Mouthbrooder: the male carries the eggs and young in his mouth.
A mature pair in a large tank.
1,000 L tank with plants and cover.
Seasonal temperature change.
Hundreds of eggs.
Fry feed on baby brine shrimp, microworms and chopped worms.
One breeding tank for the orange-spotted snakehead, drawn to scale from the breeding guide.
Water: 18–26 °C · pH 6–7.5
A plan from the breeding guide and an adult size of 40 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 row of tanks on their own stands for breeding the orange-spotted snakehead in numbers.
In total: 3 tanks, about 5,000 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.
From about 15 cm males develop a longer, more intensely patterned dorsal fin; seen from above, females have a broader head.
Typical for mouthbrooders
Usually one male with several females. Feed high-quality food.
The female takes the eggs into her mouth and stops eating.
After about 3 weeks the female releases fully formed fry. Many breeders move her to a quiet tank first.
Fry eat crushed flake and baby brine shrimp straight away.
Fry are a few centimetres long after about 3 months.
A general guide for this breeding type. Days change with temperature and species.
Usually one male with several females. Feed high-quality food.
Set up a virtual breeding tank and see what would likely happen.
An educational estimate from the breeding rules, not a promise.