Caught in the ACT! How to increase yield when breeding egg laying aquarium fish

[@RachelOLeary]

BONUS VIDEO! I was feeling inspired to share :) Today, we talk about how we can increase the yield of egg scattering fish. Enjoy! Feb. 1- Gold Coast Aquarium Society- gcaquarium.org/ Feb. 2- Neighborhood Fish Farm- tropicalfishmiami.com/ My Patreon: www.patreon.com/racheloleary Fan mail can be sent to: PO box 146 Manchester PA 17345 Buy me a coffee: msjinkzd.com/about_msjinkzd/support-our-site/ Instagram @msjinkzd Website and stocklist: msjinkzd.com/stocklist/ Facebook: facebook.com/msjinkzd/

[@bettatimestories807]

Thanks for this tip! The glowlight tetras I got around Halloween have really loved their tank conditions, and I'm seeing some sizeable females and what I believe may be breeding behaviour. I'm not quite ready to handle breeding/fry growth yet, but in the next month or two I should have the time, space, and tank free for them, so I appreciate any tips to help out with that. When you speak of plastic, you mean not the plastic canvas used for embroidery, but finding a stiffer, plastic version of the latch hook mesh you demonstrated today, presumably. I wonder if Michaels would carry that nearby? Sadly they discontinued carrying the typical plastic canvas which I've made use of several ways in my tanks, and there's no other craft stores around these days. Your WCMMs are truly stunning - that new very spectacular long & red fin male is particularly gorgeous! Look forward to seeing the results you have crossing the strains. If I was in the US I'd certainly be ordering some from you, but I don't think you've shipped to Canada before...

[@andrewang17]

what food you feed them ? they love that

[@MDFishTanks]

Woah that white cloud at 0:22 looks insane!!!! Never seen one that good to be honest. Nice job Rachel

[@mathdesm9306]

All my life I didn't care for white cloud until I put some in my 60 gal, they play into the streams of water like little trouts, 9/10, great fish.

[@stephaniebrown1858]

White Clouds are my favorite fish. The long fin are just so beautiful.

[@lilyedgar4218]

Loving how orderly & neat the fish room is coming together quite nicely 😃! Those long fin males look lovely. They look super cute like they’re wearing red lipstick 💄 lol 😂! I love it 🥰

[@carolebraswell982]

Yes! I was going to mention that it looks like they have on lipstick! ♡💋

[@chrissy24-7]

I have some and for a while when I first got them I thought they had a mouth infection! Then I saw them sparring... Lol 😂

[@juliamahler415]

Rachel!! The Queen of Common Sense !! I would never have thought of using latch hook fabric!! That will be a perfect cover for my Betta tank. Thank you!

[@duaneperry5337]

I just threw 4 of them in a 10 ge with a ton of dwarf sag floating. The temp is 78 and I got a ton of fry really quick. Interesting enough I dont see the fry being eaten.

[@RachelOLeary]

Fry aren't usually eaten,but eggs can be a different story. And the fish dont follow the rules so this can be a good fail safe

[@ShadowLynx516]

Those long fins are so beautiful!

[@thestruggler1000]

Rachel that is a brilliant idea to use that mesh, really well thought of 👍

[@pecosR0B]

glad I watched this because I assumed egg scatterer = spawning mops but I knew some fish like tetras people do the false bottom. Just got some white clouds the other day and want to breed them - my clown killifish produced just ONE baby after months and months of trying lol

[@RG-yi2tv]

My females look like yours, big round belly’s, and my males flare at each other too. Even though they are in a HEAVILY planted high tech set up, I never see eggs or fry. Unlikely my Pygmy Cory, which you confirmed this week have fry! Fabulous!

[@RachelOLeary]

cories will also eat eggs. That baby cory pic you sent me was SO CUTE!

[@TigerStrike8000]

I wouldn’t feel right not leaving a comment so here it is.

[@RachelOLeary]

Thanks!

[@dansturt]

Watching your white clouds inspired me to get my own!

[@aseriouslollygagger5734]

I adopted my first White cloud because she wasn't doing well in the pet store by herself, in an empty tank. I managed to get three more youngsters who all grew up to be male. I want to get a few more to add to the school later when I have a quarantine tank available. They are wonderful fish, I appreciate that they are egg-layers, after being too successful with guppies. I had to separate them and after several months the girls are finally not dropping fry anymore. Learned from that mistake and enjoying multiple tanks, minus the constant ’miracle of life’. Needless to say, the quarantine tank became a permanent guppy home. My favorites are my Cory catfish, adore those wiggles.🙂

[@mikaellow906]

Wow Rachel What a great video you made Intressting and fun and learnable Thank you for sharing your knowledge! This is a rewardful fish I had breeding these fish a lot and have many fry to of them! They are very colorful fish and I enyoing them just as much as you Rachel! I love your video about breeding these fish from your friend Mikael take care Rachel!

[@Bloodhoundfostermom]

The fish room looks amazing!! Those lights are fantastic!!

[@daniellewharrie]

Look at all those little babies!! I LOVE your fish room tanks - all are absolutely beautifully scaped. I'm waiting for my own long fin white clouds to arrive in the mail any week now! Just got myself some neon blue rice fish and long fin zebra danios. I am in love!! Can't wait to start pumping out tons of babies. Your channel is such a gem and not to mention, more power to the girls of the hobby!!!!

[@growinginportland]

I love me some white clouds. They just breed. I have rescued 3 fry already. Thanks for sharing. May the force be with you.

[@justbaquatics2512]

What a incredible fish room you just hit it outta the park.... Just a ton of brilliant information...... U for me are a inspiration to the hobby... Keep tanking

[@bobvb]

White Clouds were the first egg layer I ever bred. I was in high school, using a "pail" of sorts about 5 gal with plants floating through it and a box filter. I had steady supply of young.

[@carlapappalardo1901]

I really love the look of this long finned line you're working with, gorgeous! Like the idea of the latching fabric too!

[@--Paws--]

After taking cues and tips from videos like yours, I finally got some White Cloud Mountain Minnow fry. All I forgot to do was to separate or remove the other fish. It seems the WCMMs had laid eggs already and the fry just kept getting eaten by others. I manage to have 4 fries that are almost juvenile in size.

[@CopenhagenDreaming]

I got 20 White Cloud Mountain minnows yesterday, and they are already a favourite! They look somewhat juvenile to me - but what do I know except what the internet shows me - so perhaps it'll be a while before I can hope for them to breed, but it would be so cool. They'll have to do it without a dedicated infrastructure, though - but I have a lot of plants and a few areas of moss, so I guess there WILL be places for the eggs to fall securely out of reach.

[@shesellsfish]

Your white clouds are utterly beautiful! What a great idea on the latch hook mesh. Here's to tons of fry in the very near future. 👍💕👍

[@harrytabb328]

It's too hot down here to breed regular White Clouds, so I breed the Vietnamese ones instead. Prolific little guys, to put it mildly. I use the large-mesh needlepoint plastic, but your latch hook cloth is brilliant. I think I'll try that. It looks more versatile.

[@congco8131]

Ủa vậy, pH nước với Tds là bao nhiêu là phù hợp cho tụi đó vậy anh

[@joshuabridges3173]

Rachel I absolutely love and appreciate your work on here I have kept fish for many years and breed alot of rare fish and understand how hard it is so thank you for you support

[@StanTheObserver-lo8rx]

They are the only egg laying species I ever had that could keep themselves going with new generations in the same tank. But,I wasn't trying to raise them..so it's not like they soon were overcrowded. A few new ones here and there...no other fish were with them. Good fish to feature!

[@newmexicoaquatics282]

Fantastic. Gotta love White Clouds! Thank you for sharing! - Little Bobby

[@Shelzbells]

I absolutely love these fish. I especially love the long finned variety. Great video

[@aquablaster86]

New camera?? Picture quality looks amazing! Thank's for the tips!

[@RachelOLeary]

Nope.new lighting on the tanks,and thanks

[@aquablaster86]

@@RachelOLeary well they paid off! Looks crisp and more defined.

[@jimi5854]

Rachel your vids rule thanks for ideas and inspiration and yes problem solving going to try a tub or 2 outdoors this summer looks fun

[@brandonsmalleyorblspinc689]

Cool!!! 💘 the breeding racks soo jelly!

[@brandonsmalleyorblspinc689]

That came off wrong. You give me new ideas all the time

[@mterenzi]

Great video as usual Rachel. This explains a lot why several of my newly added white clouds are fiercely guarding areas around my water sprite. Thanks!

[@Luhpi]

I was literally about to try something like this with one of My spare tanks in the coming days! Glad to know it's something someone else has already tried and had success with! Thank You so Much for this and ALL Your videos! God Bless You So Much!!!

[@bigyak35]

wow! thank you so much ive been researching new ideas when spawning my rainbows, well a answer to a problem and you answered like wow it thank you that method is so simple but so smart thanks much awesome vid so good and informative keep up the awesome channel you have helped me since i got back in the hobby

[@kegboy12]

Love that idea! I'm going to try it. Thanks for the video. Great as always.

[@edmcnulty7169]

Love your fish room

[@DaniKenAquatics]

Great video love the Long finned !!!! Thanks for sharing

[@alexsaquatics7620]

I split my tanks into sections and put pairs or trios in .then just take the pearants out when I see fry on the glass. I have about 150 fry mabey more .👍✌

[@VetAquatics]

Those long fins are awesome! Thanks for the info, i'm working on breeding my Celestial Pearl Danios and this will definately help!

[@christopherkrause3255]

Any luck?

[@xSpaceInvader]

Id do bare bottom. Lots of java moss. This screen over the top of the moss. Pull parents when you start seeing fry. I've been wanting to breed longfins. I think its a gorgeous fish species.

[@justinmeynell6011]

Thanks good info! My minnow is breeding & I didn't know what to do about it

[@lynnbonica4342]

Pretty little fish. I wouldn't mind having a few, but I don't have anything I can do with all the fry when they grow out. That latchhook mesh is a great idea. 👍🍄😎✌

[@tonyhind6992]

My white clouds have produced some young in their quarantine tank this week.

[@graffic13]

Very excited to see what you get from these!!

[@kurbymcdonald5629]

Fish room is look crazy cool. Loving the new look

[@evamaxwell9749]

very pretty line! love those long red fins

[@rottentwapple]

Great information. I've love to breed my white clouds too.

[@yanjijay6752]

Wow those long fin white clouds looks beautiful was looking for some here in my state but I'll look around only have the mountain stream minnows atm.

[@jeannieb4554]

Amazing as always! Ty for showing Us such Awesome video! ☺

[@ReneesZooTube]

These are absolutely gorgeous! I just recently got my first White Clouds, Golden ones. I'm falling in love with them. Seeing these longfins, I want to breed/create Golden Longfin White Clouds. A new project for me hopefully in the future. Good luck! I hope you get lots of fry to survive and grow up.

[@WhiteCloudDynasty]

You should start the project then we can trade in the future

[@ReneesZooTube]

@@WhiteCloudDynasty Maybe I'll give it a try in outdoor patio/tub ponds this year. 😊

[@WhiteCloudDynasty]

@@ReneesZooTube itll take 2 to 3 generation before anything close pop up, and that's if you breed enough fry to give you the chances

[@ReneesZooTube]

@@WhiteCloudDynasty Definitely something for me to consider. 😊

[@catfishcave379]

I need to add some spawning mops to my colony - plump females and displaying males everywhere and no fry. My plants are too big leaved I guess. Wonderful video!

[@rob93aquatics]

MIND BLOWING IDEA 🤯💪👍

[@deborahcollis9814]

Cant wait to see results

[@JJLewin1]

The longfins are stunning

[@lynnthompson6796]

Thank you for sharing this video 😀⭐😅

[@williambooth7885]

Im so jealous of your entire setup! Wish i had a basement to do something like this

[@RachelOLeary]

I didnt when we moved here,had to save up to build my husband agarage then I could start taking over the space

[@williambooth7885]

@@RachelOLeary oh, yesssss. Garage for the mad scientist and his metal creations lol

[@linneak541]

Nice tip 👍 Also thank you for the Centigrade temperature 😎

[@bobhadland2554]

Brilliant thank you

[@inspector4133]

Do you have a specific food for fry, or do they just eat the suspended leftover or browse the biofilm?

[@one4RealChange]

Love your videos Rachel! What was the treat you gave them? They sure went for it. I have white clouds, but haven't seen them go for the sinking pellets in that manner.

[@SympathyFck]

Video quality is a 👍, and love the content

[@Austrancer]

thanks rachel - have put 1 male (biggest) 2 females - (preggers) into fish breeder box - will see what i get (prolly alternate the males

[@waterlover]

Love that new strain of Minos

[@Rv12_pilot]

I’ve kept white Cloud for more than 3 years never was able to successfully breed them I’ve had fry but never grown up to max size

[@iconoclast518]

Would love to get some of those fancy White Clouds at some point!

[@JS-gk9et]

This year will be my first pond try. White Clouds is my best hope, haven’t picked them up yet (wouldn’t mind orange ricefish either). I was thinking to get them by March so I can observe inside, before kicking them outta the house when warm enough (indoor tank is fully ready). Any concern with late spring chills with java moss? I’d prefer to have it up and running for a month before stocking. Gotta admit, I’ll likely binge-watch your pond vids again in preparation.

[@RachelOLeary]

They don't mind the spring chills- might even benefit from it. I just make SURE that overnights are over or at 50 and daytimes significantly warmer before moving them out. I always plant in about aprilish- and move fish out around mother's day-ish (for my zone 6)

[@darrylmoore5847]

Great idea, great video.

[@jonwebb5241]

Thanks for the primer on breeding little egg scatterers. Any chance of getting a dozen of your gorgeous long-fin types? Also, have you seen the new tanichthes yellow species?

[@clairebreuleux2928]

Pretty fishes !

[@afterburnerboyz]

I purchased a dozen long fins from you a couple of years ago and and had a huge yield outdoors in a 100 gal tub the first year. I overwinter them in a 65 gallon heavily planted tank but I never get fry indoors. The is past summer outdoors the yield was terrible, only two fry! This winter indoors, no fry. I think my male to female ratio is to large. I would love to get some more females.

[@WhiteCloudDynasty]

Could be dragon fly larvae

[@picassoaquascaper6245]

They are so beautiful !

[@jackanddan]

awesome these minnows are....sorry just watching star wars....hahahaha great tips and have a great night.....

[@betterthantelevision]

Gorgeous fish.

[@TheBarefootRev]

My patio pond started with 11 whiteclouds in spring 2019. I'm having to overwinter almost 100. Absolutely nuts, and they're still breeding. Sadly no one wants them around here, they sell for a few cents a piece and all the fish stores are over-run. VERY heavy breeders!

[@XxLadyxGaladrielxX]

And where I live, in NE Ohio, Petco is the only place that has them! They are such beautiful fish!

[@rcarioca]

It seems that you two types of long fins: some have red dorsals with yellow edges and others with yellow dorsals and red edges

[@DavidDL]

They are beautiful 👍.

[@kaynucklehead1633]

LOve the mesh idea for saving the eggs but all those snails? Won't they eat the eggs?

[@ReneesZooTube]

An excellent video! I just saw another video on zebra danio breeding and they used undergravel filter plates to allow the eggs to drop through so more fry survive. Do you think that might work for the White Clouds?

[@ohrats731]

I’ve been considering that! I tend to have sheets of those plastic mesh around cause I’m crafty like that lol. A week or two ago I was able to spot my corydoras spawning and save some eggs out! I have about 6 good fry in my breeder box. I’d love to do more with egg breeders but my tanks are full of livebearers that I’m having trouble giving away 😬 Side note: I have two white clouds that I spotted at the store that don’t have any red. I added them to my regular gold white clouds because I’ve never seen any like them but the store only had two. I’m starting to wonder if they’re actually a cousin species. Anyone seen anything like a regular white cloud with no red pigment?

[@NoalFarstrider]

Where did you order these white clouds? I have a dumbo mosaic line of guppies, and want to set up a white cloud line next summer so I can get two good genetic lines of fish. Thank you in advance Rachel.

[@TheCaphits]

I've been unable to get a single white cloud fry in my tank. I think it's all the snails, but there is a *lot* going on in the tank, so who knows... It's got: White Clouds x 10ish definitely males and females. No question. I've seen them laying eggs, and the male behavior is obvious. Paleatus Corydoras x 6 or 7. At least some of these are the long fin variety. Very cool fish! These guys are also breeding like mad. NO FRY FOUND EITHER. Hmm... Ancistrus x1. Seems fat and happy. Sometimes chases around or gets chased around by the Hillstream Loach. Hillstream Loach x1. See above. Kuhli Loach x8? They almost only come out when lights are off, and a couple quick sightings during feedings. Ramshorn Snails x30+. I've heard maybe these guys eat eggs. I somewhat appreciate their ability to keep things slightly cleaner I guess. I'm not sure how much algae they really eat or other benifits though. Malaysian Trumpet Snails x30+. Similar to above, except I think they are probably slightly more beneficial as they dig through the substrate (black blasting sand from tractor supply, *thoroughly* washed). Bladder Snails x?30+? Similar to the Ramshorns I suppose. Amano Shrimp x 1. It's a girl. She's berried before and I moved the male to a different tank. I hear good things about amanos, but I don't know about their appetite for eggs. Cherry Shrimp x30+. These guys are rather prolific in the tank. It seems like they have had little problems breeding in the past, however there might be fewer shimplets than "there should" now that I think about it. Possibly some type of seed shrimp. Fed from one of my other fish tanks without any small fish to eat them. I think I've seen them, or something like them in the substrate. Little bugs ya know. An absolute bucket of plants. In descending order of mass I guess lol: Guppy Grass. This fills almost the entire upper half the the aquarium! I've normally kept it trimmed to let in more light, but I'm letting it grow in after some recent success on one of my other tanks with guppy grass growing out of control. Rotala Indica I think Dwarf Sag Hornwort Crypt Wendtii Bacopa Susswassertang Scarlet Temple Vesuvius The world's slowest growing Crypt Parva Assorted green algaes. There used to be a huge amount of green hair algae, but that somehow went *away* when I *removed* my SAE. I think the Siamese Algae Eater was harassing the shrimp, hillstream loach and pleco, so I moved him. All of this madness is in just a 20 gallon tall. I know it's "overstocked". But as far as I can tell, everything is mostly happy and tests often come in low for nitrogen, so I will intentionally *OVERFEED* the tank instead of dosing ferts sometimes. Crazy. Tank seems bulletproof really... Water Changes probably once a month 2-3x 20-30% water changed. Fish breeding before and after water changes. Doesn't seem to inhibit their behavior for breeding. For filtration it's got a fine mesh sponge filter and and aquaclear 50 wish coarse mesh pre-filter, and running normal sponge, then a fine sponge, but it's loose fitting; in the gaps, it's filled with a very coarse ceramic material, almost like pumice, but I'm pretty sure it's a man-made ceramic. Also ceramic rings. I don't think the biological filtration is really necessary with all the plant growth in the tank. The guppy grass recently started rooting into this. Two big dragonstone rocks. These have tons of little holes and some of them pass through the entire rock. I think some fish (kuhlis) might hide inside of these. Assorted dragonstone and seiryu stones. Spiderwood sticks and pieces. 1.5-2 inches of black blasting sand from Tractor Supply. I have the coarse type, not the fine. A black background from posterboard taped to the tank. I don't heat the tank at all, but the room it is in is usually probably 70-75. The room stays warm from some of the other heated tanks in the same room. Any help would be appreciated. :)

[@RachelOLeary]

shrimp absolutely relish the snack of fish eggs. As will most of the fish in your tank.

[@RobScuremusic]

I've always loved the long-fin variety. Do you sell these?

[@chris63952]

What do the eggs look like? Are they contained in a sort of jello?

[@wearefishlover]

Awesome

[@Puma1Sunfire1]

Can use something similar for guppies if the adults are doing similar predation of young

[@tg1319]

Any tips on raising fry? Mine have spawned many times but fry never make it. I'm assuming they are getting ate. They are SOOOOO TINY!

[@donaldboddy]

HI RACHEL! I just purchased some Gold white clouds from petco. Right now their in my 20 gallon quarantine tank. As I was watching your video and others I noticed that I have 4 males and 1 female. Will I have to separate that one female from the males like someone would have to do with Guppies so she isn't stressed?

[@bagelboy8]

Can you use light diffuser?

[@victordurham7858]

Will white cloud minnows eat the fry of other fish if in the same tank?

[@dingodyno9016]

Is latch hook safe for the fish? even if its painted?

[@jaredwood9403]

Love your show Rachel have you ever checked out Mark's Aquatics?

[@mackymarkmac]

my first time on keeping white cloud and i noticed their belly are like deflated... don't know what's causing it... 🥺

[@purplephoenix4969]

Have you ever kept them with cherry shrimp? I know they would likely see the babies as free food, but would they leave the adults alone. I was wondering whether to put some in with my WCMM, but have read conflicting information. I wondered if you have any personal experience of keeping the two together. There are live plants in there and a lot of Java Moss. I don't really mind if I don't have an expanding colony of shrimp, but don't want the adults I put in to have miserable lives that end prematurely.

[@RachelOLeary]

I have kept them together many times, adults do fine but as you said, babies are a snavk

[@KelvinReynolds]

Hey Rachel loving your videos, you have inspired me to keep some white clouds. However the fish in my LFS are pretty poor colours, hardly any red on them at all and even the silver is pale. Do they colour up more as they grow and get better food etc, or is what you see what you get?? thanks

[@RachelOLeary]

Hey definitely will look better as they mature and eat well

[@nolasdollsandaquatics9386]

🥰🤞🤞Sending all the luck your way...😃😉👍👈

[@robertlamb5545]

Can they stay outside year round or just in spring and summer? I live in TN and am interested in getting a bunch of these guys going

[@GotoHere]

Interesting they spawn in above 72. Someone on the internet said they will not spawn above 72. So lots of misinformation out there. I believe you. I am trying to spawn outside in a tub with a heater set at 73.

[@slewone4905]

Thanks, I need this. Mine stop breeding.

[@emmanuelgonnzalez7260]

Would a heater encourage breeding? Any benefits from adding a heater to a tank?

[@RachelOLeary]

None