Best way to induce Angelfish spawning

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Mr Fisher

Aquarium Advice FINatic
Joined
Jan 9, 2014
Messages
677
Location
Charleston, SC
Well like the title says what's been the most effective method you have found to induce spawning?

I've heard 50% cool water change

Black water extract

Longer photoperiod

What says you ?
 
I've used this same method for over 40 years and it has yet to fail me.
First off, the fish need to be ready to spawn. No amount of coaxing will make a fish that isn't able to spawn want to spawn. So let's assume that your fish are all old enough to spawn. Mine are fed a higher protein diet for a number of days prior to the event to help the female mature her eggs and the male strengthen his sperm. My higher protein food is Tubifex Worms. I used to always use live when I had better access to them but now I am doing freeze dried Tubifex and have no problems. (I've discussed my exact diet on the "Wigglers" thread.)
The next thing would be to know if the fish are wild fish or domesticated fish you are dealing with. Some blackwater extract will help wild fish a lot more than the domestic fish. My light hours are all natural light now as my tanks are outdoors. In my prior indoor hatcheries, I used a 12 hour photo period that was controlled with timers however, I also bred these fish in a retail storefront with a shorter light period so for you, I would try to simulate the natural light hours for your area and not exceed them.
I try to keep my temps at 78-82 degrees. I have had the fish spawn in 90+ degree water last summer but the eggs did not survive which is why I now hatch them indoors at 78 degrees.
Water changes: Let me start by saying I never change more than 20% of water volume at any one time. I usually do 10% maybe 15% depending on how dirty the breeder's tanks had gotten. I know people do massive water changes with no problems but I am of a different mindset. ( I've seen entire tanks of fish die from too much water being changed at one time.) Instead of needing to make sure so many things in the new water match the old water, I do smaller changes so that I don't need to worry about drastic changes caused by the new water. Your choice ;) I do however, use water that is about 2-3 degrees cooler than the tank temp. This is to simulate the rainy season and bring out the natural desire to spawn from the fish's DNA

The last and most important ingredient to me is privacy. Breeders tend to be willing to spawn when they have a lot of privacy, especially in the beginning. Now, my fish will stop in the middle of spawning when they see me to rush to the side of the tank I am closest to, thinking I am going to feed them, only to be disappointed so they get back to spawning. ( I feed them a little "extra" when they are done to compensate them for me taking their eggs from them. ;) ) I have in the past, however, used elaborate setups of mirrors and doors so that I could watch the spawning without the breeders being able to see me. So I would make sure the traffic in front of the tank is limited all the time. (BTW, other animals, like dogs or cats that can get to the tank level, can also throw off the spawning. My little dog would climb on my bed when I had all the tanks in my bedroom and watch the fish, which really P.Oed my breeders, hence the mirrors and doors setup.)

So hopefully this helps you. ;)
 
Haha. I guess that explains why my angelfish (55gallon set up in the office) always spawned over the weekend. Nobody was there! :p
 
I've used this same method for over 40 years and it has yet to fail me.
First off, the fish need to be ready to spawn. No amount of coaxing will make a fish that isn't able to spawn want to spawn. So let's assume that your fish are all old enough to spawn. Mine are fed a higher protein diet for a number of days prior to the event to help the female mature her eggs and the male strengthen his sperm. My higher protein food is Tubifex Worms. I used to always use live when I had better access to them but now I am doing freeze dried Tubifex and have no problems. (I've discussed my exact diet on the "Wigglers" thread.)
The next thing would be to know if the fish are wild fish or domesticated fish you are dealing with. Some blackwater extract will help wild fish a lot more than the domestic fish. My light hours are all natural light now as my tanks are outdoors. In my prior indoor hatcheries, I used a 12 hour photo period that was controlled with timers however, I also bred these fish in a retail storefront with a shorter light period so for you, I would try to simulate the natural light hours for your area and not exceed them.
I try to keep my temps at 78-82 degrees. I have had the fish spawn in 90+ degree water last summer but the eggs did not survive which is why I now hatch them indoors at 78 degrees.
Water changes: Let me start by saying I never change more than 20% of water volume at any one time. I usually do 10% maybe 15% depending on how dirty the breeder's tanks had gotten. I know people do massive water changes with no problems but I am of a different mindset. ( I've seen entire tanks of fish die from too much water being changed at one time.) Instead of needing to make sure so many things in the new water match the old water, I do smaller changes so that I don't need to worry about drastic changes caused by the new water. Your choice ;) I do however, use water that is about 2-3 degrees cooler than the tank temp. This is to simulate the rainy season and bring out the natural desire to spawn from the fish's DNA

The last and most important ingredient to me is privacy. Breeders tend to be willing to spawn when they have a lot of privacy, especially in the beginning. Now, my fish will stop in the middle of spawning when they see me to rush to the side of the tank I am closest to, thinking I am going to feed them, only to be disappointed so they get back to spawning. ( I feed them a little "extra" when they are done to compensate them for me taking their eggs from them. ;) ) I have in the past, however, used elaborate setups of mirrors and doors so that I could watch the spawning without the breeders being able to see me. So I would make sure the traffic in front of the tank is limited all the time. (BTW, other animals, like dogs or cats that can get to the tank level, can also throw off the spawning. My little dog would climb on my bed when I had all the tanks in my bedroom and watch the fish, which really P.Oed my breeders, hence the mirrors and doors setup.)

So hopefully this helps you. ;)

Thanks, very informative!

I hate to make you repeat anything from the "wiggler mega thread" but I wanted to get this great info where it could be searched easy via google and I was needing a rehash as well.

:thanks:
 
Thanks, very informative!

I hate to make you repeat anything from the "wiggler mega thread" but I wanted to get this great info where it could be searched easy via google and I was needing a rehash as well.

:thanks:

No problem :D
As I've said before, my way isn't the only way. Maybe not even the best way. But it has produced over 1 million salable Angelfish when I used it so it's a proven effective way. (y)
 
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