Freshwater

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Part IV: Breeding and Other Fun Stuff
You know those green plastic containers that hold strawberries? (Remember
you unsuccessfully tried to turn them into a Christmas ornament?) Laid side
by side with the open side down, they work well as a spawning grate.
Sometimes a little imagination goes a long way.
Turning up the heat
Use a good quality heater in the breeding tank to keep the water from chilling.
This is especially important if your breeding room is not insulated as well
as the rest of your home. Besides, many fish require a small increase in temperature
to prepare them for breeding. Although it’s possible to control the
water temperature with the heating system in your home, it doesn’t work
well because all home temperatures do not match species requirements, so
this isn’t a practical method. It’s better to have a heater you can adjust as
needed on each individual tank.
Filtration
Filters are important in breeding tanks, because they supply needed oxygen
and produce the water movement that entices many species to mate.
Filtration also keeps wastes that can destroy eggs and fry from building up.
A sponge filter is ideal for almost any breeding tank. This unit has a very
simple design and is easy to use. A sponge filter provides simple biological
filtration without the risks of mechanical filters (such as youngsters being
sucked up in the intake tubes). A sponge filter creates current, but doesn’t
cause the excess turbulence often produced by larger power and undergravel
filters. If your spawning fish are stuck together permanently due to excessive
water waves, you may want to cut down on the current with a valve or a
smaller filter. Heavy turbulence from an extra air supply (bubble disks or
airstones) can damage delicate eggs or young fry.
If you decide to use a larger filter, make sure it runs slowly. If you use a
sponge filter, you can always do water changes to remove any floating
debris that is usually removed by a mechanical filter.
Plants for safety, spawning,
and inspiration
Plants have a wide variety of uses in a spawing tank:
Plants look cool.
Plants are generally inexpensive.