Easy fish to begin breeding

[Kittiee Katt]

Rhite cloud minnows are easy to breed and small enough that you can do it in an 80ltr ( approx 20gal) with no problems.

Most "common" tetras are pretty easy to spawn: black widows, glowlights and silver tips readily spawn in my tank and are all small enough to breed in smaller tanks as well.

I also find silver dollars easy to spawn (I don't try to induce spawning, it just happens) but a much larger tank is needed to spawn SD's than what is needed for the other fish I mentioned.

None of these fish will look after their young so if you're looking for fry that you have to raise, these are some common, simple options.

For fish that raise their young I definitely say go with convict cichlids. They breed like rabbit and the fry are damn near invincible! If you can breed and "raise" convicts, there's something seriously wrong in your tank!

Or, if you have the tank space and want something basic... GOLDFISH! They're easy to spawn, fry are easy to raise and lots of fun to watch grow and develop, but get BIG so they need a bigger tank than most of the other fish I've mentioned.

Have fun!

 

[joe jaskot]

Lamprologus multifasciatus - a small shell dwelling cichlid from Lake Tanganyika. Very easy to breed. Can be bred in 5 1/2 gallon tank or larger. Just give them plenty of shells to live in. Very interesting behavior to watch. They love to move sand, gravel, and shells. Once had well over a hundred fish living in a 10 gallon tank.
Here is a video:

 

[Yohanon]

are convicts the only cichlids that are easy to breed?

Jack Dempseys will also breed but not as prolifically as convicts

 

[Yohanon]

cichlids too? I really like the looks of cichlids

Jack Dempseys are also an option

 

[fisjjjj]

Pike killifish, hejuta gar, kuhli loaches. These are all exotic species that are easy to breed but need a very specific and natural set up.

 

[paulW]

Most malawi cichlids are easy to breed too, although you need a larger tank (at least 55 gallon)..
Lamp Multifasicatus was a great suggestion too, along with livebearers. (Not saying anyone else's suggestion is bad).

I would not recommend kribs or convicts simply because you put all this work into breeding them, and then it is hard to get rid of the young, especially convicts. When bags of convicts are bought to some fish club auctions, no one bids on them. Kribs are almost as unloved too.
Maybe you can find a pet store willing to take your kribs for free after you raise them to sellable size, but convicts might be hard to even give away.

So look at the big picture, is it really worth breeding something that no one wants?
That is why Lamp Multifasicatus is such a good suggestion. There is some up front investment, but they will breed in a small tank and at least you will find people that want them.
Julie Transcriptius is another one that will breed well , even in a tank as small as 10 gallons.
The julies will generally not eat their young either, or at least only a few..

 

[FreshyFresh]

Paul, thanks for that.^^^

That's the first thing I ask someone with a question in regards to breeding fish. What are your plans for all fish once you have to deal with them?

 

[Oddball]

Most of the fry I raise wind up as food for larger predator species. Including favored species of buyers. There are usually a lot of tire kickers when it comes to selling off a spawn. Once the sales dry up the remainder of the spawn is culled to make room for the next batches.
Gotta admit though, my AST loves cull days.

 

[Angel Lady]

I've been breeding angels for the past 8 months. Fortunately or unfortunately, they are very easy to breed. I ended up with 9 spawnings from the same pair. They have their own tanks now as do the first borns (I ended up with 14 from the first spawning-boy did I have a lot to learn). I think I have sold about 2000, easily and have about 1000 more. The gouramis have been pretty easy but they are only 2 days old and I have a lot more to learn.

 

[Lady Sphinx]

Most malawi cichlids are easy to breed too, although you need a larger tank (at least 55 gallon)..
Lamp Multifasicatus was a great suggestion too, along with livebearers. (Not saying anyone else's suggestion is bad).

I would not recommend kribs or convicts simply because you put all this work into breeding them, and then it is hard to get rid of the young, especially convicts. When bags of convicts are bought to some fish club auctions, no one bids on them. Kribs are almost as unloved too.
Maybe you can find a pet store willing to take your kribs for free after you raise them to sellable size, but convicts might be hard to even give away.

So look at the big picture, is it really worth breeding something that no one wants?
That is why Lamp Multifasicatus is such a good suggestion. There is some up front investment, but they will breed in a small tank and at least you will find people that want them.
Julie Transcriptius is another one that will breed well , even in a tank as small as 10 gallons.
The julies will generally not eat their young either, or at least only a few..

Here in South Africa Kribs are hard to come by and a breeding pair can be a bit expensive. My LFS has been trying to source me some kribs but we haven't been able to get any. I located a LFS that does sell them but is quite some distance from me, I'm now considering having them couriered to me but I don't trust the courier service too much to get my fish to me safely.