In an aquarium or pond, successful breeding largely depends on nutrition and environmental conditions that are sometimes very specific. In the wild, these conditions might be seasonal changes, water conditions, the amount of daylight, and the availability of specific food sources. The amount of daylight is generally less important in tropical species because hours of sunlight in tropical regions near the equator stay fairly constant year round. Temperate-water and cold-water fish, such as goldfish and koi, may be more affected by shorter and longer days of the seasons farther north or south. Certain conditions often trigger a particular species to breed. For instance, during the wet season in the tropics, rains may wash extra nutrients into the swollen rivers, leading to a greater abundance of available food and plants, which can be ideal breeding conditions for fish.
In aquarium and pond fish, healthy breeding stock must be of spawning (the process by which females release eggs into the water to be fertilized by males’ sperm) age. You will need to research the nutritional and environmental needs of the particular species you want to breed. These conditions are almost as varied as the number of fish species ( see Table: Types of Fish Reproduction). Proper substrate, cover, temperature, pH, live foods, lighting, and number of fish are all likely considerations.
Types of Fish Reproduction
Types of Egg Layers | Where Eggs Are Laid | Fertilization Method | Common Species |
|---|---|---|---|
Mouthbrooders | In water, then collected in mouth once fertilized and held there until birth; some hold fry in mouth for up to a week after birth | Fertilized by spawning before being gathered in mouth | Freshwater cichlids, bettas, cardinal fish, gobies, blennies |
Nest builders | A spot in substrate, a structure made of plant materials, bubble nest (foamy structure) | Spawning | Bass, bluegills, sticklebacks, gouramis, bettas |
Egg scatterers | Sticky eggs: laid within a certain area under cover; nonsticky eggs: set adrift in open water | Male swims by and sprays semen, or milt, around the area | Cardinal tetras, tiger barbs, zebra danios, goldfish, koi |
Egg depositors | Laid in one spot, usually substrate or glass | Male swims by and fertilizes eggs | Rainbow fish, killifish, dwarf cichlids, clownfish |
Egg buriers | Buried in soft substrate | Male dives into substrate to fertilize eggs | Killifish, rare and endangered species in the wild |
Sexing Fish
Determining the sex of a fish can be difficult or easy, depending on whether physical differences are visible. Males of some species may be larger and showier (have a more striking, colorful appearance) than females. Information on how to sex a particular species may be obtained from your veterinarian, books, hobby magazines, the Internet, and other sources.
Live Bearers
Fish reproduce by bearing live young or by laying eggs. Livebearers give birth to fully formed and functional young called fry. The eggs are fertilized and hatch within the female. Most livebearers have fewer and larger fry than egg layers because the fry need to be more developed and large enough to fend for themselves after birth. Most species of livebearers kept in home aquariums are generally easy to breed. Identifying sexes is usually easy as well. Males are generally larger and have larger, longer, more ornate, and more colorful fins than females. For instance, only male swordtails have the “sword” on their tails, and male guppies have larger, more flowing tails that are brightly colored.
Fry should be separated from adults because the adults (including the parents) tend to eat them. Small live or frozen food and crushed flakes are good for feeding fry. Species of freshwater livebearers include mollies, platys, swordtails, and guppies from the Americas and the 20 or so halfbeak species from Asia.
Egg Layers
Egg layers spawn by several means, including egg scattering, egg depositing, egg burying, nest building, and mouthbrooding. In all cases, eggs are laid and fertilized outside the body. Nest-builders and mouthbrooders are generally good parents, protecting the eggs and fry from aggressors. Many cichlid species, such as freshwater angelfish, are nest-builders.
Egg scatterers, egg depositors, and egg buriers may or may not defend the eggs and fry. Usually the fry need to be separated from the adults to prevent the larger fish from eating them. Egg-scatterer females lay sticky eggs in various places within a certain area (often in areas that provide some sort of cover), while others set nonsticky eggs adrift in open water. Egg depositors pick one general spot to lay sticky eggs, usually on the bottom substrate and sometimes on the aquarium glass. In salt water, clownfish are depositors, guarding their eggs and fry, and are the most likely species to be bred by hobbyists. Egg buriers either dive into soft substrate or the male pushes the female into the soft substrate to lay. The male then dives in to fertilize the eggs. In a tank breeding environment, peat moss is often a good choice for the substrate.
Care for Newborns
Usually fry should be separated from the adult fish and placed in a nursery environment. Mouthbrooders will eventually expel the fry even when the fry are still quite vulnerable. Removing fry from outdoor ponds can be difficult. Ideally, a separate, smaller aquarium should be set up to receive them. Conditions should generally be kept much as they are in the main aquarium or pond. There should be some kind of cover for the fry so they are safe, secure, and free from stress. The aquarium should be filtered, but the pump should not be so powerful that it sucks in the fry. Several commercial baby fish foods are available. Alternatively, finely crushed flake and tiny live or frozen foods can be fed.
Another option is to purchase a nursery. Nurseries are made of a box frame with a fine mesh netting for the walls and floor, or plastic grids for the same purpose. They are usually built to hang from the top lip of the aquarium into the water. The mesh or grid prevents the fry from escaping while keeping them safe from the larger fish. The open top allows access for feeding and other purposes.
Fish nursery
