Freshwater

260
Part IV: Breeding and Other Fun Stuff
Figure 20-1:
A net
breeder is a
simple box
shape made
out of fine
mesh
netting.
One way to avoid this problem with aggressive species is to use a large tank
equipped with many hiding places. Try to keep their breeding tank in a quiet,
low-traffic area so that the fish aren’t irritated by people walking by and
making noise. You can also use a spawning grate (a plastic sheet with holes
that allows the eggs to fall though) for protection (see Chapter 19 for more
on spawning grates).
Livebearers (such as guppies) often eat their young. To prevent this, you
can purchase a breeding trap to separate the young after birth. Breeding
traps come in a few different designs. A net breeder, shown in Figure 20-1, is a
simple rectangular device that floats in your aquarium, kind of a net shaped
like a box. Put the female inside the net, so that her young are protected from
other fish in a community tank. Unfortunately, the net trap does not protect
the young from Mom. The advantage of the net breeder is that the net allows
free water flow from the aquarium.
You can also put the expectant mother in a plastic breeding tank and float it
in your larger aquarium until she gives birth. One advantage of this type of
breeder is that after the fry are born they drop through a small slit and are
separated from their mother and future tankmates. Unfortunately, the plastic
breeder does not allow water flow to keep the interior clean and can foul
rather quickly if birth is delayed.
Most breeding traps are too small to accommodate a pregnant female for
any length of time. While under prolonged restraint, she may struggle to
escape and damage herself or her unborn fry. Pregnant females should only
be placed in breeding traps when they are ready to deliver. By becoming
familiar with the species you are breeding, you learn to recognize when your
fish is ready to give birth. This can vary from species to species, but it usually
includes the mother looking complete bloated, constantly moving toward
the bottom of the tank, or looking for cover.
Main Tank
Plastic Divider
Breeding Trap
Pregnant Female
Newborn Babies
Fall through Slot
and Drop to the
Bottom after
Birth