Breeding Tetras

[Beacious]

I want to breed Buenos Aires Tetras in my 10 gal (They will be moved to a larger aquarium). I did some (some) research and they say that they tay their eggs on plants. I don't know if they mean fake or real. So if they mean real, what kind of plant would be good for a 10gal?

Thanks, Beacious.

 

[Endgame319]

Any plants would work, depends on your lighting. what is the wattage on your bulb?. Also, tetras are known to be more difficult to breed than cichlids and livebearers. You have to have the perfect conditions. I'm guessing your tank will have quite low light, so you'll probably only be able to handle java fern and moss, or maybe some hornwort(sp?). And your tank will need to be fully cycled before your try any breeding. Keep water conditions pristine with lots of water changes and I hear that live food can induce breeding.

*EDIT* After doing a little research, here's what I found out. You need a temp of 75 and pH around neutral. And as with almost all fish, breeding is more likely if you let a pair form out of a school. (You could probably do 5-6 Buenos Aires tetras in there untill they are adults) I'm guessing its talking about java moss when it says you'll need a plant. Java moss is a low-light plant and will most likley work in your 10gal.

 

[Beacious]

I think that I have 2 25 watt bulbs. And I'm in the middle of cycling.
Thanks Endgame319.

 

[krap101]

isnt 50 watts of light a lil bit much for a 10 gallon?

 

[Beacious]

Oh wait, I just checked, their 2 15 watt.

 

[Beacious]

Here is the website page that talked about breeding Buenos Aires Tetras http://www.thetropicaltank.co.uk/Fishindx/tet-bair.htm

 

[Endgame319]

2 15s is 3 watts per gallon which is high light. You could get pretty much any plant except the one that require tons of lighting. Check out plantgeek.net for some plant profiles. If I were you I would get some flourite or eco-complete substrate and plant that tank heavily, just get a little bit of everything and I'm sure your tetras will find somewhere to lay their eggs. A heavily planted tank also eliminates the need to cycle because the plants eat all the nitrogenous waste before the bacteria can, so you never see an ammonia or nitrite spike.

*EDIT* Just read from his other thread that they are incandescent bulbs, are incandescent watts the same as flourescent?

 

[Fish_fanatic]

Can the plants survive with incandescent light? I thought it had to be florescent light

 

[Beacious]

I read that their "Relatively easy to breed, make sure broad leaved plants are in the tank for the fish to spawn on.".

 

[Endgame319]

Fish_fanatic - Of course! There isnt any flourescent lights in nature now is there?
And Beacious, since its a broad leaved plant your looking for, try an amazon sword or a java fern. I assume you're going to keep the tetras in the other tank and move them to the 10gal when they're ready to lay their eggs.

 

[Beacious]

Yeah, it is a 55 gal (Which I don't have yet. I planning ahead.). How do I know when they are ready to spawn? And how do I move them? I haven't found any articles on that but I'll keep looking.