Breeder/Fry Box Recommendations . . .

[Wookii]

Hey guys,

Has anyone had success in getting fish to spawn in an in-tank breeder box? I'm looking for a fairly large one, and one where the breeding mop/substrate can be kept in place to allow the fry to hatch and grow on in it - rather than having multiple tanks running.

I was looking at this Ziss unit, but really wanted something larger (at least twice the size):

Any thoughts and suggestions welcome!

 

[Conort2]

Hey guys,

Has anyone had success in getting fish to spawn in an in-tank breeder box? I'm looking for a fairly large one, and one where the breeding mop/substrate can be kept in place to allow the fry to hatch and grow on in it - rather than having multiple tanks running.

I was looking at this Ziss unit, but really wanted something larger (at least twice the size):

View attachment 212270

Any thoughts and suggestions welcome!

That would’ve been the box I would’ve recommended to be fair.

What species are you planning on spawning? You may be better off dropping mops in the main tank and then adding placing them in the breeder boxes once spawning has finished. This is what I do with my corydoras, the mops also get covered in rainbowfish eggs but I’m not interested in saving those.

Cheers

 

[Wookii]

I'm not sure yet mate - my Threadfins are looking like they're ready to have a go, as do my Reed Tetra. I'd like to try some of my Cory's too if I could catch some (though sexing them appears impossible!). Does that box seem big enough for those - it looks a little small of the Threadfins as they're so active.

How do you get the fish to selectively spawn on mops or moss pads, instead of other plants or surfaces/areas of the tank?

 

[Conort2]

Does that box seem big enough for those - it looks a little small of the Threadfins as they're so active.

I wouldn’t use it to spawn any fish. I think you probably need at least a 12 inch tank to spawn something like a threadfin. Ideally abit larger, they’re quite active.

How do you get the fish to selectively spawn on mops or moss pads, instead of other plants or surfaces/areas of the tank?

My rainbowfish seem to prefer the mops to plants so are always drawn to them if they’re in the tank. Rainbows spawn daily so it wouldn’t take long to get a sizeable batch.

My corydoras just spawn all over the tank so quite a few will end up in the mops. I normally only add the mops once I actually witness the corydoras spawning so chances are I’ve probably missed quite a few eggs already.

The mop seems to be an attractive spawning site for most egg scatterers and they seem to be drawn to them, even in a planted tank.

 

[Steve Buce]

I have the Ziss breeder box, great for raising Cory fry, imo too small for spawning unless very small tetras

 

[Steve Buce]

If u do get the ziss, get the version with the 2 mesh sides, the one with the mesh bottom , u lose a lot of live food thru it

 

[ScareCrow]

I've got the ziss and also have a slightly larger Hagon hang on box that sits outside the tank. I don't think either would work though to be honest. I think the fish feel more stressed in there than they do in a the tank as there's a lot less room for them to get away from perceived threats.
For corys I just collect the eggs when I see them.
I'd recommend using a rigid breeder box instead of the mesh fabric ones for corydoras fry, as their spines have a tendency to get caught in the net.
My P. luminatus rainbows eat their own eggs so I use a mop and just keep pulling the mop until I've got enough. I've also had fry just appear in tubs when I've taken moss out and left it sitting while I decide what to do with it.

 

[Steve Buce]

I'm not sure yet mate - my Threadfins are looking like they're ready to have a go, as do my Reed Tetra. I'd like to try some of my Cory's too if I could catch some (though sexing them appears impossible!). Does that box seem big enough for those - it looks a little small of the Threadfins as they're so active.

How do you get the fish to selectively spawn on mops or moss pads, instead of other plants or surfaces/areas of the tank?

What type of Cory are they

 

[Conort2]

If u do get the ziss, get the version with the 2 mesh sides, the one with the mesh bottom , u lose a lot of live food thru it

Also version two holds some water in the bottom for when your water level drops during water changes.

 

[Wookii]

Thanks guys - I don't think I've seen any of them definitely breed so far, but a lot of chasing about and males flashing up along side females - more in open water though than near any plants. The fish are pretty small, so I'm not sure I'd know if they'd actually dropped any eggs or not yet, though I obviously only get to see them for a few hours of the day.

My rainbowfish seem to prefer the mops to plants so are always drawn to them if they’re in the tank. Rainbows spawn daily so it wouldn’t take long to get a sizeable batch.

My corydoras just spawn all over the tank so quite a few will end up in the mops. I normally only add the mops once I actually witness the corydoras spawning so chances are I’ve probably missed quite a few eggs already.

The mop seems to be an attractive spawning site for most egg scatterers and they seem to be drawn to them, even in a planted tank.

So if I add some mops to the tank - I'll get the family to keep an eye out when I'm not there and see if the mops get any attention. Then do I move the mop to the breeding box and leave it there, or just shake it off in there to deposit any eggs and put it back in the tank for more?

For corys I just collect the eggs when I see them.

What type of Cory are they

The Corys are really small; Corydoras (previously Aspidorus) pauciradiatus - all about 25mm long, so I'm not sure I'd even see the eggs, I'll have to keep a keener eye out - there are various patches of moss around the tank already.

 

[ScareCrow]

Then do I move the mop to the breeding box and leave it there, or just shake it off in there to deposit any eggs and put it back in the tank for more?

Rainbow eggs tend to adhere to the mop so if you want to reuse the mop you need to pick them off the strands of wool. You can just leave the mop in the breeding box but you won't fit many mops in the breeding box. All depends on how many eggs you want.

The Corys are really small; Corydoras (previously Aspidorus) pauciradiatus - all about 25mm long, so I'm not sure I'd even see the eggs

I'm not familiar with that species but I've found adult size doesn't necessarily relate to egg size. My duplicareus produce eggs twice the size of Sterbai eggs but the adult Sterbai are much larger than my duplicareus.

 

[Conort2]

Then do I move the mop to the breeding box and leave it there, or just shake it off in there to deposit any eggs and put it back in the tank for more?

I pick the corydoras eggs off of the mop and transfer them to a Tupperware with some alder cones. Once they hatch and start feeding I then move them to the ziss. These are corydoras duplicareus though whose eggs are far larger than your corydoras species.

For your egg scatterers I’d just move the entire mop to the breeder box. I’d imagine the eggs from your thread fins and tetras will be tiny. I don’t think you’d be able to pick these.

 

[Wookii]

Thanks guys.

So next daft question, is any particular type of mop favoured - I never knew there was such a variety! Sinking or floating? Long or short? Thick or thin? Colour?

 

[Conort2]

I use dark green, long and sinking but I’m sure what mop is favoured would depend on the species being spawned. I’d buy a few of each and see what they prefer.

 

[hwscot]

Barely fit to have an opinion here as the only breeder box I've used has been the Marina HOB, the larger, which I think is about 2 litres. But, I've used it for livebearers, and I find that if I put dark sand on the bottom, and plenty of Suesswassertang etc for cover, the fish are happy in there for even two or three weeks.

However, it's basically a large, simple HOB with an airlift (many upgrade with a tiny pump) and overflow and no gubbins / moulding inside it. I've always fancied the notion of using a small tank like one of the small diversas and rigging up my own, with a much bigger capacity. The inlet side is simple as you can extend the outflow from the airlift comfortably across the gap between main tank and HOB. Supporting the outer tank is simple, on a pile of whatever's to hand, the tricky thing is creating an outflow from the HOB back to the main tank that doesn't dribble down between the HOB and the main tank. If I ever bother to play with the idea, I think my best bet is to raise the HOB so its rim is a couple of cm above the rim of the main tank, then cut out a small section from the top edge of the HOB and persuade my clever son to use his 3D printer to make an overflow. I guess for long term use you could put a silicone bead where main tank and HOB meet.

The birth is happening in the water volume of the main tank plus the HOB, with decent throughflow, and if you do need to intervene, you don't disturb the main tank. I use it on an established shrimp tank, which is where the young fish end up (they find their own way out of the overflow, but you can easily put something in to stop them). Shrimp don't bother the livebearer fry, and newborn neocaridina are an excellent live food, if you don't mind losing a few weeks of young shrimp.

I can't actually find a uk supplier with stock of the Ziss box, but a 25L diversa is £26, an airlift is easy, probably with spare bits and pieces you already have. There is a smaller diversa but it's probably a bit too small.

I'd love to see someone try this and iron out all the glitches with their carpet at risk not mine!

 

[SteveMid]

I'm not sure yet mate - my Threadfins are looking like they're ready to have a go, as do my Reed Tetra. I'd like to try some of my Cory's too if I could catch some (though sexing them appears impossible!). Does that box seem big enough for those - it looks a little small of the Threadfins as they're so active.

How do you get the fish to selectively spawn on mops or moss pads, instead of other plants or surfaces/areas of the tank?

With the Tetra it is likely that they are spawning if you have a relatively low pH. The eggs are so tiny they are almost impossible to see. However, the eggs won’t develop under your lights. Normally after spawning you need to have quite a few days with lights off (or at least shielded from the light somehow). Also they hatch very quickly (48hrs after spawning) the fry themselves are also almost impossible to see until about 1 week after spawning.

 

[ScareCrow]

any particular type of mop favoured

I use dark green too and a mixture of floating and sinking to go cover all basis.
I've not tried it but apparently 'eyelash yarn' makes picking eggs much easier as you can run your finger down each thread and feel the eggs. Picking rainbow eggs is a real labour of love.
With regards to the corydoras there's one breeding report on planet catfish, looks like they're happy to spawn on flat surfaces.

 

[tam]

I use HOB breeder boxes - I've superfish and a marina one - very similar. They do a couple of versions, the bigger one is 2l. Makes it easy to observe the fry. I feed the with an airline positioned in the outflow of the main filter and don't bother with the airlift part. I think that gives you a nice flow through. I add a bit of sponge to the outflow though as the grid is to wide for small fry. I've got rice fish growing up in one at the moment. I agree though, I don't think you'd get spawning in it, but they are good for popping eggs in.

 

[kammaroon]

I can't actually find a uk supplier with stock of the Ziss box

TA Aquaculture has them on their website Breeding_Traps

 

[Wookii]

TA Aquaculture has them on their website Breeding_Traps

Wish I’d known that - I ended up ordering from the Ziss’s website. Would have preferred to order from TA and got some more foods and brine shrimp eggs at the same time!