How to Identify Baby Freshwater Fish

Breeding fish can be a fascinating hobby

Whether you are new to the aquarium hobby or an experienced old pro, breeding your own freshwater fish can be very rewarding. There are a number of freshwater fish that are quite easy to breed, including guppies, platies and swordtails. But if you do decide to breed your own fish, it is important to be able to identify those fish and move the fry to their own tank as quickly as possible.

Things You'll Need

• Magnifying glass
• Flashlight
• Floating plants
• Aquarium

Instructions

1. Place a number of floating plants on top of your aquarium. Java moss makes an excellent choice, since it is easy to care for and fast growing. This mat of plants will give the baby fish a place to hide from the more aggressive residents of the tank.

2. Check the tank every day for baby fish. Look in the plants and in the corners of the tank. You may need to place a magnifying glass against the tank to see the smaller baby fish.

3. Compare the appearance of any baby fish you find to the adult fish in the tank. Baby freshwater fish will look like miniature versions of the adult fish of their species.

References

• Aquarium Hobbyist: Identifying Fish