# trying to breed tetras



## yannis2307 (Apr 23, 2012)

well i just moved the two black phantoms in a 1.5-2 G tank, i haad them in a pregnancy net till now in my main tank because the angels would pick on them and kill them, i already lost 3 of them like that, and now i have a male and a female. I did some search and found that i should lower the pH and dH a little in order to get them motivated. Is that a good idea? How can i do it? Any other breeding musts and tips? 
I would really appreciate it if someone got in the trouble of writing a mini guide, because the info of google varies and im kinda confused


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## Betta man (Mar 25, 2011)

Go to the library and check out some books on tetras.


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## yannis2307 (Apr 23, 2012)

there is no library around here, our neighbourhoods in greece arent like yours in the US, and if there was a library, i bet there wouldn't be a single book on any kind of fish...fishkeeping is not really popular around here and those who have aquariums are not really interested in the fish they have, they won't be so interested to learn a lot about them, they just do it to make their room ''cooler'', as long as their fish don't die, they're happy....anyways, back to the topic, would anyone help here a bit?


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## lohachata (Jan 27, 2006)

first of all...i think your tank is a little too small..a minimum would be 10 gallons..
lots of floating plants like hornwort or anacharis..lots of moss for the bottom of the tank..4-6 indian almond leaves.....do not use a bright light...
you will also need a lot of micro fine foods..the almond leaves will provide some but you will have to add some too..
no.....hikari first bite will not work...you will need something under 50 microns in size...

you could also get some kind of screen like material such as plastic canvas from a craft store...cut it to snugly fit the inside of the tank..make a PVC pipe frame to fit the tank...have it about 2" above the bottom with the screen on top of it...
when the adults spawn the eggs will fall through...remove the adults to another tank...
you can now remove the screen and frame...start feeding after fry are free swimming and yolk sacs absorbed...feed at least 4 times a day...


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## yannis2307 (Apr 23, 2012)

i didnt get the pvc pipe and plastic canvas thing...what about the pH and dH? completely useless? i already read that pH, dH dont matter alot, just healthy fish clean water etc. but wanted to make sure


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## yannis2307 (Apr 23, 2012)

when i say i dindn't get the pvc pipe and canvas thing i mean that i didnt unerstand if the screen should be a square thing like a separator or whatever, if it should be vertically or horizantally placed, in which direction should i put the pvc pipe on the screen etc......if there are pictures they would really help


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## austinroberts23 (Jan 25, 2012)

Screen would be horizontal. Kind of like a strainer to let the eggs fall through to the bottom and keep the adults away from them.


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## lohachata (Jan 27, 2006)

hmmmmmmm....ok...i have a couple of questions for you yannis...
1. how many different species of fishes have you successfully bred ?

2. how much research have you done on breeding tetras...and black phantom tetras in particular ??

3. how prepared are you for breeding tetras ? i mean really prepared...


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## yannis2307 (Apr 23, 2012)

1.i haven't bred any fish yet.... i already read that black phantoms are kinda difficult and im some of a beginner, but i thought i would give it a try...
2. i've searched as much as i could but the opinions differ, some say lower the pH, some say pH is useless...from what you've told me and what ive read, planting the tank heavily is really important...
3. i haven't done any preparation, thats why im here and asking what i should do....


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## yannis2307 (Apr 23, 2012)

so..no one?


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## lohachata (Jan 27, 2006)

normally i would suggest an easier fish to try ; but since you already have the phantoms ; here are my suggestions....
set up a 10 gallon tank for breeding...bare bottom....heater...sponge filter.....
i don't know what is available to you in Greece but see what you can find..

get some dried oak or magnolia leaves...or indian almond leaves
java moss or other type moss...
floating plants such as hornwort or myriophyllum(sp)...something that will give fry a place to hide..
and/or see if you can find the materials to make the screen...
this part may take you a little time...get it running and i will walk you through when you are ready for the next part..

if you are unable to find any micro foods under 50 microns let me know...


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## yannis2307 (Apr 23, 2012)

yeah i haven't found food for fry because i was searching when my platy was pregnant, maybe i could order some from you...?


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## yannis2307 (Apr 23, 2012)

and about the 10G....should i cycle it or what? i could put some of the water of my 16 G, and then fill the rest with tap water and treat it like a water change so then it will be: 10 G tank: 5 G aq. water, 5 G tap
16 G tank: 11G aq. water, 5 G tap
is it a good idea?


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## lohachata (Jan 27, 2006)

you really aren't going to achieve cycling with just some tank water...set up the tank ; then put it's sponge filter in a well established tank..in a couple of weeks put it in the new tank....it should be cycled in a couple of days..


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## yannis2307 (Apr 23, 2012)

yeah i didn't mean it like that i meant that it will be like an est. aquarium with a water change but yes as for the filter i have to do it like that... as for fry food, do you have what you suggest?


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## lohachata (Jan 27, 2006)

yes....i have a couple of foods that are extremely small...although i am out of stock on one of my super foods for fry i am going to try to bring some in as soon as i can..very expensive at $15.00 USD per ounce ; but rated as one of the top 3 foods in the world...but some of the other foods i have are much less expensive..this coming week i will be making up a small batch of Mini Max Supreme...some particles will float and some will sink....i'll let you know when it is ready...


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## yannis2307 (Apr 23, 2012)

no need for super foods, i just want a good fry food


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## yannis2307 (Apr 23, 2012)

well i bought a moss ball ( they didn't know at the lfs what moss it is so i dont know either) and a small anubias. i put in the gravel of those nutrient balls for aquatic plants. that's the best they had...and john sorry but i bought some fry food which they told me would be fine for the tetra babies, i definitely believe yours is better as it isn't massively produced and it's very specialized and qualified, but im still underaged and my dad wants to avoid internet buying if its possible. Still i dont have fry, so maybe the food i bought will be a waste of money, but i hope on some tetra offspring soon, and if not after exams finish, when i will be able to focus more on my fishies....


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## yannis2307 (Apr 23, 2012)

well i think i found some almond leaves....also im trying to convince my parents to get a bigger tank...the expenses are mine, they just seem to be freaking out because i've become a fish freak lol....


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## lohachata (Jan 27, 2006)

your moss ball is a cladophora...there are a couple of species of them..they are found only in japan , iceland , estonia , and scotland....this information i got from wikipedia..i have had them a few times and was able to easily kill them as i didn't really know how to maintain them at the time....they need to be squeezed out a bit every now and then i guess...lol..
my wife has about a dozen of them that are doing nicely...
yannis.....tell your parents to be thankful that you are not like me...


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## yannis2307 (Apr 23, 2012)

why, how are you that i shouldn't be? i consider you a fish expert and i aim on keeping on with the hobby and learning more, and im motivated by people like you....


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## austinroberts23 (Jan 25, 2012)

Think John was referring to the finance portion


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## yannis2307 (Apr 23, 2012)

ahaaaaaaaa lol my slow mind doesn't get them hahahahhahahaha


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## Guest (May 26, 2012)

Let's just say that Loha has a lot of tanks. I have seen the pics of all his tanks and you don't want that. I have a 55 gallon and two one gallons with fish in them. I have three clown loaches, two plecostomuses, and two male bettas. I am planning on getting a bigger tank for the clown loaches and plecostomuses when I get the money.


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## austinroberts23 (Jan 25, 2012)

Lohas tank room is something I dream of having. I currently have a 125, 55, 30, and two 2g betta tanks. I'm addicted


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## lohachata (Jan 27, 2006)

yannis..to save you the trouble of searching , here are some pics of my fishroom and a few of the fish...

http://www.fishforums.com/forum/fish-aquarium-pictures/35115-fishroom-almost-done.html#post306743

http://www.fishforums.com/forum/fish-aquarium-pictures/35113-fishroom-almost-done.html

my wife and i just received some great tetras as a gift from a good friend...
Crenuchus Spilurus....a rarely seen cave spawning tetra..some cochui blue tetras and some unidentified micro tetras...
a pic of the Spilurus taken by my friend...V




http://www.google.com/imgres?hl=en&...04&start=24&ndsp=34&ved=1t:429,r:5,s:24,i:137


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## yannis2307 (Apr 23, 2012)

wow man awesome room i already had heard many people having fishrooms but never imagined of something like that!!!! i once proposed to my dad converting one of our house rooms to a fishroom but the result was that he refused to take me to the lfs for a week hahahahahahahaha....as austin said, it too dream on having one fishroom when i grow up!and also awesome tetra man! has the face of a cichlid lol


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## Mr. fish (Mar 8, 2011)

Betta man said:


> Go to the library and check out some books on tetras.


I mean your advice is basically not bad advice, but come on betta man? Really? lol

There's a reason why people come on forums, some people would rather hear a quick and direct answer then have to read a 500 page book to find an answer. We all have experience here and should help anytime we have a advice for that particular topic. If everyone just read books there'd be no reason for forums.


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## lohachata (Jan 27, 2006)

i try not to give too much advice...everybody knows more than me.....much easier to just read.....


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## Mr. fish (Mar 8, 2011)

lohachata said:


> i try not to give too much advice...everybody knows more than me.....much easier to just read.....


I can hear the sarcasm in your writing


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

If you going to invest a bunch of money setting up spawning, having a book you can refer to is a good idea. No internet shopping? That sucks, used fish books on Amazon are cheap. Many Credit card companies will give a one-time use number with a limit you set. If you can succeed at breeding something with an ongoing demand you can get your fish to at least "pay their way" when you trade fry for food and dechlor".


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## yannis2307 (Apr 23, 2012)

actually i have kind of postponed the breeding for the summer, when my exams are over  i need to study a lot....and if breeding is difficult and needs more time than i have, what would i do with raising the eggs which is much more difficult and requires even more time lol....


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

If you are lucky, its not that hard. But raising young fish means more feedings (3+ daily, more water changes (daily) and possibly culturing small, live food (hatch bbs or raise microworms). Obviously it takes more time, and the more fry, the more work.


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## lohachata (Jan 27, 2006)

i just had a thought..i will send you some great foods if you send me some great olive oil..


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## yannis2307 (Apr 23, 2012)

hahaha...seriously?


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## lohachata (Jan 27, 2006)

not always easy to find high quality extra virgin kalamata oil here...maybe in new york ; but not cleveland.i recently ordered a bottle of Euphoria brand oil from a Greek import house in new york..i spent a lot more than i wanted n it because it is a gift for a close friend..
but i am serious.depends on how much a couple of litres of good oil will cost..especially since i have very little extra money left at the end of the month....lolo
let me know..


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