# Killies Import > Planted Tanks >  decorating a breedingtank

## metalsign

After two months, I finally made up my mind. I would like to rear/breed the nothobranchius rachovii beira 98. I going to us a jewel rekord 60. So there is a built in filter, heating and lighting. 

The meaning is to make this species breed. (pretty easy probably) But I don't know how to decorate it. I'm thinking of putting a piece of wood (with javafern) and another quickgrowing plant in it. (And also floating plants + javamoss). Wich substrate do I use best? Is sand okay? and fertiliser is obsolete in the tank I guess?
Is this okay or do I better use a bare tank?

Thanks in advance

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## metalsign

nobody?

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## ed seeley

First let me qualify this by saying I don't actually keep nothos but prefer non-annuals!
Those I know that do though keep them in small species tanks with peat in and a few bits of plants around for a bit of shelter as they are designed to get eggs out them asap!
I don't see why you couldn't put them in a larger tank as they were growing and maturing, but you'd need some kind of smaller container to put in with peat in for them to spawn in and that wouldn't look great in a nicely aquascaped tank. I suppose you could lift a trio out for breeding in a small tank and then grow the babies on in there.

So maybe your best bet is to use the Jewel as a display tank and have a little tank for fry and spawning.

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## metalsign

> First let me qualify this by saying I don't actually keep nothos but prefer non-annuals!
> Those I know that do though keep them in small species tanks with peat in and a few bits of plants around for a bit of shelter as they are designed to get eggs out them asap!
> I don't see why you couldn't put them in a larger tank as they were growing and maturing, but you'd need some kind of smaller container to put in with peat in for them to spawn in and that wouldn't look great in a nicely aquascaped tank. I suppose you could lift a trio out for breeding in a small tank and then grow the babies on in there.
> 
> So maybe your best bet is to use the Jewel as a display tank and have a little tank for fry and spawning.


That small tank for fry and spawning: How big? 5 gal? more??? Does it need filtering, I gues not (read it here on the homesite) and does it need heating. Here in my country it isn't that warm.

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## ed seeley

A 12"x8"x8" should be fine I think, though as I said I've not actually bred these fish personally.
All my small tanks have a heater and a little air powered foam filter to help keep water conditions stable, though others don't use filters but rely on daily water changes.

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## metalsign

30*20*20 centimetres I guess (12 litres or 4?!? gallons)

airfilters like this http://www.aquariaveldhuis.nl/ppics/10112191302.jpg

Which little heaters fit in such a tank?

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## ed seeley

Yeah that size sounds great to me.

Been talking to a mate who's bred these and he says just have the breeding tank bare apart from a tub with peat in and to add salt to the water as Nothos are really susceptible to Velvet and that helps. Add a teaspoon per gallon. 

I've got a 25W Visitherm heater in my 12" cube but if it's a cold room you may need a 50W one (Again Visitherm make one, but any reliable brand should do fine).

As for the filter you won't need one that big! Go for the Biofoam 45s, Tim Addis sells them on his site, T.A.Aquaculture.

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## metalsign

okay thanks for the info

So if i get it : 

1.a 60 l tank for rearing them + raising the fry (with sand, plants...)
2.a 12 l for breeding/spaning (+ raising the fry the first weeks)
with little heater and a little spongefilter

I have a few other questions I forgot

Wich Ph do they need? or is best
Is a cover on the breeding tank necessary? Can they jump through a hole for electrical cables?

Does anybody here on the forum lives in Belgium/Holland/north France?? How do you get live food. I don't trust the water in the little rivers, nitrates are way to high.

Where does Tim Addis live?

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## ed seeley

Tim Addis is in the UK and I'm sure he'd ship to the continent. E-mail him and ask on the prices. To be honest any foam filter will do, it's just whether they will fit easily in your tank!

I'm going to leave the pH question to others as I'm afraid I don't know. I'd assume mildly acidic as their pools are mainly rainwater, but that would just be a guess!

After losing an Aphyosemion bivitattum Funge through an airline gap on his first night I put close fitting covers on all my killi tanks and put filter floss in any gaps to prevent escape but allow air to circulate.

Your planted tank with a shoal of Nothos in will look amazing IMO, can't wait to see pictures!

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## metalsign

okay, gaps will be closed then. First I'll have to get my tank and my killies (if I can get them of course). I hope this planted tank does better than my other one. 

Anyboedy knows wich pH they prefer, I read id can vary from 6-7.5 but most breeders of the bka use pH 7-7.5 . Can someone cofirm this for me?

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