Egg scatterer bred in a dark tank with soft, acidic water (pH 5.5-6.5, gH 1-5). Eggs hatch in 24-36 hours, and eggs and fry are light sensitive. It is commercially bred on a large scale.
Buy a group of wild-caught or captive-bred fish. Use a group of 10 or more and condition well.
20-40 L tank with very soft, acidic water (pH 5.0-6.0), dim light, a dark bottom and fine mops or moss.
Very soft acid water, cooler temperature drop and dim light.
Up to 100-500 eggs reported in good spawns; hatch in about 24 hours. Success is often low.
Feed infusoria, then rotifers and fresh baby brine shrimp. Fry are sensitive, so keep water soft and clean. Grow out in dim light.
Mature females are noticeably rounder-bodied and a little larger than males.
Typical for egg scatterers
Feed live or frozen food twice a day. Keep males and females apart if you can.
Eggs are scattered over mops or fine plants, often at first light. Remove the parents straight after.
Most eggs hatch in 1–2 days. Keep the tank dim and remove white (fungused) eggs.
Fry use up the yolk and start swimming. Feed infusoria or liquid fry food several times a day.
Switch to newly hatched brine shrimp or microworms. Start small, daily water changes.
Add finely crushed flake. Sort fry by size so the big ones don't eat the small ones.
Most small fish reach about 2 cm in 2–3 months and can join the main tank.
A general guide for this breeding type. Days change with temperature and species.
Feed live or frozen food twice a day. Keep males and females apart if you can.
Set up a virtual breeding tank and see what would likely happen.
An educational estimate from the breeding rules, not a promise.