flymike Posted March 2, 2014 Report Share Posted March 2, 2014 Hi Guys, I'm looking to put together a species breeding tank, I have a couple of larger mixed tanks fry tanks and a grow out tank at the moment. My plan is, when I want fry from a specific species or specific traits from a male or female, I will shift my chosen male and females in to there own tank and let the magic happen. Questions. Is the footprint of the tank important (Length X Width) with only one male? Or the depth of water? Ive seen some cheep wide tanks, but with low heights I can't have another 4'+ tank, simply don't have the room. But I could fit in a 2-3 footer if it would work. Just after some opinions from members experiences. Thanks Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daz Posted March 2, 2014 Report Share Posted March 2, 2014 Hey mike. from my experience you can get away with a 3ft breeder if you want to breed peacocks 1 male and up to 7 females. But id keep it to a single male. Mbunas probably around the same. Maby ten females if it was demasoni ect. if you were wanting to breed haps or fronts id go for atleast 4ft, high and wide 50-60 cm tanks can be wide and not that tall but a lil extra hight is always good but not extremely important. As an example I would recomend a 3ft by 50w by 40h over a 3ft by 40w by 50h. I have a 3ft by 35w by 45h and whis I had got it the other way round :slfg: I am watching a 3ft by 60w by 30h on trademe and think this would be a good mbuna or peacock breeding tank. I am only speaking from experience though. Im sure someone on here can give you specific info. Hope this helps. daz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flymike Posted March 3, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 3, 2014 I am watching a 3ft by 60w by 30h on trademe and think this would be a good mbuna or peacock breeding tank. Im watching that to mate, just being so wide it would end up on my floor. which would be another thing for the wife to go on about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daz Posted March 3, 2014 Report Share Posted March 3, 2014 Im watching that to mate, just being so wide it would end up on my floor. which would be another thing for the wife to go on about. Yea 60 wide is a difficult size to just tuck into a corner sum where. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smidey Posted March 3, 2014 Report Share Posted March 3, 2014 what species are you talking about? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flymike Posted March 3, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 3, 2014 what species are you talking about? Basically any of the small-med species of peacock and mbuna, I don't have the room currently to run any big haps (Nimbochromis etc) I have a few good lines with me at the moment, just plan on working them up. I have 3 mixed tanks running currently, with 7 species. Im hoping to start with small breeding groups of say 2m-6/7f, with the addition of good genes and color as I find them of course Plan is to dump all community breed fry, and move fish to the species only breeding tank when I want fry of that species, nothing like a planed pregnancy :thup: I think I will try with a 3" tank to start with, may get Greg to build me a 90x45x38, or something along those lines, if I cant find a cheap one with a good footprint Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryanjury Posted March 3, 2014 Report Share Posted March 3, 2014 You can breed peacocks and smaller mbuna in a 3ft tank but it is probably on the small side for zebras and as previously mentioned you would need a good number/ratio of dems to get away with it but it can be done. When I breed my Africans I breed the same way you are describing, I transfer the colony of fish I want to breed from a mixed tank to a breeding tank breed them and then transfer them back and breed something else. If you want to breed the bigger haps and fronts and stuff you really need a 5ft tank, you could probably get away with a 4 x 2 x 2 for a short time but they will outgrow that quite quickly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flymike Posted March 5, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 5, 2014 So, I've now got a tank to use for breeding, its the 900l x 600w x 300h mentioned above, got a heavy coffee table the exact same size (still working on where to place it). Will probably filter it with 2x sponge filters and a 2000lph internal filter. Have some spare black grit ill use as a substrate In your opinion, for best results with breeding.... should my rock formation be centralized, with open areas all around or Should I build my structures from the back forward, with clear open area in front only or As I've seen in a few videos, put down layers of smaller rocks across almost all of the bottom with the substrate filling the gaps, allowing fish to swim over and around and dig in all the gaps or As I've seen others do, leave the tank empty except for a for a few terracotta pots Im thinking a more natural substrate/rock work will be better. Just after some opinions and experiences Thanks Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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