# A plastic canvas "net" breeder



## Julie's Julies (Jun 11, 2007)

Has anyone made a fish net breeder from plastic canvas (the art/craft perforated plastic stuff)? It would hold its shape, allows plenty of water circulation, plus it would allow uneaten food and fish waste to fall through the bottom to the floor of the tank itself where it could be vacuumed out. Just wondering.


----------



## herefishy (Dec 14, 2006)

How would it protect the babies?


----------



## Julie's Julies (Jun 11, 2007)

The plastic canvas is similar to a screen - the square perforations are too small for the adults to get to the babies and for the babies to get to the adults. It is just a rigid plastic net instead of a soft one. It would just be a ton cheaper than buying the actual breeding net - plus you can create it to be any length, width, and height to fit whatever shape/size of tank you have.


----------



## Amphitrite (Sep 8, 2006)

I've heard of people making their own breeding nets before, and I'm assuming that they have used similar material to the kind you're talking about. I can't see any problems with it - just be sure to give the mesh a good soak before using. 

Out of interest, would you be using some sort of a frame with it?


----------



## Julie's Julies (Jun 11, 2007)

No, the plastic canvas is ridgid on its own, so no frame would be needed. I will make one and take pictures and then post them...hopefully soon!


----------



## fish_4_all (Nov 13, 2006)

I use plastic canvas all the time for breeders, baby nets, snail nets, snail traps, and as a floating "platform" for my floating HC. The babies can go right through the bottom if you want tem to drop into the tank and can be used as a top layer for a rearing tank when oyu have a female ready to pop. You can fashion a medium sized holding pen for the mother that is 1/8 -1/4 of the size of the tank and put the female in there os she can have the babies right into the the holding tank. 

I keep plastic canvas on hand at all time for a lot of things.


----------



## AnotherSusan (Jul 13, 2007)

*Plastic canvas*

The plastic canvas comes in several different sizes. They are measured in number of holes to the inch. The counts are 5, 7, 10, and 14 holes to the inch. I use the 14 on the ends of my filter tubes. I sew the tube up with waxed dental floss. On the 14 count use a small needle and overlap the canvas. Do not pull hard as it breaks fairly easily. I squash the bottom of the tube closed and sew across. I put a net under it when I want to change it as the gunk falls off fairly readily when removed from the suction. I rinse it out in tap water as I want the holes cleaned out and not gunked with bacteria. I use a toothbrush to get the tough stuff off. If you don't have babies to worry about you can use a 5 or 7 mesh. For the breeder net use the 14 for the sides and bottom. Use dental floss to make a grid from side to side and front to back. Just enough grid to support a shelf. Make the shelf from the 5 or 7 mesh and set on the floss grid. Babies can fall through to the bottom and the mother can't get them.


----------



## Neonesf (Aug 5, 2007)

A simple way to keep your babies inside is to use plastic window screen on the outside of the plastic canvas, and sew the whole thing together with fine fishing line. :shock:


----------

