Flame tetra Breeding Guide

Breeding Process

In the world of aquarium enthusiasts, the Flame Tetra is a favorable candidate for breeding due to its social nature and moderate hardiness. Breeding Flame Tetras usually begins with setting up a separate breeding tank to ensure optimal conditions and to protect the eggs from being eaten by adult fish. A tank of at least 20 liters is recommended, maintaining a pH level between 6 and 7.5, and a stable temperature between 23°C to 28°C. Introduce a group of Flame Tetras into the breeding tank, focusing on selecting one or two breeding pairs. It is important to provide the right water conditions and decorations, like fine-leaved plants or spawning mops, for the female to deposit her eggs. Flame Tetras are egg scatterers, meaning the female lays eggs in different locations around the tank.

Encouraging Spawning

To stimulate spawning, simulate a tropical environment by slightly increasing the temperature by a couple of degrees and adjusting the light cycle to mimic dawn and dusk with longer daylight hours. Feeding the pair high-quality live foods, such as bloodworms, brine shrimp, and micro worms, increases the likelihood of successful breeding due to the enhanced nutritional input.

Caring for the Fry

After successful spawning, the eggs will hatch in approximately 24 to 36 hours. It is important to remove the adult tetras from the tank post-spawning to prevent them from preying on the eggs or newly hatched fry. Newly hatched fry can be fed with infusoria or commercially available fry food for the first few days until they are large enough to consume micro worms or finely crushed fish flakes. Maintain clean water conditions in the nursery tank as the fry grow, with regular careful water changes to promote healthy development.

Additional Information

Flame Tetras, while having a slight increase in aggression during breeding, are generally mild-mannered. They have shown mild territorial behavior especially focused on the chosen breeding spots. Given their popularity and affordability, many aquarists enjoy the challenge of breeding Flame Tetras due to the stunning color enhancements they develop as adults. Beyond providing optimal conditions and high-quality food, minimal interference in their natural spawning process is advised to ensure successful breeding.