How the method works

Fish that release eggs and sperm into plants, mops, gravel or open water without placing every egg deliberately.

Practical breeding setup

Use spawning mops, fine plants, mesh or marbles when eggs must be separated from adults. Condition fish before spawning and keep the collection process gentle.

Egg and fry management

Eggs and early fry are often tiny. First foods, cleanliness and avoiding sudden water changes matter more than chasing maximum egg numbers.

Main failure point

Adults commonly eat eggs, and a productive spawn can still fail if first foods are too large or the rearing container becomes dirty.

Fish in this category

The database currently contains 53 commonly kept fish assigned to this main method. Some fish also show secondary behaviours, and individual parental care can vary.

Bala sharkBalantiocheilos melanopterus25–35 cmOpen entry →Beckford’s pencilfishNannostomus beckfordi4–6 cmOpen entry →Black neon tetraHyphessobrycon herbertaxelrodi4 cmOpen entry →Black ruby barbPethia nigrofasciata5–6 cmOpen entry →Black skirt tetraGymnocorymbus ternetzi5–6 cmOpen entry →Bleeding heart tetraHyphessobrycon erythrostigma6–7 cmOpen entry →Boesemani rainbowfishMelanotaenia boesemani10–12 cmOpen entry →Buenos Aires tetraPsalidodon anisitsi6–8 cmOpen entry →Cardinal tetraParacheirodon axelrodi4–5 cmOpen entry →Celestial pearl danioDanio margaritatus2–3 cmOpen entry →Checker barbOliotius oligolepis4–5 cmOpen entry →Cherry barbPethia titteya4–5 cmOpen entry →Chili rasboraBoraras brigittae1.5–2 cmOpen entry →Common goldfishCarassius auratus20–30+ cmOpen entry →Congo tetraPhenacogrammus interruptus7–9 cmOpen entry →Crimson-spotted rainbowfishMelanotaenia duboulayi8–12 cmOpen entry →Denison barbSahyadria denisonii12–15 cmOpen entry →Diamond tetraMoenkhausia pittieri5–6 cmOpen entry →Dwarf neon rainbowfishMelanotaenia praecox6–8 cmOpen entry →Ember tetraHyphessobrycon amandae2 cmOpen entry →Emperor tetraNematobrycon palmeri4–5 cmOpen entry →Fancy goldfishCarassius auratus (domestic fancy forms)15–25 cmOpen entry →Giant danioDevario aequipinnatus10–12 cmOpen entry →Glass bloodfin tetraPrionobrama filigera5–6 cmOpen entry →Glass catfishKryptopterus vitreolus6–8 cmOpen entry →Glowlight tetraHemigrammus erythrozonus4 cmOpen entry →Gold barbBarbodes semifasciolatus6–8 cmOpen entry →Green neon tetraParacheirodon simulans2–3 cmOpen entry →Head-and-tail-light tetraHemigrammus ocellifer4–5 cmOpen entry →Kissing gouramiHelostoma temminckii20–30 cmOpen entry →Koi carpCyprinus rubrofuscus (domestic koi)60–90+ cmOpen entry →Kuhli loachPangio semicincta8–12 cmOpen entry →Lemon tetraHyphessobrycon pulchripinnis4–5 cmOpen entry →Marbled hatchetfishCarnegiella strigata3–4 cmOpen entry →Murray River rainbowfishMelanotaenia fluviatilis8–11 cmOpen entry →Neon tetraParacheirodon innesi3–4 cmOpen entry →Odessa barbPethia padamya5–7 cmOpen entry →Pearl danioDanio albolineatus5–6 cmOpen entry →Red-eye tetraMoenkhausia sanctaefilomenae6–7 cmOpen entry →Rosy barbPethia conchonius8–12 cmOpen entry →Rummy-nose tetraPetitella bleheri4–5 cmOpen entry →Scissortail rasboraRasbora trilineata10–13 cmOpen entry →Serpae tetraHyphessobrycon eques4–5 cmOpen entry →Siamese algae eaterCrossocheilus oblongus12–15 cmOpen entry →Silver dollarMetynnis hypsauchen12–15 cmOpen entry →Silvertip tetraHasemania nana3–4 cmOpen entry →Tiger barbPuntigrus tetrazona5–7 cmOpen entry →Tinfoil barbBarbonymus schwanenfeldii25–35 cmOpen entry →Turquoise rainbowfishMelanotaenia lacustris10–12 cmOpen entry →Weather loachMisgurnus anguillicaudatus20–30 cmOpen entry →White cloud mountain minnowTanichthys albonubes3–4 cmOpen entry →X-ray tetraPristella maxillaris4–5 cmOpen entry →Zebra danioDanio rerio4–6 cmOpen entry →

Originality and limits

This guide explains the shared breeding pattern in original AquaNexus wording. It is not a substitute for the individual species entry, because temperature, social structure, egg size and parental behaviour differ.