How to Breed Danio Fish
Danionin fish or danios come in several species including zebra, leopard, gold, blue, giant and several genetically altered varieties such as the fluorescent glofish. Danios are known as the rabbit of the fish world, producing 100 or more offspring in a single spawn and at least three generations in a single year. The danios in your community tank may breed freely without your knowledge. Unfortunately, danios of any species are notorious for eating their offspring. Successful breeding of requires sequestering the parents to prevent them from eating the eggs and any fry that hatch.
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Things You'll Need
- 5-gallon breeding tank
- Fine aquarium mesh
- 1-inch marbles
- Daphnia
- Bloodworms
- Mosquito larvae
Instructions
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1
Create a breeding tank by placing a layer of fine mesh at the bottom of the tank. The mesh should have openings at least 1/10-inch wide to accommodate the eggs. Cut the mesh to the dimensions of the tank and suspend it above the floor of the tank by placing a marble in each of the corners and one or two along the sides. This setup allows the eggs to fall beneath the mesh, protecting them from the adult fish.
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2
Fill the tank with half stock water from the community tank and half fresh water.
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3
Add an aerator and filter system to the breeding tank but do not include any vegetation or decoration.
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4
Place the danio fish in the breeding tank and feed them high-quality food for two weeks. Examples of food include live daphnia, bloodworms or mosquito larvae. Feed them two to three times a day.
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5
Check the tank regularly and watch for the female danio swell with eggs.
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6
Remove the parents from the breeding tank when you notice small clear eggs covering the bottom of the tank or wedged between the marbles. Reintroduce the adult fish to the community tank. If you were lucky enough to witness the female laying her eggs, allow one or two hours to pass before removing the parents so the male can fertilize the eggs.
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Tips & Warnings
Replace the mesh with 1-inch marbles for a less labor intensive option.
If after two weeks of conditioning the females do not lay eggs, add one or two cups of cold water to the tank to encourage spawning.
The young danio, or fry, usually hatch within 24 hours. To raise the fry successfully to adulthood will require several tanks, as a single hatching could result in up to 300 fry.
