8 replies to this topic

[Leo1234]

I just received my order of southern redbelly dace and it looks like 3 of the females are gravid. How do I get the females to lay their eggs? 2 males were in spawning when I got them, but went out of it when they were put into the aquarium... How should I trigger their spawning so they will fertilize the eggs?

[gerald]

Put a shallow dish with coarse gravel near the filter return chute so that water is kept moving through the gravel, like a chub nest.  Feed them well with live and frozen foods, especially worms and mosquito larvae.

[littlen]

To add on to what Gerald said, there really isn't any magic you can do.  Provide the proper conditions/habitat and they will do the rest.  Flow, and a manufactured chub nest should do it.

[Leo1234]

I got a shallow plastic dish and filled it with only the gravel from the aquarium and not with sand. I placed it under the filter return. I feed Bloodworms 1-2 times a day.

I just got these fish yesterday. How long do you think it will take for the males to spawn with the gravid females? What time of day do they usually spawn? How can I tell when there are eggs?

[centrarchid]

With population I had, they liked to spawn in gravel beneath large rocks.  Current in tank was pretty good.  Embryos were easy to harvest by sampling.  I incubated eggs in a covered shoe box filled to a depth of only 1/2 inch.

[gerald]

My minnow-spawning dish is a small clear glass baking dish.  I can lift it out and look up through the bottom for eggs.  I use coarse gravel, about 3/8 to 1/2 inch size, so eggs fall through it easily.  I assume SRBD eggs are non-adhesive, like Notropis eggs, correct?  If eggs are present I hold back the gravel with my hand and pour out the water into shoe box like centrarchid describes. 

[centrarchid]

With population I had, they liked to spawn in gravel beneath large rocks.  Current in tank was pretty good.  Embryos were easy to harvest by sampling.  I incubated eggs in a covered shoe box filled to a depth of only 1/2 inch.

Swap "siphoning" for "sampling".

[Leo1234]

Do I need to do a lower temperature water change to trigger the males to spawn? The black lines on them are darker now, but the males never got their red color back so far. Also I don't think they have spawned in the dish yet since the females still looks very gravid.

[littlen]

That couldn't hurt.  Sometimes shiners respond positively to the addition of cool water after a decent water change and start spawning.  My Rainbow shiners do.  You can check your nest/dish daily for eggs.  If the fry hatch out and become free swimming before you notice them------the adults will and make quick work of them.