Things You'll Need
- Live fish food
- Breeding aquarium
- Aquatic plants
- Water testing kit
Instructions
Condition your sawbwa resplendens by feeding them healthy meals of live foods, such as bloodworms. A good food supply encourages breeding. Females will start to look plumper and males should develop brighter coloring.
Lower the temperature in the aquarium until it is between 57 and 64 degrees Fahrenheit. This has been known to be the best temperature range for breeding conditions and will help to prepare the sawbwa resplendens before moving them into the breeding tank.
Set up a separate, small breeding aquarium. This aquarium should also be between 57 and 64 degrees Fahrenheit, and should have a pH level between 7 and 8. You can determine the pH level of the water by using a water testing kit. Additives can be used to raise or lower pH levels, if necessary.
Place two or three aquatic plants in the aquarium. Sawbwa resplendens lay their eggs on the undersides of plant leaves. These fish prefer to lay the eggs on leaves that nearly reach the surface, so choose tall plants or let the plants float near the surface.
Place one male and one female sawbwa resplendens in the breeding aquarium. Again, you can determine which fish is male and which is female by looking at the colors of the fish. Males are bluish, with red noses and fin tips, while females have silvery bodies and transparent fins. Transfer the fish slowly, one at a time, to minimize stress. Stressful fish are less likely to breed.
Wait for the sawbwa resplendens to breed. In these water conditions, most sawbwa resplendens will begin spawning almost immediately. However, some fish may need more time to settle into their new habitat, so be patient. When they do breed, eggs will be deposited on the plant leaves.
Allow your fish to continue spawning for about two days. Feed them well during this time. Although sawbwa resplendens don't actively eat their eggs, they will nibble on them if they are so inclined. Regular feedings should lessen this problem.
Remove the parent fish after two days. This is when the young fish, from the very first spawning, will begin to hatch. Adult sawbwa resplendens may injure or eat the young, so it's best to remove them before the young hatch.