Danio spawning behavior?

[Stephpartin]

Hello all I have a question please. I just cycled a 20 gallon tall and added 3 Danio to start. I believe two male and one female. My question is one of the males keep hovering around a plant for long periods in between chasing the female. Is this normal mating behavior and if so how can I prevent the fry from getting sucked up or eaten? Thanks in advance for any help.

20 Gallon - 3 Danio
6 Gallon - 1 Betta Charlie

 

[Brian Feeder of Fish]

By danios, I'm assuming you mean zebra danios.

I'm not completely sure about the spawning behavior, but it could be.

As for saving fry, unless you have extremely dense plants like big piles of moss or something, you will have to remove them from the tank. Try putting large marbles in the bottom of the tank so that the eggs will fall in the cracks where the adults can't reach them. If you see any eggs or non-swimming fry, remove them with a baster or pipette or something to a different tank with a small heater and sponge filter. Having no substrate other than the marbles will make this easier.

Starting when they are free swimming, you will need to feed them. I don't know exactly what the best thing to feed them is, but I managed to crush then soak some flakes in water, then feed them the water with the suspended particles. An infusoria culture would also be good if you can get one going; google for instructions.

Once they are large enough that they can't be eaten, you can put them in the main tank.

Brian

 

[Stephpartin]

By danios, I'm assuming you mean zebra danios.

I'm not completely sure about the spawning behavior, but it could be.

As for saving fry, unless you have extremely dense plants like big piles of moss or something, you will have to remove them from the tank. Try putting large marbles in the bottom of the tank so that the eggs will fall in the cracks where the adults can't reach them. If you see any eggs or non-swimming fry, remove them with a baster or pipette or something to a different tank with a small heater and sponge filter. Having no substrate other than the marbles will make this easier.

Starting when they are free swimming, you will need to feed them. I don't know exactly what the best thing to feed them is, but I managed to crush then soak some flakes in water, then feed them the water with the suspended particles. An infusoria culture would also be good if you can get one going; google for instructions.

Once they are large enough that they can't be eaten, you can put them in the main tank.

Brian

By danios, I'm assuming you mean zebra danios.

I'm not completely sure about the spawning behavior, but it could be.

As for saving fry, unless you have extremely dense plants like big piles of moss or something, you will have to remove them from the tank. Try putting large marbles in the bottom of the tank so that the eggs will fall in the cracks where the adults can't reach them. If you see any eggs or non-swimming fry, remove them with a baster or pipette or something to a different tank with a small heater and sponge filter. Having no substrate other than the marbles will make this easier.

Starting when they are free swimming, you will need to feed them. I don't know exactly what the best thing to feed them is, but I managed to crush then soak some flakes in water, then feed them the water with the suspended particles. An infusoria culture would also be good if you can get one going; google for instructions.

Once they are large enough that they can't be eaten, you can put them in the main tank.

Brian

Hello Brian thanks for your response, very much appreciated) If and when I see them can I use a net to scoop them up or will that squish the eggs? I will definitely try the flake idea to feed them. Great idea!! All I have is a .5 gallon medicinal plastic tank/holder with a lid. Do I need a larger container? I know that fish need tons of room to be happy but this is temporary so not sure if I need at least a 5 gallon? I just gave away my 5 gallon to my niece. I didn't want to look like the crazy fish lady with 3 tanks in my living room. Lol So if I can get away with my .5 or maybe a bit larger breeding net would be good. Yes I'm a newbie...Thank you again. Oh and yes Zebra Danio's.

 

[tanker]

The best way to breed zebras is in a tank by themselves, you will not be able to save any eggs any other way. The zebras will eat them.

Best if the tank is "bare-bottom". Lower the water level and put in a later of marbles (yes, the small glass balls). The eggs sink, and will fall between the marbles so the fishes cannot eat them. After spawning, remove the Danios and marbles and raise separately.

PS---Zebras are the easiest to breed of any egg layer.

 

[Stephpartin]

The best way to breed zebras is in a tank by themselves, you will not be able to save any eggs any other way. The zebras will eat them.

Best if the tank is "bare-bottom". Lower the water level and put in a later of marbles (yes, the small glass balls). The eggs sink, and will fall between the marbles so the fishes cannot eat them. After spawning, remove the Danios and marbles and raise separately.

PS---Zebras are the easiest to breed of any egg layer.

Thank you so much for all that useful information!! I am not specifically trying to breed but the three zebra danio I got are are two male and one female and are displaying spawning behavior/ So I just want to be prepared in case it happens. Thanks again

 

[Brian Feeder of Fish]

Well, if you aren't specifically trying to breed them or wanting babies, you might be better off just leaving it as is, so you won't have to worry about the fry. That said, I was in a similar situation where I just started seeing eggs show up between the coarse gravel in my tank, so I went ahead and raised them for fun. It's not really complicated, just another thing you have to do.

As for removing them from the tank, a net is too big. The eggs are very tiny.

*Just a random internet picture, not mine

Note the scale in the top left picture.

You're only option really for getting them out of the tank is suction, like a pipette. Alternatively, you could set up a seperate breeding tank with marbles, add the adults, wait for them to spawn, and then remove the adults so that you have a tank with only eggs. Until they are post-larval (I'm not sure that actually means anything or if it means something different, but I mean when they look like normal fish instead of mosquito larva.), you could probably keep them in a .5 gallon, but it would be difficult to keep clean. Once they are post-larval, you could upgrade them to a larger tank, or the main tank if they are big enough.

Brian