Tiger barb breeding

[Cafeinomane]

Hello all!

I am trying to make my barbs reproduce, and I got few problems...

1st, I've read most of the websites i could before attempting to breed them.

problem #1 : Males seems to loose interest rapidly of the female.
I've put the female 2 days prior to pair it in the breeding tank (30 gals) ; feed it with worms, high protein food, and she did get fat (alot!). When I did put the male, SHE was chasing him around all the time (I almost felt bad for him!), he did get face to face with her, but not much, after, they were doing the nip anal fin from time to time. Strangely enough, the female was doing it more often to the male than the opposite. (trust me, i can make the diff between male and female!). I guess the male miss some education there!:hmm3grin2orange:

Still, few eggs have been laid

problem #2 : How can I know if eggs have been fertilized or not?
Breeding pair have been together for 3 days. I saw more and more eggs coming (few eggs (1-5) in an hour, few hour without activities, then few more) up to a total of 15-25 eggs, which is very few according to what i've read. Important information, after a day and a half, I've changed the male since the first one seems to clueless to my taste... Half of the eggs were laid while the first male was there, the other half with the other male.

problem #3 : How much times it takes for eggs to hatch?
I've read ALOT of different information... 12 hours, 24 hours, 36 hours, and 48 hours. I'ts been 48hrs since the firsts few eggs, tonight will be 36 hours for most of the remaining. If none hatch, is all the batch lost?

Question #1 : I've not read it straight, but i figured I must remove the regular filter from my tank, if not the fry will get caught in it, right?

Question #2 : Fry food
My LFS only have live worms for fry, its more like a pot of mud than worms, but they say that it's what I need. Since they dont have the liquid food i've read about, I was wondering if they are telling me anything so I buy it or if it's truely acceptable fry food.

Additionnal info :
Community tank 60 gal, temp around 24-26 C ; pH around 7.3 (all tests nitrite, nitrate and ammoniac are clear)
Breeding tank 30 gal, temp around 26-28 C (bit warmer) ; pH around 7.1 (bit more acidic) all other tests clear.

Both tank have live plants, thin layer of rock for bottom, caverns, plenty of light.

Thanks for your help!

Cafeinomane

My next breeding projects are in order black phantom tetras, Cardinal tetras, and with some hope, zebra loach! thumbs2:

[Northernguy]

Welcome to the Fabulous AC!
Here is a link on TBs with a bit of info.
http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/fish/Puntiustetrazona.php
I have never bred them but hopefully some one will be on soon that has.

Here is another link.
http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/barbs/tigerbarb.php

[annageckos]

I have never bred tiger barbs. One that note, are both the male and female mature? Are you feeding both live foods to get them ready for breeding, or just the female? I know with a lot of fish, doing a water change with cooler water can trigger spawing. For the fry, you could feed baby brine shrimp, daphina, miro worms, grindle worms, white worms.... There are a lot of tiny worms that could work. You can order starter kits online. Aquabid.com is a great place to look. Frozen food may work too.

[Cafeinomane]

Hello again!

From what I've read, yes, they are both mature as I have them for 7 month, and they are supposed to be mature at around 7 weeks (2" long).

I have fed both with live food, although I left the male in the community tank (due to a lack of a 3rd tank!) I keep in mind that's maybe why he didn't gave much attention to the female.

I know I did some mistake in this breeding, like not full cleaning my tank just before, not splitted the pair long enough and not enough plants in the tank. Still, the part where I lack information the most is between the laying of eggs and raising the fry.

I will give 1 more day for eggs to hatch, then, I'll reset everything, clean my tank, prepare my other female and start over. Part of me knew that failure on the first attempt was highly possible! :bomb:

I'll keep you posted, and tyvm for your reply!

Cafeinomane

[Northernguy]

Here is another article that will be helpful to you.
http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/breeding/tigerbarbs.php

Also it is not a good idea to switch males while the spawn is in progress. Stick with the pair that started it.

[Cafeinomane]

Hello,

Nothing seems to have hatch from the eggs... I've clean everything, remove the bottom layer of rock and will start again to condition a pair for breeding and set the water parameters!


Cafeinomane

[Cafeinomane]

Follow-up!

Strange things have happens!

Back in the community tank, the female continued to get bigger. Other fish started to push on her belly, including a neon fish who seems to take himself for a barb! thumbs2:

After a few days, all the fish in the community tank were so excited and chasing that female, that I've putted back the female and the male in the breeding tank. There, the male chased the female as it is supposed to be, they were pressing their bellies one to the other. It was exactly as described on various website. Only problem, no eggs were laid... :(

I think that synchronisation was the problem. That time, they skip the flirting and they have gone straight to egg laying. Probably most of the eggs were inside the female for too long... Not really sure...

So anyway, I've been isolating another female since last friday, the male since saturday, and I've brought them together this morning. They have started at the beginning with the kind of kisses they exchange (really fun to watch if you never had!)

Hope this one will be the good one!

I will follow them carefully, and keep you posted! :22:

Café