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Breeding / Livebearers
Livebearers · Easy

Breeding the celebes halfbeak

Livebearer giving birth every 4-6 weeks to large young (up to 2.5 cm). Mothers readily eat their young; good results need a varied diet including small insects.

Full species page

Step by step

Pairing

A male with 2-3 females.

Breeding tank

Planted 100 L tank with hard water and floating cover.

What starts it

Warm, clean water and live food.

Eggs and young

About 9-11 young per brood, every 4-6 weeks.

Raising the fry

Fry accept baby brine shrimp and fine flake.

Common mistakes
  • Soft water
  • Sharing with fin nippers
  • Not enough lid
Setup blueprint

Home setup

One breeding tank for the celebes halfbeak, drawn to scale from the breeding guide.

70 cm long · 35 cm deep40 cm123456
  1. 1
    Breeding tank: 100 L · about 70 × 35 × 40 cm, 100 L from the breeding guide
  2. 2
    Sponge filter and air pump · gentle and safe for eggs and fry
  3. 3
    Heater, 20–24 °C · this species' normal range
  4. 4
    Floating plants · named in the guide
  5. 5
    Plants for cover · named in the guide
  6. 6
    Breeding box · keeps newborn fry away from the adults; typical for this breeding type

Water: 20–24 °C · pH 7–7.5 · hard water

A plan from the breeding guide and an adult size of 9 cm. Tank shape is a standard 2 : 1 : 1.2 box, at least 6 adult lengths long. Check each step in the guide above.

Setup blueprint

Business setup

A 120 cm rack for breeding the celebes halfbeak in numbers.

12234120 cm rack, 3 shelves
  1. 1
    1 breeding tank, 100 L · about 70 × 35 × 40 cm, set up like the home tank
  2. 2
    2 grow-out tanks, 200 L each · about 85 × 45 × 50 cm; twice the breeding tank, never smaller than this species' smallest tank. Sort the young by size and sex here
  3. 3
    Shared air pump and air line · one line along each shelf feeds a sponge filter in every tank
  4. 4
    Heat the room or each tank · 20–24 °C

In total: 3 tanks, about 500 L of water. A litre of water weighs about 1 kg, so check that the floor and rack can take the weight.

Sizes are worked out from the breeding tank in the guide. Tanks fit a standard 120 cm rack when they can; bigger tanks go on their own stands.

Male or female

  • Male: Slimmer with orange-red beak and a modified anal fin
  • Female: Larger and rounder, duller beak
  • Males have a bright orange beak tip

Can I breed it in my tank?

  • Good for a first breeding project.

Day-by-day plan

Typical for livebearers

  1. 28 days beforePregnancy

    A dark 'gravid spot' grows behind the belly. Gestation is usually about 4 weeks.

  2. Day 0Birth

    Fry are born ready to swim. Thick plants or a breeding box keep them safe from adults.

  3. Day 0First food

    Feed crushed flake, baby brine shrimp or microworms 3–5 times a day.

  4. Day 28Sexing starts

    Males start to show color and a pointed anal fin. Separate them if you want to control lines.

  5. Day 90Adults

    Most livebearers are grown and can breed at about 3 months.

A general guide for this breeding type. Days change with temperature and species.

Simulator: guided

Stage 1 of 5Pregnancy

A dark 'gravid spot' grows behind the belly. Gestation is usually about 4 weeks.

Simulator: try it yourself

Set up a virtual breeding tank and see what would likely happen.

About 5 young raised15% of fry survived
  • The female gave birth.
  • With no plants or breeding box, the adults ate most of the fry.

An educational estimate from the breeding rules, not a promise.