Freshwater

In This Chapter
Reasons to breed your fish
Finding the right equipment
Making use of plants
Looking at water conditions
Getting your fish in the mood
Chapter 19
The Breeding Room
The first thing you need to know about breeding your fish is that there is
no perfect way to breed any single species of fish. Sure, a lot of techniques
are known to be successful, and a lot of aquatic breeding methods are
steadfast and true — but, what one hobbyist finds to be a successful method,
others may have no luck with. Better methods are waiting to be discovered,
and there is always room for improvement and new ideas when it comes to
breeding fish.
Many hobbyists have bred fish accidentally, just by having the right combination
in their aquariums. Whether it occurs by accident or on purpose, breeding
is breeding. Don’t let anyone tell you any differently. (If they do, tell them
to come see us.) When you’re breeding your fish, take the time to observe
everything:
What are the spawning pair (male and female that you want to mate)
doing about the other fish around them?
Are there any changes in the pecking order?
Have feeding patterns changed since the courtship started? Are the fish
eating more or have they stopped feeding normally?
By making pertinent observations of all your fish’s activities, you can gain a
better understanding of how aquatic relationships work.