[ichthyogeek]

I’m playing around with stocking options, and I’m wondering if I can use a 2.5 gallon tank as a breeding tank for small groups of nano fish. The groups would be held in a 20L show tank, but for the purpose of spawning the fish and raising the fry to juvenile stage, would a 2.5 work short term for the following species? Group size would be around 8 fish, would any of the fish need to be in a smaller group?

• Iriatherina werneri
• Boraras briggitae
• Corydoras pygmaeus
• Danio tinwini
• Danio margaritatus
• Petruichthys sp. ‘Rosy’
• Otocinclus cocama
• Otocinclus [common]

 

[NoodleAquatics]

You can breed cories 1 female to 2-3 males, so breeding pygmies would be doable in a 2.5g that way, though more ideal in larger space still.

The boraras would be a good choice for breeding purposes in the 2.5g though

 

[MissCris]

I used a 2.5 for fry back when I was breeding dwarf cichlids and gold killifish. It's easy to manage and clean a tank that small, and much easier to spot teeny fry. I attempted to breed corydoras pygmaus in a tank that size, but ended up abandoning the project due to work demands.

I'd go for it. You may want to get a 5g or at least a second 2.5 in case you have a large number of fry that need to be raised so that it will be less likely you'll run into issues with over stocking the nursery. Make sure you have a well-matured sponge filter to use. I found mini ones that were perfect for about $3 online that I used when I was breeding.

 

[Aaronious]

So kinda what these others said, so i'll try to make this short.

You'll likely need a larger tank. I think for otos and cories they tend to like space to swim about, though I have never done this.

the danios and such... should be okay, seems like they are pretty easy.

I don't know much about the rest but in the end you will have baby fish that do grow and you may end up with 100 from a single spawn. 2.5 gallons will fill up quick. i would also recommend larger tanks even it it's just for fry.

 

[Discusluv]

One of the best German ram breeders in the US, @Coralbandit, often uses 2.5 gallon tanks to breed his ram cichlids. Basically, with smaller fish, the fry are easier to feed and get better fry survival rates the smaller the tank those crucial first weeks. Actually, most small cichlids prefer a smaller tank, where they can keep their swimming fry contained easier. You can keep breeding pair and fry in there until they are a 3-4 weeks old and then can safely transfer fry to larger tank.
If you want to keep fry/parents listed longer than a month than I would suggest putting in a 5 gallon.

 

[ichthyogeek]

I used a 2.5 for fry back when I was breeding dwarf cichlids and gold killifish. It's easy to manage and clean a tank that small, and much easier to spot teeny fry. I attempted to breed corydoras pygmaus in a tank that size, but ended up abandoning the project due to work demands.

I'd go for it. You may want to get a 5g or at least a second 2.5 in case you have a large number of fry that need to be raised so that it will be less likely you'll run into issues with over stocking the nursery. Make sure you have a well-matured sponge filter to use. I found mini ones that were perfect for about $3 online that I used when I was breeding.

So kinda what these others said, so i'll try to make this short.

You'll likely need a larger tank. I think for otos and cories they tend to like space to swim about, though I have never done this.

the danios and such... should be okay, seems like they are pretty easy.

I don't know much about the rest but in the end you will have baby fish that do grow and you may end up with 100 from a single spawn. 2.5 gallons will fill up quick. i would also recommend larger tanks even it it's just for fry.

So like I said, parents will be housed in a 20L. The purpose of the 2.5 is to put parents together and actively get eggs. This is opposed to letting the fish spawn in the 20L, and the young getting picked off in the egg or fry stage. Once I get juvenile coloration, then young will be moved into the 20L for repopulation purposes, OR into a 10 gallon tank for growout.

Now, I could do a 10 gallon spawning tank. BUT that would mean having 2 10 gallon tanks, taking up space that I don't think I'll have (and yes, I have thought of racks as a solution).

 

[Aaronious]

So like I said, parents will be housed in a 20L. The purpose of the 2.5 is to put parents together and actively get eggs. This is opposed to letting the fish spawn in the 20L, and the young getting picked off in the egg or fry stage. Once I get juvenile coloration, then young will be moved into the 20L for repopulation purposes, OR into a 10 gallon tank for growout.

Now, I could do a 10 gallon spawning tank. BUT that would mean having 2 10 gallon tanks, taking up space that I don't think I'll have (and yes, I have thought of racks as a solution).

I get this. I am putting two 10 gal and one 5 gal tank under my 33L. I used a sawzall to just cut out what I had to. It's rather entertaining and I cannot wait to see how it actually works. Currently just have one 10 prepped waiting for plants, right now just running air sponge filter until plants show up. Racks are the obvious choice but I don't have space for that. If I had know in the beginning what this hobby was going to turn into I would have planned accordingly.

anyway, I think I will end up having to make one 10g a get away for my spawning angel pair, Ended up with only one female and the other males are massive dicks to the mated male. each month or a little less when she starts to get ready there ends up being mild carnage and it's getting worse as the angels all just get a little bigger. Kinda bummed I think I have to use one tank for them even after running though a successful spawn. But I guess I'll have angel fish on demand to some extent which is cool.

[Edit] I have been wanting to get photos of this ridiculousness. I think those on here will appreciate it though, I'll try and post a photo sometime this weekend.