How To Raise Baby Catfish In A Tank Or Aquarium

Many aquarium hobbyists love the fun and excitement of raising their own fish, and catfish can be a good species to start with. Many species of catfish will spawn quite easily in the home aquarium environment, provided that the fish are healthy and well cared for. Even so, it is important to have the right equipment in place before you attempt to breed any species of fish. Having the right setup ahead of time will make it much easier to successfully raise catfish fry.

Step 1

Set up a tank with an undergravel filter or corner filter. A power filter could suck the tiny fry into the water intake tube. Place some Java moss or similar bedding plants into the tank. The Java moss will give the newly hatched fry a good place to hide. Keep the rest of the tank as bare as possible so you will be able to keep an eye on the baby fish.

Step 2

Remove the catfish pair to the breeding tank when you see the female start to swell up with eggs. For many catfish species this swelling will be quite evident, while on others the signs my be a bit more subtle. Either way, it is important to remove the pair to the breeding tank before the female lays her eggs.

Step 3

Remove the adults from the tank as soon as you see the babies have been hatched. The pair can now be placed back in your main tank.

Step 4

Feed the newly hatched fry a specially designed liquid food for baby fishes. After a week or so, feed the fry on freshly hatched brine shrimp. Buy brine shrimp eggs and a special hatching container at your local pet store.