breeding tiger barbs

[firecrackers]

hey everyone,
i recently got 5 tiger barbs and put them in my 20 gallon tank ive had for about 2 years now. There the only thing in the tank but i might get some ghost shrimp and possible a a pair of dwarf frogs but thats still in the works. My question is that can i breed tiger barbs? like is there any special requierments and special things i can do to make the mood more comfortable for them? I have a 10 gallon tank that i will use for keeping the un hatched eggs. Is there any sites that have good information about breeding tiger barbs? and how can you tell females from males apart? thanks for all your help

 

[Jericho]

Breeding: Egg-scatterers that provide no parental care, Tiger Barbs will eat their own eggs if they have the opportunity. Therefore, set up a separate breeding tank, which can double as a grow-out tank for the fry. Females have a broader more rounded belly, and are larger than the more highly colored males. To acquire a breeding pair, keep at least a half dozen and allow them to pair off. Condition the breeders with live foods, and once a pair has been established, move them to a separate breeding tank.

The breeding tank should have soft acidic water, fine-leaved plants, and a bare bottom. Some breeders use marbles for the bottom, which allow the eggs to drop safely out of the parents grasp. Keep in mind that if the bottom is bare, it is particularly critical to observe them and move the parents immediately after spawning, as they will consume the eggs.

Spawning will take usually place in the morning. If the breeding pair does not spawn within a day or two, a partial water change with water that is a degree or two warmer than the tank will usually trigger spawning.

The female will lay about 200 eggs transparent yellowish colored eggs, which the male will immediately fertilize. As soon as the eggs have been fertilized, the breeding pair should be removed from the tank. The eggs will hatch in approximately 36 hours, and the fry will be free swimming after five days. Feed the fry newly hatched brine shrimp until large enough to accept finely crushed flake food.


http://freshaquarium.about.com/cs/cyprinids2/p/tigerbarb.htm