Breeding Fish For A Source Of Live Food

[robsee06]

Who out there is breeding fish in their reef tanks for a source of food for the reef. I know fish like clowns, mollies, and even guppies are very easy to breed in captivity and should provide a nutritious live food source.

How is it working out for you?

What kinds of fish are you using?

How often do they breed?

Let's hear the details, please...

 

[acrylic_300]

My Pajama Cardinals breed regularly but I only see the fry while the male is holding them in his mouth. I'm sure they eventually feed the tank.

I've thought about throwing some mollies in the sump.

 

[Toddrtrex]

My clarkii pair spawns every 3 weeks or so, and I don't do anything to try to raise the fry, so I guess you could say I am using them as a source of food, but that isn't why I have them.

I also have a pair of cleaner shrimp that spawn often. (( haven't been paying close enough attention to know the frequency ))

And your post reminded me of when I had some red-legged hermits. It would be a feeding frenzy for both fish and corals when ever they would release their fry. -- might pick some up again.

 

[kydsexy]

why's the world so cruel! jk mollies in the sump is a great idea.

 

[acrylic_300]

The only thing stopping me is they grow so fast that I am not sure a week old mollie could make it through my return pump alive.

or worse get stuck in my check valve then have a short power outage and burn my return pump after running dry and killing everything.

That would be Karma

 

[gary faulkner]

My clowns lay eggs about every three weeks and my silver sailfin mollies breed like crazy also. Both are in the display tank although I find mollie fry in the sump all the time. Nothing wrong with some free live foods.