Egg scatterer with no parental care: sticky eggs are laid singly or in twos and threes among plants or mops, mainly in late morning or early afternoon. Group spawning with several mops spreads male aggression.
A group of 6 or more.
A 30 L planted tank with spawning mops and floating plants.
Cool to warm water and live food.
A few eggs per female each day over several days; eggs hatch in about 10-21 days depending on temperature (12-17 days at 22-28 °C per ANGFA).
Feed infusoria, then baby brine shrimp.
One breeding tank for the pacific blue-eye, drawn to scale from the breeding guide.
Water: 20–26 °C · pH 6.5–7.5
A plan from the breeding guide and an adult size of 7 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 120 cm rack for breeding the pacific blue-eye in numbers.
In total: 4 tanks, about 180 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.
Males are larger, brighter and more patterned, with extended dorsal and anal fins (some wild males have long fin filaments that do not regrow in captivity); females are smaller and duller.
Typical for egg scatterers
Feed live or frozen food twice a day. Keep males and females apart if you can.
Eggs are scattered over mops or fine plants, often at first light. Remove the parents straight after.
Most eggs hatch in 1–2 days. Keep the tank dim and remove white (fungused) eggs.
Fry use up the yolk and start swimming. Feed infusoria or liquid fry food several times a day.
Switch to newly hatched brine shrimp or microworms. Start small, daily water changes.
Add finely crushed flake. Sort fry by size so the big ones don't eat the small ones.
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.
Feed live or frozen food twice a day. Keep males and females apart if you can.
Set up a virtual breeding tank and see what would likely happen.
An educational estimate from the breeding rules, not a promise.