Easy livebearer that produces young regularly when conditions suit; adults eat fry, so move fry to a separate tank as you find them and feed microworm or powdered flake. Young mature in about 5-6 months.
Keep one male with 3-4 females in a large tank.
Large, well-planted tank with floating plants and hiding spots; warm water.
Warm water and live food.
10-30 young per brood, sometimes many more (Seriously Fish reports 20-100); gestation about 24 days.
Baby brine shrimp, microworms and powdered flake; remove the fry quickly.
One breeding tank for the knife livebearer, drawn to scale from the breeding guide.
Water: 24–28 °C · pH 6–8
A plan from the breeding guide and an adult size of 7.5 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 knife livebearer yet, so a business layout can't be drawn.
Males have a gonopodium and extended pelvic (ventral) fins; females are larger and plumper.
Typical for livebearers
A dark 'gravid spot' grows behind the belly. Gestation is usually about 4 weeks.
Fry are born ready to swim. Thick plants or a breeding box keep them safe from adults.
Feed crushed flake, baby brine shrimp or microworms 3–5 times a day.
Males start to show color and a pointed anal fin. Separate them if you want to control lines.
Most livebearers are grown and can breed at about 3 months.
A general guide for this breeding type. Days change with temperature and species.
A dark 'gravid spot' grows behind the belly. Gestation is usually about 4 weeks.
Set up a virtual breeding tank and see what would likely happen.
An educational estimate from the breeding rules, not a promise.