The female uses her ovipositor to lay eggs onto the gills of a live freshwater mussel (Unio or Anodonta) through its exhalant siphon; the male sheds sperm at the inhalant siphon. A tank or pond with live mussels is needed.
Group with live mussels.
Large cool tank with live freshwater mussels and plants.
Spring warm-up.
One to six eggs per laying, about 80-300 per female per season. Eggs hatch in 24-36 hours, and the young stay in the mussel for 3-4 weeks before swimming out at about 10 mm.
Fry leave the mussel after about 4 weeks and feed on infusoria.
One breeding tank for the european bitterling, drawn to scale from the breeding guide.
Water: Unknown
A plan from the breeding guide and an adult size of 8 cm. Tank shape is a standard 2 : 1 : 1.2 box, at least 6 adult lengths long. Check each step in the guide above.
A rack of breeding and grow-out tanks.
The breeding guide gives no tank size for the european bitterling yet, so a business layout can't be drawn.
In spring males take on bright nuptial colours and defend territories around mussels; females grow a long egg-laying tube (ovipositor).
Typical for other egg layers
See the species guide for the details.
A general guide for this breeding type. Days change with temperature and species.
See the species guide for the details.
Set up a virtual breeding tank and see what would likely happen.
An educational estimate from the breeding rules, not a promise.