Day's Spike-tailed Paradise Fish Breeding Guide

How to breed Pseudosphromenus dayi, a small Indian labyrinth fish that is a secretive cave-spawning bubble-nester; the male alone tends the eggs.

Overview

Pseudosphromenus dayi is a small labyrinth fish reaching about 60-65 mm maximum length according to Seriously Fish. It is a secretive bubble-nester: males prefer to build their nest under an overhang or inside a cavity, although surface vegetation, leaves or roots may be used if no cave is available.

Sexing

Seriously Fish notes that adult males develop extended dorsal, anal and caudal fins plus orange pigmentation around the lower head and throat, whereas females remain less colourful with shorter fins. Mature fish can also be sexed by shining a strong light behind them, since the ovaries are clearly visible in females.

Conditioning

The species is carnivorous and is conditioned on small live and frozen foods. A quiet, well-furnished tank with caves or broad-leaved plants encourages a male to set up a nest site.

Breeding Setup

Seriously Fish lists general conditions of 20-28 C, pH 6.0-7.5 and hardness 36-268 ppm. Provide overhangs, half-buried pots or similar cavities so the male can build a hidden bubble nest.

Spawning Behavior & Trigger

According to Seriously Fish, eggs and milt are released in small batches during a series of embraces in which the male wraps his body around the female. Spawning takes place beneath the chosen nest site.

Egg & Fry Care

Post-spawning the female is normally ejected and the male is solely responsible for guarding and tending the eggs. Seriously Fish gives an incubation of about 24-48 hours, with the fry free-swimming a further 2-3 days later, after which they accept Artemia nauplii, microworm and similar foods.

Common Challenges

The female should be removed once the male takes over the brood to avoid conflict. Stable, gentle conditions and live first foods are key to raising the small fry.