Increasing Tank Temp For Breeding

[Apoc88 0]

I'm trying to breed my ryukin and oranda in a 40 gal indoor tank. the temp has been at ~60F for 3 weeks. i'm thinking of using a heater to gradually bring the temp up to induce the breeding. would this work well and if yes how much should i increase it and over what period of time. Thanks for any info!

[Ranchugirl 17]

Apoc88, I wouldn't go more than 1-2 degrees every couple of hours. You don't really need a big temperature rise, a few degrees, up to 5-10 should be plenty. Do it slowly though, most fish are sensitive to big temperature swings....

[Apoc88 0]

i wasnt planning on doing a huge temp increase. i was thinking a of upping the temp 1-3 degrees everyday until tank reaches 70F. would that be fine or too much?

[Ranchugirl 17]

That sounds like a plan....

[Apoc88 0]

sweet. ill try it and le tyou guys know how it goes

[Apoc88 0]

I have increased the temp to about 62F. not much change in the tank yet. i have seen the male start nipping at the female, mainly the tail. not sure why he is doing it. let you guys know about the next increasement.

[Apoc88 0]

The temp now is around 65F. no change yet. if im doing anything wrong during my steps, please let me know!

[Ranchugirl 17]

What and how much do you feed the pair, Apoc88? Food is also a critical thing here - both need a bit more of the right food, higher in protein. When I conditioned my wakin for breeding during the summer (very rudely interrupted by a few hurricanes), I fed them 3-4 times a day instead of the usual 2 times, and loads of frozen foods like daphnia and bloodworms in addition to their regular food. More frequent water changes also stimulates breeding, and of course is neccessary with the heavier food load.

I also would raise the temperature a bit more, close to the 70s I would say....

[Apoc88 0]

i've been feeding them lots of frozen food. mainly bloodworms. i change water frequently. usually once everyday or other day if i dont have time.

i'm a bit scared to bump the temp up that high. since it started at 60F, i figured it was better to raise it to 70 slowly but maybe that's what i'm doing wrong. is it better to raise the temp at night, morning, afternoon or it doesnt matter?

[Apoc88 0]

temp is now about 71. still haven't seen any breeding stars yet. no chasing either. not sure if im doing anything wrong. changed the water very frequently and feed often. i will raise the temp to around 78 in the next couple days to see if there will be any change.