Freshwater

And, above all, breeding fish is fun. Hey, if you think human courtship is a
little odd at times, wait until you see your fish go a few rounds.
Conserving the environment
Probably the most important reason to breed fish is to contribute to the conservation
(keeping species alive for future generations to enjoy) of our
Earth’s aquatic species.
At one time, freshwater fish were shipped from many countries around the
globe so that the average hobbyist could enjoy them. Today, thanks to massive
freshwater breeding programs, most of these species are captive-bred. If
anything ever happens to them in the wild, aquarium hobbyists will be there
to pick up the ball. Already, many home aquarists and organizations such as
the American Cichlid Association have saved many fish species from extinction
by breeding them when their numbers reached alarmingly low rates in
their native environments.
You, too, can contribute to this aspect of aquarium fish breeding. We all have
a responsibility to put back what we take from the wild.
We think every aquarist should attempt to breed some species. Don’t concern
yourself with wondering whether it’s already been done — just go out
and do it.
Choosing Your Equipment
Chapter 19: The Breeding Room
Before you set up a spawning tank, decide whether you want to breed a few
fish in your main aquarium (in which case you don’t need a breeding room)
or turn out fry faster than your local greasy spoon. (Fry is a technical term
for baby fish, by the way.)
A large-scale breeding operation requires space. Easy-to-breed fish multiply
very rapidly. You may end up living on the back porch permanently to make
room for your new arrivals. To breed fish in a serious way — to develop new
colors, sizes, and/or fin shapes — you need quite a bit of room. An extra bedroom
or office offers the perfect solution. But if your house is the size of a
small cabin, you may want to look into the possibility of a heated storage
shed. Make sure you have plenty of room before you start, or you may end up
hastily trying to bamboozle your local dealer into buying some fry off you.
(When you sell fish to a dealer, don’t look desperate or they will cut your
profit margin because they think you need money.)
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