Breeding the lake kutubu rainbowfish
Egg scatterer: a pair spawns daily for several weeks into fine-leaved plants or mops, attaching eggs by threads. Adults tend to eat the eggs, so move eggs to a rearing tank. Fry need infusoria first and stay near the surface.
Step by step
A group of 6 or more; let them pair.
A 100 L planted tank with spawning mops and good water flow.
Warm water, plenty of live food and regular water changes.
Batches of eggs daily for several weeks; eggs hatch in 7-12 days depending on temperature.
Feed infusoria, then baby brine shrimp and microworms.
- Keeping too few fish so spawning does not start
- Eggs eaten by adults
- Cold or dirty water
Male or female
Mature males are larger, brighter and much deeper-bodied than females; conditioned males show an orange patch above the gill cover.
Can I breed it in my tank?
- Use a separate small tank with a sponge filter and spawning mops, so the eggs aren't eaten.
- Good for a first breeding project.
Day-by-day plan
Typical for egg scatterers
- 14 days beforeCondition the parents
Feed live or frozen food twice a day. Keep males and females apart if you can.
- Day 0Spawning
Eggs are scattered over mops or fine plants, often at first light. Remove the parents straight after.
- Day 1Eggs hatch
Most eggs hatch in 1–2 days. Keep the tank dim and remove white (fungused) eggs.
- Day 4Free swimming, first food
Fry use up the yolk and start swimming. Feed infusoria or liquid fry food several times a day.
- Day 8Baby brine shrimp
Switch to newly hatched brine shrimp or microworms. Start small, daily water changes.
- Day 21Crushed flake
Add finely crushed flake. Sort fry by size so the big ones don't eat the small ones.
- Day 60Ready to move
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.
Simulator: guided
Feed live or frozen food twice a day. Keep males and females apart if you can.
Simulator: try it yourself
Set up a virtual breeding tank and see what would likely happen.
- Without live or frozen food the parents aren't in breeding condition.
An educational estimate from the breeding rules, not a promise.