Breeding Live Foods, Brine, Ghost, Mollies?

[Hugh Mann]

I'm just wondering if it's economical to breed live feeders? I know lots of folks hatch brine shrimp eggs to feed, but what about actually breeding them, raising them to adults? Does anyone here bother to breed their own feeders? I'm interested in it because the closest store to me that regularly has ghosties is an 8 hour round trip, mollies are a 2.5 hour trip and are $3+ each. I'd prefer to have my fish eat as much live as possible, especially my eel and marine betta. Would love to have a lion again, but I learned my lesson and am only getting one if I can feed it properly.

What about ghost shrimp? A common feeder, but I don't hear much about breeding them, but I would imagine it's not difficult with the right set up.

Same with mollies, not difficult, just takes time.

 

[ichthyogeek]

Livebearers, yes. You can typically make a profit selling them .25-1.00 USD/fish. I’m not necessarily breeding feeders at the moment, but the strain I’m working with puts out some fish that need to be culled soooo....¯\_(ツ)_/¯.

Things get tougher when you have pelagic larvae. You could probably pull it off with a large enough colony of ghosts, but it’d have to be a large tub or so to really maximize money saved.

If you’re breeding for feeders, then you’ll want to jack the temperature up pretty high. Higher temp, faster development, faster development, quicker appropriately sized feeder.

 

[Hugh Mann]

Good to know. I have 6 mollies in saltwater, so maybe they will start popping out babies. Certainly look like they are going to, but I believe my HoB filter would dice the fry.

How much volume would a person need for ghosties you figure?

 

[Udest]

Get a filter sponge though I'd say molly fry are pretty strong from the get go

 

[ichthyogeek]

Good to know. I have 6 mollies in saltwater, so maybe they will start popping out babies. Certainly look like they are going to, but I believe my HoB filter would dice the fry.

How much volume would a person need for ghosties you figure?

Well the bigger the better. From a preliminary internet search, looks like you should be removing females for the best chances of upping the population, letting their eggs hatch, and then putting them back in the main tank. A series of 10 gallons could work quite well, but it depends on how many shrimp you’re going through a month.

 

[Udest]

Yeah shrimp are a different beast altogether though if you put a small screen below them that should help more young survive.