Breeding....something

[Characins]

8 would be fine in a 20gal tank

Nope, this tank will likely be a 10 gallon. Is that ok? Still 8?

I really want to try the long-finned danios, I like the look of them.
Will keep posted!

[lauraleellbp]

Since you're only planning to spawn them then remove them, it's probably not that big a deal. Just remember the more in there, the more you need to work to keep the water chemistry perfect.

Can you run down your whole breeding plan and setup? Are you using more than one tank?

[Characins]

Sure!

As of now, here's my plan.

10 gallon, around 1 wpg, no CO2, twice weekly doses of Flourish.
(the tank will likely be uncycled but that does really matter with zebras? I'll be using bio-additives and an established filter anyway)

I'll will have a normal gravel substrate. The outsides of the tank will be covered in fake plants, with scattered java moss for the fry to hide. The center will be swimming area.
I'll feed NLS pellets, Hikari pellets, as well as the frozen brine shrimp and possibly some live foods but not sure what yet (any suggestions?)

I'll go and buy 8 long-finned zebras all at once and they should survive the short cycle, then keep feeding them good foods. When I see some eggs I'll move all the zebras into my main tank, leaving the eggs alone. Maybe dose some methalyne blue to stop fungusing (good idea or no?)
Temp-78
pH- 7.4-ish
I can raise the babies until they are old enough to be sold (how long should that take, i know it depends but estimate?) I will feed them crushed flakes, crushed pellets, and bbs 3-5 times a day for the first 2-3 weeks then only 2-3 times a day. (good enough?)

Everything sound ok?

[lauraleellbp]

IMO it is always best to avoid cycling with any fish if at all possible. There are too many other ways to cycle a tank without putting the fish at risk. It is also not a good way to get fish into breeding condition; they need the best water quality possible.

That being said, if you're using BioSpira, plants, plus some established media, you might be OK. If you can also add some gravel from an established tank, that would be helpful just to give the N-bacteria that little extra boost. 8 danios in a 10gal is a high bioload, IMO.

I would probably do without the Flourish just to be on the safe side with eggs? If you've only got java moss in there and 1wpg, it's probably not needed, anyways.

Just about any live food you can get your hands on should do... if you're not squeamish, you could chop some of the worms for reptiles (I wouldn't get "dusted" insects, though.) Gut-loaded brine shrimp go over well, frozen bloodworms, daphnia, blackworms... just about any live food should work. Lots of proteins is good, but don't neglect veggie/spirulina flakes. Variety is best. Danios are definitely not picky eaters, IME! But do be careful not to overfeed- last thing you need is polluted water.

I would also advise some live food culture for the fry. Nothing encourages feeding responses and fast growth like live food. Infusoria is easy and one of the best first foods as it's so small even the tiniest fry can eat. Run a search for 'infusoria'- I've given instructions on how to make it several times in recent threads?

I also recommend one of the powdered egglayer specialty foods, fry do have some special needs in regards to protein content, etc, that IMO you may not get just grinding up regular flakes and pellets? Not for the first week or two, anyways. The fry food usually isn't expensive, and I always see it at my PetsMart? Just make sure you get the egglayer vs livebearer formula.

Since I've never raised danios, I really couldn't say how long it will take for them to reach maturity? That info shouldn't be hard to find with a google search, though. Good feedings and great water are the key. If you really want them to grow as fast as possible, use a bare-bottomed tank as a grow-out tank, multiple feedings a day, and do 50% water changes every day. Just kept in my normal community tanks, Cherry barbs take about a year to reach their adult growth. I'm sure that this could be shortened at least by half if not more if I'd kept them in grow-out tanks with special care.

[Characins]

Thanks for all your help!

[lauraleellbp]

UVW- here's to hoping to see pics of fry squiggling around in the near future!

[Fishytales12345]

I don't know if I should post this here or start a new thread. Anyway my observation and question(s) are concerning the breeding or other cause of the change in behavior of 6 long finned zebra danios (Brachydanio rerio). Pretty much like this thread.

We made a major move and restarted everything from scratch beginning on January 1st of this year. A 10 gallon quarantine, a low-light 20 gallon planted hex, and most recently our 70 gallon planted tank.

The 70 gallon tank was planted in mid April. We had danios among many other species for three years before our move and these danios have been residing in our 20 gallon planted tank for 10 weeks now, always active. The 70 gallon tank has cycled. The ammonia has come and gone, the nitrIte has come and gone, the nitrAte is at 10ppm. After most of the plants were rooted or established, we introduced 6 danios to the tank three days ago. The first two days they acted like we have noticed all the time before. They would come right up to the front of the tank wriggling like puppy dogs welcoming home their owner. They constantly swam back and forth mid level in the tank, but always one or two would make excursions to the top or bottom or behind all the plants.

When I came home today, they were all huddled behind and under the large sword plant and would not come out. They were constantly moving behind there though. After three hours now, they have all returned to acting normal (to me).

The danios are the only animals in the tank except for a few inherited snails on the plants.

Two are most likely female based on their size and shape.

Could this change in behavior be stress from the transfer three days ago? Or is there possibly spawning going on here?

Water parameters are still all proper.

Any thoughts and comments would be appreciated.

Howard