Breeding Ember Tetra
How to breed Hyphessobrycon amandae, a free-spawning nano tetra: sexing, breeding setup, water parameters, egg care and rearing the small fry.
Overview
Hyphessobrycon amandae is described by Seriously Fish as an egg-scattering free spawner that exhibits no parental care; adults will consume the eggs if they can reach them. In a mature, well-planted aquarium small numbers of fry may appear naturally without intervention.
Sexing
Males display more intense coloration, especially during spawning, while females have noticeably rounder bodies.
Conditioning the Breeders
The adult group can be conditioned together in their main tank before being transferred to a dedicated breeding setup.
Breeding Setup
- Separate, dimly-lit tank with mature water and an air-powered sponge filter or air stone
- A mesh base, plastic grass matting, glass marbles, fine-leaved plants (Taxiphyllum) or spawning mops so eggs fall away from the adults
- Water pH slightly acidic to neutral
- Temperature toward the upper end of the species range (26-28 C)
Spawning Behavior & Trigger
Introduce one pair, or one to two males with several females, and leave them for 2-3 days before removing them. The first fry appear shortly after the adults are taken out.
Egg & Fry Care
Because there is no parental care, remove the adults to protect the eggs. The first food should be Paramecium or a proprietary dry food in the 5-50 micron grade, progressing to Artemia nauplii and microworm as the fry grow.
Common Challenges
The fry are very small and need infusoria-sized first foods, which is the main hurdle. Wikipedia notes that heavily planted aquariums offer some protection for the fry, improving survival when fish are left to spawn in the display tank.