How to Make DIY Spawning Mops for Breeding Aquarium Fish

Many aquarium fish like to lay their eggs by scattering them or sticking them onto plants and various surfaces. To protect the eggs from being eaten and improve the survival rate of baby fish, veteran breeders often make spawning mops for the fish to deposit their eggs. This artificial spawning media is not required for live aquarium plants. They are easy to transport and do not break any roots or leaves. Because the mop has many strands, it provides a dense covering for the fry to hide among. Follow these simple, step-by-step instructions for making two types of spawning mops for your aquarium fish.

Instructions for Yarn Spawning Mops

This popular type of spawning mop is commonly used with goldfish, rainbowfish, tetras, barbs, killifish, and more. Depending on the species you are breeding, you can make a floating mop, sinking mop, or a mop that attaches to the tank wall.

1. Gather the materials: 100% acrylic yarn 2. Cork (for a floating mop), small rock (for a sinking mop), or suction cup (for a mop that attaches to the tank wall or bottom) 3. Flat, hard object of the desired height (e.g. notebook, book, Bluray case or piece cardboard). Scissors

1. Wrap the yarn around the notebook approximately 40 to 100 times. Then, cut the remaining yarn.

1. Use a length of yarn measuring 12 to 24 inches to tie the yarn strands around the notebook.

1. Slide the yarn strands onto the notebook. Then, cut the loops at either end of your yarn knot. Trim the mop if the yarn strands are uneven or too long.

1. Then, tie the excess knots around the rock, cork, or suction cup.

1. The mop should be rinsed in tap water. 2. Depending on the species, wait a few days to a couple of weeks after the fish have been spawning. Next, move the eggs from the spawning mop to a specimen container or breeder net with a gentle airstone inside. Some people carry the whole spawning mop along with the eggs. Others prefer to take the eggs out with their fingers, tweezers or fingers.

Instructions for Ricefish Spawning mop

Regular yarn mops do not work as well for certain species like Japanese medaka ricefish because the yarn strands are too free-flowing. To get the eggs off rice fish, they need to have stiffer bristles that they can rub against.

1. Gather the materials A pool noodle that has a hollow in the middle. Scotch Brite pads (without any cleaning chemicals) Cutlery and kitchen knife 4. Scissors

1. With a knife or a cutting board, cut a 1/2-inch circle from the pool noodle.

1. Place one pad in landscape orientation. The pad should be wider than its height. Start at the bottom corner of the pad and make a vertical cut upwards. Stop approximately 1/2 inch from the top. Make multiple vertical cuts every 1/4 ” along the bottom of the pad, thus creating the “strands” of the mop.

1. Roll up the pad so that the top 1/2 ” of the pad looks like a spiral, while the bottom “strands” of the pad spread out like a skirt.

1. The spiral end of your mop should be stuck through the middle pool noodles disc.

1. Place the spawning mop in the aquarium and rinse it with no soap.

1. Once spawning is complete, transfer the eggs or entire spawning mop to a breeder net or specimen container or separate grow-out aquarium.

We wish you the best of luck in your breeding efforts. To help your aquarium hobby, you might consider selling any fish that you have raised to the fish shop or other fishkeepers. Find out more about How to Breed Aquarium Fish to Make Profit.