Breeding fish as pets or for monetary purposes can be fun, but at the same time, it requires some work. Of course, you would want your fish to flourish, grow and survive.
This is why some people use a fish breeding box for breeding safely without hindrances. But are fish breeding boxes safe, and which one is the best for your fish?
Whether you rear fish large scale or you have just a little fishpond, those are probably some questions you have asked yourself a couple of times. How about you find the answers in this article?
Read on.
Should You Use Fish Breeding Boxes?
This question has been a conflicting sensation online for fish lovers and those who rear them. However, although there might be arguments about not needing them, you should use fish breeding boxes for your fish, if there is a need to.
An instance when you might “need” to use a breeding box for your fish Is during fish recuperation. Generally, it is pretty okay to use a fish breeding box, but you should only use it temporarily. That way, your fish isn’t in any way affected; for instance, contaminated water with less oxygen.
Why should you use a fish breeding box?
1. For breeder fish
Breeding boxes are good for breeder fishes when they are about to give birth. This is so that both the guppy and the guppy fry can be safe through that period.
You should keep the guppy in the breeder box for 24 to 48 hours till birth and remove them immediately. Likewise, the fry should be in the box for only two weeks or less, as long as they are large enough not to enter a bigger fish’s mouth.
2. To help fish recuperate
Breeding boxes are also good to help injured or diseased fishes recover. But, ensure you put some leaves in the tank so the box feels like its natural habitat rather than stress it out and delay the healing process.
3. It saves you money
Using breeding boxes saves you money for equipment like filters or heaters, especially if you rear fish on a large scale.
4. Convenient and efficient
Breeding boxes make fish keeping convenient and efficient.
You don’t have to invest in big fishponds for your guppies when they are ready to mate, produce fry or when they need to heal.
And more importantly, they serve the purpose you intend for them.
Ways To Use A Fish Breeding Box
If you have looked around, online and offline, you would have seen a range of fish breeding boxes. With your fish breeding box, you can:
- Help acclimate new fish
- Isolate weak, injured, diseased, and aggressive fish
- Protect egg and newborn fish fry
Fish breeding boxes differ and could be in the form of a mesh net, glass, plastic, etc. When getting your fish breeding box, ensure it is large enough to accommodate the pregnant fish or baby fry.
Then, you could also add a leaf in the box for fish or fry whenever they want to protect themselves
Depending on the size and kind of the breeding box, some ways you can use a fish breeding box is by:
- Placing it in a large fishpond.
- Hang beside or in the fishpond.
- Put it in a separate place.
Setting up a fish breeding box
When setting up your fish breeding box, you should consider water issues, i.e., temperature, hardness, pH, heater, filters, pump, lid, size of the box, decorations, etc. That way your fish feels safer and healthy in the box.
Here’s how to set up your fish breeding box, especially for the hang on types:
- Get your materials ready; air pump, valve, box, airline tubing, etc.
- Cut the airline tubing to your desired size or as needs be.
- Attach the air stone to one of the ends of the tubing.
- Insert the air stone into the water lift channel.
- Put the water lift channel between the vertical ridges on the fish breeder box.
- Attach the breeder box to the aquarium using a hanger or suction cup bracket.
- Secure the breeder box in the fish tank or aquarium wall.
- Secure the check valve on the loose end of the airline tubing.
- Place the air pump in a place you can connect it to an electrical outlet if necessary.
- Insert the egg, guppy, guppy fry, sick or isolated fish in the fish breeder box.
- Cover up the top of the lid.
Here are a few fish breeder box options for you to select from:
- Small, hang on fish breeding box
- Nursery for livebearer fish or hospital for sick fish
- Breeder box allows oxygenated water from the main aquarium to circulate
- Safe and secure fish isolation box for breeding, isolating or acclimatizing fish
- The space-saving design of Marina's fish breeding box hangs on the outside of the aquarium and features a V-shaped separator fry can slip through but large fish can't
This is one of the common breeder boxes for fish. You can use them for breeding fish fry or isolated fish, and they fit pretty well in aquariums.
- Engineered to allow optimum water flow
- Safely separates new-born fry from mother and other fish
- Isolates injured or aggressive fish
- Multi-purpose, clear container
The fish breeding net differs from the Marina breeding box because of its mesh material. However, it is sturdy, effective, and easy to set up.
- Automatic Circulation: Gently Coaxes Fry Away From The Mother, As Well Serves To Eliminate Stagnant Water
- Natural And Clever Way To Breed: The Penn Plax Aqua Nursery And Hatchery Keeps Baby Fish Safe And Separate
- Separate Tanks: The Tube Gently Transfers Fry Into A Separate Tank
- Package Dimensions: 6.5" L X 5.5" W X 4.5" H
This is another breeder box you can use to help your guppies deliver your fish fry and keep them safe before transferring them into the aquarium or pond.
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