath for the baby fish to swim around in. This breeder box will allow the baby fish to slip through the holes at the bottom of the inner bottle to keep them safe from the hungry mother fish.
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Step 5
Tie lengths of the sturdy string through the larger holes on the top edges of the bottle pieces. Gather these together at the top in a neat knot. Use the ends to hang the breeder box from the inside of the aquarium so that the top edge sticks out over the water. The aquarium breeder box is now ready for the gravid fish to be placed inside.
