Setting up the breeding tank

As the fish is away from its natural habitat and now dwelling in the aquarium you have
made for it, you will have to provide it with the right (environmental) conditions. So,
when setting up a breeding tank or preparing an aquarium for breeding, it is vital that
you simulate the conditions feasible within the fish’s habitat during spawning season.

With the breeding tank in place, the next port of call is to equip it with items such as
plants, caves, rocks and so on. By the way, a 37.5l tank with a good lid will make a
perfect breeding tank for fish. A substrate of sand or gravel – or a mix of both – is also
essential. One thing you should keep in mind is that ‘it’s different strokes for different
folks‘; while some fishes may desire a soft substrate for mating, others prefer hard
surfaces like a rock. But you should forget that coarse stones can be injurious to the
eggs and fry so, it would be logical to avoid putting such (stones) in the breeding tank.

Furthermore, you should integrate a low-powered filter into the tank to generate the right
current for raising the offspring – the sponge filter is the most widely used in this
respect.

Still on tank set-up; do keep in mind that the breeding tank should be in an area with
dim or low light – or a shaded part of the room. Likewise, the lighting of the tank should
be lowered or put out completely as bright light may disrupt the breeding process.