Freshwater

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Part IV: Breeding and Other Fun Stuff
The aquarium
A 10- or 20-gallon aquarium is a good starting size for a breeding tank for
small species such as guppies and platys. You don’t want to use a tank that
is too large, because you might lose track of your spawners and their fry. In
order to keep up with everything your fish are doing, you have to spy on
them frequently. A smaller tank allows you to remain in control of the action
at all times, and is much easier to work with and clean. As with any aquarium,
thoroughly rinse it with clear water before you use it.
Putting a lid on the whole thing
When your fish are ready to breed, they get a little excited. Excited fish tend
to jump very high. High-jumping fish can end up as permanent decoration
stuck on your room light or as an afternoon treat for the cat. A tight-fitting
hood keeps your fish in the water where they belong, protects eggs and
young fry from many unseen disasters, and keeps heat loss at a minimum. A
good hood also prevents dirt and household chemicals (such as your daughter’s
hair spray) from entering the water.
Decorations
Plenty of places to hide, such as within and under rocks and plants, give
your spawning pairs the opportunity to get used to being around each other
before they start spawning. It’s a fact of life; some couples just don’t get
along very well. If your breeding tank has no hiding places, the male of
many species may have to kill or maim his mate out of territoriality or
frustration before any spawning has an opportunity to take place.
Many species of fish like to breed on pieces of shale, rocks, flowerpots, or
plant leaves. In Chapter 20 we discuss these decorating options in further
detail.
Don’t laugh, but many hobbyists mistakenly place two aggressive males
together in a breeding tank (it’s more difficult to determine sex in some
species than in others), which leads to total disaster without places for
them to hide. The loss of fish in these cases can be avoided with proper
hiding places.