Breeding characins articles

Tetras, pencilfish, pacus, piranhas and others.
Species are in alphabetical order according to their Latin names

AMERICAN CHARACIN BASICS by Eric Rogne
Summary: Eric likes these small schooling community fish. He describes the general principles for breeding them, and details his experiences with four tetras: Colombian blue, bloodfin, golden, and red-eye.

THE GREEN FIRE TETRA Aphyocharax rathbuni by Joe Kaznica
Summary: "A true gem of the small toy fish world that can be often overlooked." How to keep and breed them.

"AN EXCESS OF ASTYANAX" by Paul McFarlane
Summary: Astyanax characins include the common "blind cave fish." Paul was given a related species, Astyanax bimaculatus, which bred. The female produces 5-10,000 eggs, and all of Paul's appeared to hatch, causing some accommodation problems.

MY EXPERIENCES WITH SWORDTAIL CHARACINS by Don Murray
Summary: Corynopoma riisei. Don successfully bred these unusual and interesting fish, and wonders why they are not more popular in the hobby.

BREEDING THE BLACK TETRA by Jason Shaw
Summary: Breeding notes for Gymnocorymbus ternetzi .

SPAWNING RUMMYNOSE TETRAS by Charles Drew
Summary: After the first hurdle of simply keeping them alive, Charles bred and raised his rummynoses, paying careful attention to the water.

Hemigrammus erythroznus by David Snell
Summary: Breeding and raising glowlight tetras.

SPAWNING Hemigrammus hyanuary by Charles Drew
Summary: Charles brought home six 'Costello tetras,' put them in a tank with some other tetras, and within a day or two they spawned.

Hemigrammus ocellifer by David Snell
Summary: Breeding the head-and-tail light tetra.

SPAWNING Hemigrammus pulcher by Charles Drew
Summary: The "pretty" or "garnet" tetra breeds readily in soft acidic water.

THE GOLDEN TETRA Hemigrammus rodwayi by Joe Kaznica
Summary: There is some confusion over naming and identification of this fish. It is an ideal community fish, and Joe bred it without difficulty.

THE GOLD TETRA - Hemigrammus rodwayi by Chase Klinesteker
Summary: The Gold Tetra is a peaceful, active and pretty fish that is ideal in many community tank situations. Success in breeding it is a worthwhile and attainable goal.

THE COLUMBIAN TETRA Hyphessobrycon columbianus by Paul McFarlane
Summary: Keeping and breeding a newly available tetra, named in 2001 as Hyphessobrycon columbianus.

Hyphessobrycon flammeus by Kevin Korotev
Summary: To spawn the 'flame' or 'von rio' tetra, Kevin isolated the females, added plastic plants, softened the water and reduced the lighting before adding the males.

SPAWNING THE BLACK NEON - Hyphessobrycon herbertaxelrodi by Bill Loesch
Summary: After waiting patiently for his fish to mature, Bill set up a spawning tank and they bred.

BLEEDING HEARTS - OLD AND NEW by Paul McFarlane
Summary: Three similar but different species are sold as "bleeding heart tetras." Paul describes them, and how he bred the "lesser bleeding heart," Hyphessobrycon socolofi.

DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER Moenkhausia pittieri by Bob Berdoulay
Summary: Diamond tetras: Bob placed a pair into a prepared 5 gallon tank. They spawned, and the tiny fry were successfully raised.

WHO SAYS THERE AREN'T RICHES IN TROPICAL FISH? by Jeff Michels
Summary: Diamond tetras spawn readily but it is hard to save the eggs from being eaten and then to raise the fry. Jeff had some success with his diamonds - but not enough to get rich.

GETTING THE LEAD OUT OF YOUR PENCILS by Tom Wojtech
Summary: Tom put some Beckford's pencilfish (Nannostomus beckfordi) into a 20 gallon tank that already contained rivulus killifish, corys and a firemouth cichlid. Both the Beckfords and the rivulus spawned, and the fry survived amongst the thick water sprite.

Nannostomus marginatus by Tom Wojtech
Summary: Tom bought eight of these pencilfish and put them in a 'temporary' 10 gallon tank. Two years later there were three adults left, and when he was cleaning the tank Tom discovered some young fish.

BLACK EMPEROR TETRAS by Charles Drew
Summary: The scientific name of these fish is in doubt, but Charles believes they are Nematobrycon palmeri "black." He describes how he bred them.

SPAWNING OF Nematobrycon palmeri, THE EMPEROR TETRA by Larry Jinks
Summary: It took months of conditioning for Larry's fish to spawn, but eventually they did.

FINALLY I MADE IT: CARDINAL TETRAS by Rene Jez
Summary: Paracheirodon axelrodi. Rene "set up spawning tanks for this species probably a hundred times, without much hope." He did finally succeed, but due to the difficulties has "little patience to breed them in larger numbers."

THE CARDINAL TETRA (Paracheirodon axelrodi) by Bill Gehan
Summary: How to buy, house and feed cardinal tetras, with notes on possibly how to breed them.

PACU - A Giant Characin of the Amazon by David Marshall
Summary: A complete introduction to this piranha-like vegetarian fish, and David's experiences keeping them.

CONGO TETRA by Joe Gallo
Summary: Phenacogrammus interruptus is the most commonly available African tetra and it is a real joy to have a school of these fish in an appropriately large aquarium. Properly lighted, their colors are unmatched by most freshwater fish.

PIRANHA KEEPING FOR BEGINNERS by Nick Gardner
Summary: Nine or ten different species of Pygocentrus and Serrasalmus are commonly kept. Their characteristics, tank and living requirements, and their food.

BREEDING PIRANHAS by William Berg
Summary: A basic guide to the breeding of piranhas. "Be very very careful when transferring the fry, as the parents can be extremely protective and aggressive."!