DIY artificial incubator for Mouthbrooding species (making an egg-tumbler)
One of the problems faced in artifically incubating the eggs of mouth-brooding species (eg. Cardinal Fish, some freshwater cichlids) is how to provide a constant, yet gentle flow of oxygenated water to the eggs to keep them in constant movement. One method of achieving this is to create what is referred to as an egg tumbler (pictured below).
To create an egg tumbler, I use a 600mL plastic soft drink bottle. I cut out the bottom of the bottle and insert a coarse foam insert and push it all the way to the top of the bottle. Next, I get a plastic tube and insert it onto the top of the bottle and into this I put an airhose so that it is touching the foam insert in the bottle. Finally, I cut out another piece of coarse foam, strech a piece of stocking over it (on the top side) and then place this in the bottom of the bottle. This eill then form a cavity in the bottle, the bottom of which is lined with the fine stocking. To insert the eggs, simple remove the bottom "foam plug" and once they are inside, replace the "plug".
Once inside this set up, the eggs are secure from preditor and the incubator will not take up too much room in the display tank. Once the eggs are inside, start the airpump so that bubbles flow out of the top tube. This will cause water to be drawn up through the bottom sponge, and well result in the eggs being in constant motion.
To add to the ease of instalation, you can add suction cups as needed.
To create an egg tumbler, I use a 600mL plastic soft drink bottle. I cut out the bottom of the bottle and insert a coarse foam insert and push it all the way to the top of the bottle. Next, I get a plastic tube and insert it onto the top of the bottle and into this I put an airhose so that it is touching the foam insert in the bottle. Finally, I cut out another piece of coarse foam, strech a piece of stocking over it (on the top side) and then place this in the bottom of the bottle. This eill then form a cavity in the bottle, the bottom of which is lined with the fine stocking. To insert the eggs, simple remove the bottom "foam plug" and once they are inside, replace the "plug".
Once inside this set up, the eggs are secure from preditor and the incubator will not take up too much room in the display tank. Once the eggs are inside, start the airpump so that bubbles flow out of the top tube. This will cause water to be drawn up through the bottom sponge, and well result in the eggs being in constant motion.
To add to the ease of instalation, you can add suction cups as needed.