| Probably the most rewarding thing about tropical | | | | foliage for the fry to hide in. Once the mother has |
| fish keeping is watching young fish grow from | | | | given birth, she must be returned to the main |
| birth to adult size. You can take immense pride in | | | | tank quickly, in order that young fry can grow |
| achieving this, but is particularly true for the more | | | | safely inside the incubator tank. |
| difficult species to breed. However beginners | | | | Water temperature and tank size are both very |
| should be wary of jumping in at the deep end (so | | | | important when it comes to conditioning tropical |
| to speak). | | | | fish. Each different breed of fish has a different |
| Mollies Guppies, Swordtails and Platys are fantastic | | | | best breeding temperature, so first determine |
| fish for beginners to breed. They are all live | | | | that. Fish are conditioned to breed when the |
| bearer fish types, ie the fish are born live and can | | | | water temperature signals to them that it is |
| swim from the outset. These fish come in an | | | | breeding season. If you maintain this optimal |
| enormous variety of colours and patterns and are | | | | temperature, the fish will be more likely to breed. |
| great for beginner breeders to hone their newly | | | | As a general rule, larger tanks tend to produce |
| acquired skills | | | | larger numbers of fry in one birth as well. |
| Probably THE most important tip on breeding | | | | Food is also an important factor in the |
| tropical fish that bear live young is to keep the | | | | conditioning, try to find out which is the favorite |
| baby fish, called fry, away from the rest of your | | | | food is your particular type of fish. However as it |
| community tank. Adult fish consider fry to be | | | | isn't always possible to obtain 'specialist food', |
| fantastic food, so "keep them apart right from | | | | nowadays a well balanced diet can be provided |
| the start". If you don't your breeding efforts will | | | | easily in the form of high quality flaked or similar |
| be in vain. In fact, even the mother and father will | | | | prepared food. Bloodworms, frozen or live are |
| eat their own young as food. | | | | excellent for conditioning most fish. |
| Your best bet to avoid this fate is to use a | | | | The joy that you get from breeding fish will be all |
| separate breeding tank with lots of plants and | | | | the more if you follow these basic rules. |