Breeding Traps And Nets [a Sub-faq For Newbies]

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nmonks

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Breeding traps and breeding nets are tools used to isolate fish from the rest of the fish in an aquarium. They come in two basic types: ones that clip onto the side of the tank, and ones that float in the aquarium.

Breeding traps are usually the smaller of the two and made from transparent plastic, whereas breeding nets are slightly bigger and made from a very fine netting. Both types allow water to move freely in and out, and so keep the water clean, but the holes are too small to allow even baby fish (fry) to swim out. Note that some catfish (such as plecs) are able to rasp away holes in breeding nets while foraging for algae and food, and these holes can allow baby fish to escape.

Aquarists are divided over the value of breeding traps and nets. Some aquarists use them regularly, while others find them to be useless. The argument basically comes down to whether breeding traps and nets stress the fish enclosed in them. Advanced aquarists invariably maintain separate breeding tanks for pregnant fish and fry, but because traps and nets are cheap and easy to use, newcomers to the hobby who have been blessed with a brood of young livebearers find them attractive additions to their fishkeeping kit.

Breeding traps and nets are used in two ways:

(1) Isolating pregnant females from the other fish
(2) Raising newborn fry away from the other fish

Isolating pregnant females from the other fish

Generally speaking, avoid putting pregnant females in traps or nets. Confined spaces stress fish, and stressed fish can give birth prematurely. The larger the fish, the more risky confining it in a trap or net will be, so while you may be able to confine guppies in a breeding trap, doing so with swordtails and especially mollies is a very bad idea. Obviously, use the biggest trap or net you can obtain.

Raising newborn fry away from the other fish

As a short term solution, keeping livebearer fry in a breeding trap or net for a couple of weeks can provide enough time for them to grow to a size large enough to be safe with their parents. While many livebearers can be cannibalistic towards fry only a few days old, once the fry are around 10 mm long they are usually large enough to escape danger.

New-born fry generally handle being confined in traps and nets well, but it is important to provide them with a bit of cover so that they can hide from the aquarium lights. Floating plants are ideal for this.

Alternatives to breeding traps and nets

Whether or not a breeding trap or net is useful, a separate breeding tank is better. Such a tank need not be large (5 or 10 gallons is plenty for a clutch of guppy fry), and since lighting is unnecessary, all you need is a heater and an air-powered filter. If you plan on raising baby fish seriously, this is unquestionably the way to go.

If you need a place to keep fry safe until you set up a breeding tank, a large net of the sort used for catching fish can be used. Arrange it so that the net dangles into the water, and then add some gravel to weight down the net. The resulting 'pocket' will keep baby fish safe for a day or two.

Tank dividers are another option. These are plastic sheets with small holes in that can be used to divide one aquarium into two. While inexpensive and effective, they are very disruptive since you will probably need to move your existing plants, ornaments, and gravel to make space for the divider. Moreover, any space set aside for the baby fish is effectively removed from the adult fish in the other part of the tank.

Some aquarists simply let Nature take its course. In thickly planted aquaria, some fry may survive, but many species of community fish, particularly angelfish, are enthusiastic predators on small fish.
 
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