Starting To Breed Livebearers

[Jay0173]

Alright, as some of you may know I have a 55 gallon aquarium that I've dedicated to livebearer species. Because I'd actually like to see the fry produced by my fish survive, I need to set up a breeding/grow out tank. I plan to buy several of these, actually. In fact, a few of my Endler's Livebearers are already pregnant.
 
What I would like to know from those more experienced in breeding these wonderful fish is what equipment you'd recommend me getting. Here is a list of what I think I will need:
 

• 15 gallon aquarium
• Eheim Jager 50w heater
• SeaPora Breeder Sponge Filter - 30
• Cobalt Aquatics Power Head - MJ-400

 
Thanks for all your help.
 
 

 

[ncguppy830]

well breeder boxes are also usefull check this out, 

As for anything else id say you would want to culture live food IE brine shrimp, daphina, and pick up some Hikari first bites.

 

[Jay0173]

well breeder boxes are also usefull check this out, 

As for anything else id say you would want to culture live food IE brine shrimp, daphina, and pick up some Hikari first bites.

 
What about New Life Spectrum Small Fry Starter - High Energy Micro Particles?

 

[ncguppy830]

they should be fine also but fry at a young age thrive with small food so keep that in mind.

 

[Jay0173]

they should be fine also but fry at a young age thrive with small food so keep that in mind.

 
Well I certainly wouldn't try feeding them those huge pellets. As for the Daphnia, culturing them can be a pain in the wazoo can it not?

 

[ncguppy830]

 

they should be fine also but fry at a young age thrive with small food so keep that in mind.

 
Well I certainly wouldn't try feeding them those huge pellets. As for the Daphnia, culturing them can be a pain in the wazoo can it not?
 

sorry about that i meant live food, yes daphina can be hard to culture so you could stick with brine also.

 

[Jay0173]

Brine shrimp I have plenty of, of the freeze-dried variety though.

 

[ncguppy830]

well i see that they do better with livee food though.

 

[Jay0173]

well i see that they do better with livee food though.

 
Of that I have no doubt. I'll have to look into hatching brine shrimp. Last time I investigated it it made my brain explode with all the conflicting advice people were giving.

 

[T1gger]

I just hard boil an egg and take out the yolk mix it with water and freeze, break/bash like if your tenderising meat in cling wrap or a bag. into tiny pieces and give them a tiny bit of that and break up the flake so it's small enough and cut up the frozen blood worm so they are tiny and my fry seem to have a reasonable survival rate. I have big pellets that break down into tiny pieces when soaked almost like a slow release. This means the tank doesn't need feeding several times a day. I put 1 of the big pellets per 3 days for 6 fry and tiniest pinch of flake or egg or blood worm just remember they will eat what fits in their moths so it needs to be that tiny. The egg yolk breaks into tiny particles that is why it works so well.

 

[helterskelter]

I culture daphina in my fish room, has 24 hour lighting and a green water tank to feed them with. Doing out side is best if you have a lot of light.
 
Brine shrimp is best though but can get expensive when you have over 50 tanks like me!