Livebearers

Livebearers

Livebearers are fish that bear live young.

There are two types of livebearers: ovoviviparous, where the eggs form and hatch within the female before birth; and viviparous, where no eggs are formed, and the young are nourished through an umbilical-like cord or from secretions by the female.

Livebearers are often prolific, easily bred species.

Conditioning the Parent Fish

Before placing the parent fish together for spawning, they should be conditioned. Conditioning is feeding the fish a variety of healthy foods to get them in top condition for spawning.

Many species can be conditioned using a well-balanced flake food, though others should be conditioned on live foods such as brine shrimp, insect larvae, and flying insects. The parent fish can be while conditioning.

This way, when the fish are reintroduced, they are eager to spawn.