5 Things You Should Do to Properly Care for Baby Fish in Your Tank

A basic lesson in marine biology as it applies to the aquarium hobby goes as follows: if you stock a tank with males and females of the same species, chances are they’ll mate and reproduce at some point, often during the spring, and the female will lay dozens of eggs for insemination. In some cases, fish are live-bearers and “mouthbrooders,” like the African cichlids in the picture. Some species will breed at a prolific pace that keeps fish keepers on their toes, so you’ll have to make certain decisions in this regard. Keeping only males or only females of the same species is recommended if you don’t want to deal with breeding. Otherwise, here are five tips you can follow when your fish reproduce.

1. Decide What Kind of Breeder You Want to Be

Some fish keepers pay no mind to the effects of breeding in their tanks. They settle on a Darwinian approach that focuses on “survival of the fittest,” which means they’ll just see what happens to the fry after spawning in the tank. Other aquarists approach breeding with greater dedication, and they try to identify opportunities to place the juveniles. You may be able to sell the brood, but in many cases you’ll end up giving them away. Releasing them into a natural habitat is never recommended because you could end up creating an invasive species situation.

2. Set Up a Separate Tank

You should have one container and a small tank filled with established water before spawning takes place. Take out all adult fish and place them into the container so you can take your time transferring the fry to the rearing tank. Instead of a net, you should catch the babies with a cup.

3. Always Use a Gentle Hand

Everything from transferring babies to equipping their new home should be done with the utmost care. Keep in mind these fragile creatures don’t have a very high rate of survival. When you set up their tank, use a sponge filter and a low-power pump that generates soft aeration as well as gentle suction. Choose round pebbles for the substrate and make sure to add at least one plant.

4. Feed Them

Check if your local aquarium supplier offers infusoria, a liquid formulated for fry nutrition, which you can add to the baby fish tank with a dropper at the frequency indicated on the label. Alternatively, you can pulverize flakes into fine powder stirred into a small amount of water. If the babies are omnivorous, you can feed them brine when they’ve grown to half inch.

5. Perform Frequent Water Changes

Try to change 20 percent of the water every other day for the first three weeks. Rearing tanks tend to have a high bioload, so you’ll need to keep an eye on the substrate to ensure fish waste doesn’t accumulate. You can siphon the bottom with a long piece of aquarium tubing. No one will take your babies unless they’re at least an inch long and are showing some of their colors. You can now choose to introduce survivors to a community tank, sell them, or give them away, but they shouldn’t stay in the rearing tank.

Whether you have baby fish or only adult fish, and whether you have a saltwater or freshwater aquarium, you can find all of the essential supplies to keep your tank running smoothly at Aquatic Warehouse. We’re located in Kearny Mesa, or you can order whatever you need from our website. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to call 858-467-9297 to speak with one of our friendly and knowledgeable representatives.