Freshwater Fish Breeding

Livebearing fish produce fry easily and prolifically.

Some species of freshwater fish breed easily in home aquariums, requiring little intervention from their owners. Freshwater fish species known as "livebearers," including platies, mollies, guppies and swordtails, produce live young called "fry" rather than laying eggs. They breed prolifically, making them ideal for first-time fish breeders. The owner need only provide a safe habitat, suitable water conditions, and plentiful food.

Things You'll Need

• 20 Gallon Aquarium
• 6 Livebearers
• Plants, Rocks, or a Breeding Net
• Baby Brine Shrimp or Crushed Fish Flakes

Instructions

1. Stock a twenty gallon tank or larger with six or more of the species of livebearer you wish to breed. Having at least six fish will increase the chances of having one or more male-female pairs.

2. Look for gravid (pregnant) females. According to Tropical Fauna, you can tell a gravid female guppy by looking for a black spot just in front of the anal fin. This is the fry's eyes. Other fish will simply gain weight around their middle. The average incubation period is 3 to 6 weeks. Depending on the species and the individual fish, the brood may contain 30 to 80 fry.

3. Provide hiding places. Adding ample plants, caves, and rocks where the newborn fry can hide will decrease incidents of predation from other fish in the tank. You can even purchase a "breeding trap" which is a net that allows the fry into a section of the tank, but not larger fish. Alternatively, you have the option of moving gravid (pregnant) fish into a smaller "breeding tank" until the fry are born, then moving the mother back into the community tank. This will insure an even larger number of fry survive to adulthood.

4. Fancy Tail Guppy recommends feeding fry small food such as baby brine shrimp or crushed fish flakes.

Tips & Warnings

• Maintain optimal water pH and temperature for your fish species. Perform routine water changes and provide suitable filtration.

• Adding vegetable matter such as romaine lettuce to the livebearer's diet may help induce breeding.

• Trying to raise fry in a community tank with large, aggressive, predatory fish is next to impossible.

• Mother fish may become stressed and abort the pregnancy if they are moved into a breeding tank too soon.

References

• Tropical Fauna: Breeding Livebearers
• Fancy Tail Guppy: Breeding Live Bearers