Breeding in Community Tank – Advice?

[moodycm]

I’ve tried a trio in a separate breeding tank, they hide under whatever they can find and barely eat. I tried a big container with the bottom replaced with fine mesh, filled with a few plants that spread over the top of the water providing pretty decent cover, and a few big clumps of java moss on the bottom. This was placed in a slightly larger bucket so it sat a few inches off the bottom. All 12 of my CPDs were placed in here. The idea being that they would be happier in the larger numbers and would be covered from all sides so wouldn’t be disturbed. I only went near them to feed them but i never saw them swimming about at all. I think they just hid away under the moss as this is where i found them when I went to fish them out to return them to mu community tank there. They’ve been back “home” for about an hour now and i just peaked in the room and they’re all over the tank exploring, even swimming about the middle to top regions which they never usually do.

SO, I think that they are definitely only happy in the big community tank, so I think this is the only place they’ll spawn. The obvious problem is, how do I rescue the eggs before they/other fish get a free meal? I’ve tried an egg trap with no luck. I Think because it’s not ground level they just didn’t fancy it. I was thinking some clumps of java moss in their favourit corner? But like I said, How do I rescue the eggs? Any Suggestions? Any other advice/tips?

Thanks in advance!
Chris

[BallAquatics]

Hi Chris. I’ve never had any luck trying to spawn fish in a community tank.

Good luck with your project & keep us posted.

Dennis

[moodycm]

Hi Dennis,

I know it’s not how I would’ve done it but it’s pretty much a last resort unfortunately. I don’t know if I just have very timid CPDs but the community tank is the only place they’re happy. I’ll let you know if it works out!

Thanks again,
Chris

[Pushkatu]

My CPDs spawn in my 200 liters community tank quite often. I see new fry every week, I moved one just the other day into the small tank with my other fry. From my first attempt to breed them I managed to raise 5 fry into adults. Now I have 5 more in the small tank, 6 if I count the one I caught yesterday, but some are bigger than others. I find it strange that 2 of them have a green metallic stripe, that spreads from the their heads to their tails. Those two are the big ones, over a cm. Other two look like normal CPD fry and the last one is to small to notice anything weird. I have many Pistia plants that cover close to 50% of my tanks surface. These plants have many long and “hairy” roots that provide good cover for my fry. I also have other fish, like: 3 killie, 3 guppy, 5 rasbora harlechin, 1 betta female and 3 ottos. With all these fish around I still find fry every week.

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