How to Make a DIY Fry Trap for Breeding Aquarium Fish

In our previous article How to Raise Baby Fish Fry in Your Aquarium, we mentioned several techniques that help prevent the adult fish from predating on their offspring. Many fish farms and breeders have significantly increased their fry survival rate by making DIY fry traps – simple enclosures with holes that are small enough for the young to swim through but not big enough to let the parents pass. The trap can be used to allow eggs and fry to escape. For safety, parents can be placed outside of the trap while the fry can swim within. Our CEO Cory and master breeder Dean have their own methods of making fry traps, so we’ve included instructions for both down below:

How to Make Cory’s DIY Fry Trap

1. Gather all the necessary materials. Most of these items can be purchased at arts and crafts stores. 1. Acrylic yarn 2. Rectangular sheet of plastic craft mesh (size #5 or #7) 3. Circular sheet made of plastic mesh canvas (size #5 and #7) Plastic yarn needle that can pass through the mesh holes Scissors 6. 2 Binder clips Gravel or rocks

1. Use a running stitch to join the ends of the craft mesh. 1. Use the needle to insert the yarn downward into the craft mesh and pull it through the inside of the cylinder. You should pull enough yarn through to finish sewing the edge. 2. Push the needle upward through the next hole in the craft mesh and pull the rest of the yarn through to the outside of the cylinder. 3. Repeat steps 4a and 4b until the entire edge is sewn together. Cut the yarn ball off and tie off the two loose ends of yarn.

1. The circular mesh canvas should be cut so it fits into the bottom of your cylinder.

1. Continue threading the needle with yarn, and then sew the circular canvas onto the bottom of your cylinder using whipstitch. 1. The needle should be inserted into the bottom of the cylinder. Next, angle the needle upwards so that it passes through circular base. You will need enough yarn to complete sewing the entire edge. 2. The needle should be inserted through the hole at the base of the cylinder. Pull the yarn through. 3. Continue repeating step 6b until all of the bottom seams are sewn together. Cut the yarn ball off and knot the two ends of the yarn together.

1. Optional: Make a few spawning mop without the cork, and tie them to both the outside and the inside of the cylinder in order to attract baby fish. 2. To prevent the cylinder from floating, place gravel or rocks in the aquarium. The cylinder should be tall enough so that the top edge is out of the water and adults cannot jump over the walls.

How to Make Dean’s DIY Fry Trap

1. Gather the materials. As an Amazon Associate, we earn commissions from eligible purchases. Polyfoam caulk Saver Pond plant basket Scissors

1. Make sure the caulksaver is cut to the right size for the basket. 2. Reinforce the caulk saver by firmly pushing it into the basket rim. It shouldn’t fall out, but if desired, you can first line the basket rim with 100% silicon sealant to adhere it permanently. 3. Place the basket inside the fish tank. If you have a 10-gallon aquarium, you can place the basket on the tank’s rim. A larger aquarium can have the basket floating in the water.

DIY egg trap basket with pregnant females guppies inside

With your new fry trap, the number of fish you breed and raise should increase substantially, so consider selling the extras to your local fish store or directly to hobbyists. Learn more about how to breed aquarium fish for profit in our article How to Breed Aquarium Fish For Profit.