Category:Fish Breeding

Breeding Fish
So you want to get into breeding fish.

There are several things you need to bare in mind before you even attempt to go into this process.

Do you have the time?
Breeding fish, especially more challenging ones, will take up a lot of any spare time you previously had. Some fry take a several months before they're even sexable, and will need feeding and having water changes on a very regular basis. If you have any long-holidays planned, maybe put off breeding for another time.

Can you afford it?
Breeding fish, again especially more complex ones, may require you having several tanks running. If you're breeding larger fish, these will be larger tanks and that will mean higher water bills and higher electricity bills. Often, adults cannot remain with the fry in the long-term and will turn to infanticide.

Where will the fry go?
Pet stores will not buy your excess fry. Some may exchange for store credit, some won't accept home bred fish at all, especially if they're fairly common species. Joining local fish groups and making yourself well known amongst other breeders of your chosen species online can make it easier to sell on to other collectors and breeders. This can work well for popular fish such as Betta splendens, Discus, Guppys, Angelfish and Koi.

Can I make a living out of this?
Unlikely, breeding fish usually requires more effort put in than what you make in return. It's hard to break even. The only way to make any kind of money would be to breed fish deemed rare, such as the Zebra Pleco, or "virtually impossible" to breed in captivity such as Otocinclus and Clown Loaches.

If you've nodded in agreement and are ready to go on a breeding project of your own, read the articles below on your chosen species on the processes required for a successful and healthy spawn.