Livebearer with internal fertilisation; females store sperm and give birth roughly every 6 weeks (38-49 days in the lab). Newborns are about 15-16 mm and piscivorous from birth; fry and young are cannibalistic, so they need separating and live food.
A single pair in a large tank; separate the female before birth.
Large tank with dense floating plants and cover; fry need a separate nursery.
Warm 26-28 C water and live feeder fish.
Around 100 young per brood on average (up to 322 recorded), about every 6 weeks.
Feed baby brine shrimp then tiny feeder fish; cannibalism is intense.
One breeding tank for the pike livebearer, drawn to scale from the breeding guide.
Water: 24–30 °C · pH 7.5–8
A plan from the breeding guide and an adult size of 15 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 pike livebearer in numbers.
In total: 3 tanks, about 550 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.
Females are clearly larger (about 10-15 cm) than males (about 8-10 cm); males have a gonopodium (modified anal fin).
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.