Water Conditions for Breeding Day Glow Tetras

Day Glow tetras are also called Glowlight tetras. They are in the same family as other tetras and are egg layers. While they are prolific in the wild, Day Glows are not as easy to breed in captivity. They're found naturally in the wild in Guyana, South America. For successful breeding, water conditions must match those found in their natural tropical habitat.

  1. Preparing the Breeding Tank

    • Not only are water conditions such as pH, hardness and temperature important, but so is how you prepare the breeding tank. A breeding tank is recommended because these fish will eat their own eggs given the chance. A minimum tank size is 10 gallons. Tank furnishings should consist of fine-leaved plants in which the fish can spread the eggs and fertilize them. To protect the eggs, insert a spawning grate or other mesh at the bottom of the tank through the eggs can fall through, safe from their parents.

    pH

    • Glowlight tetras tolerate pH between 6 and 8, but for breeding purposes, they prefer the pH to be closer to 6. Seriously Fish recommends a pH of between 5.5 and 6.5. Aquatic Community recommends a pH of 6.8. As long as you emulate the slightly acidic water conditions in the tetras' natural habitat, you should be successful. If your municipal water is higher in pH, add peat to the breeding tank to lower the pH. Make sure you make your pH changes before adding the breeding pair or any other aquatic inhabitants.

    Hardness

    • Hardness is something that many fish-keepers overlook during setup but that is vitally important for breeding purposes. General hardness (GH) and carbonate hardness (KH) are two different measurements of water hardness that will impact how successful you are in breeding Glowlight tetras or any other fish species. Aquatic Community recommends a GH below 8 and a KH below 1. Seriously Fish recommends a GH of between 1 and 5. Animal-World recommends a GH of 6. Usually, a lower hardness level will coincide with a lower pH. Since you want a slightly lower pH, your hardness will naturally be lower. If you need to decrease your water's hardness, you can add RO water or distilled water to dilute your hard water to the required level.

    Temperature

    • Glowlight tetras tolerate temperatures between 75 and 82.5 degrees Fahrenheit. During breeding season, however, they need a higher water temperature. A temperature close to or around 82 degrees Fahrenheit is ideal for breeding purposes. It is easy to heat the water to 82 degrees with an aquarium heater, but if you need to cool the water down, you may need to purchase an aquarium chiller. When moving the parents into the breeding tank, make sure the temperature is already at the proper temperature and make sure to acclimate the parent fish slowly to the new temperature before releasing them, to avoid shock.