Livebearers
Livebearers are quite popular freshwater tropical fish best known for the fact that they give birth to live offspring.Most of these common species are often included as a first choice when a new smaller community aquarium is being started. They are usually quite passive and go well many other common community freshwater fish.
There are a number of common characteristics as a group:
- The males are often aggressive toward a single female.
They should be purchased in trios -one male for every two (or more) females - The males possess a gonopodium.
This specially adapted fin is used to pass sperm packets to the female during mating. - Spawning and live birth in an aquarium is very easy and natural
- As their classification suggests, they give birth to fry that are already able to swim immediately.
They do not lay eggs. - Newborn fry swim away from their mother immediately and are able to feed right away
- Smaller numbers of fry per spawning.
Since they are able to swim right away, they are more able to elude predators. The number of babies does not have to be as great as with fish that lay eggs and the fry need time to grow before they can swim.
Centre D'Animaux NATURE Pet stores offer livebearers in a variety of well-known and exotic types:
Although most live bearers are well known to be excellent community fish, it is often best to refrain from adding any until the tank is ready for its second wave of introductions - after the Nitrogen Cycle has become firmly established. If a trio of livebearers must be added when a new tank is established, we suggest one of the platy varieties. They are much hardier and seem to survive with much less problems than guppies ever could.All livebearers will spawn and drop their fry in a community aquarium, assuming the conditions are kept stable. when they are ready and then basically ignore them. One way to ensure the fry have a chance is to isolate the mother from the rest of the aquarium inhabitants.
If birth must be in the community aquarium, select from one of the may styles of breeding traps offered for just this purpose.the mother must give birth in the aquarium, there are quite a number of breeding traps in a variety of styles. The best way to protect the fry is to isolate the babies in a breeding tank that isolates the mother and fry from dangers of any kind.
The tank should have a number of floating plants to provide adequate shelter and hiding places from any possible dangers. As soon as the mother has finished giving birth, she can be removed since she will not show any parental behavior toward her young. They are left all on their own.
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