Breeding Tetra Fish Successfully
Tip! Tropical and raising fish to a marketable maturity will require time and patience. Do your homework on growth rates and reproductive rates of each species you plan to breed.
If you are keeping tetras, chances are you are breeding tetras, even if unknowingly. In the wild, tetras normally breed during the rainy season, but in the aquarium, they may breed year round. Female tetras are egg-scatters that typically fill with eggs every ten to fourteen days.
The female tetra indiscriminately sprays her eggs into clumps of fine-leaved plants. The eggs are adhesive and stick to the plants. However, tetras as well as other tank mates often find tetra eggs and small fry an irresistible delicacy.
If breeding tetras is your goal in keeping them, the best thing to do is to separate males and females. This allows you to keep control of breeding and improves your chance of achieving a successful hatch of fry. Smaller species of female tetras become sexually active at nine to twelve months old with larger species ready to breed at 1 ? to 2 years of age.
Tip! To get the best chances of success for you're goldfish breeding, improve the odds. Rather than tossing one girl and one boy fish into the tank, use a two male to one female ratio.
Male tetras are generally a month or two older than females for successful spawning to take place.
Males are typically slimmer and more colorful than their female companions are. When viewed from above, the female tetra is distinguishably plumper and rounder because of the build-up of eggs within her body.
Two weeks before breeding tetras, separate males and females within the same tank. This is done simply by putting a clear divider between them, which not only gives you control of breeding but also stimulates spawning behavior since the fish are kept within sight of each other. Breeding tetras is also encouraged during the pre-spawn period by feeding them with high-quality live foods.
Tip!
Tropical fish can be startlingly beautiful and pleasurable to watch. It is no wonder that tropical is both profitable and rewarding.
When ready to breed tetras, you'll get the best results by using a separate breeding tank, prepared with a peat filter and clean, aged water in which clumps of fine-leaved plants have been strategically placed. Three ways to complete your tank for breeding tetras are:
- Drape the tank with nylon netting to allow the eggs to fall to the tank floor away from hungry adults.
- Cover the tank floor with marbles to hide the eggs and protect them from cannibalism.
- Plant fine-leaved plants or artificial spawning mops in seed trays filled with coarse gravel to trap the eggs and prevent them from being eaten.
