Specialist online training · Aquaponics Revolution

Breeding Trout in Aquaponics

How to produce your own trout fingerlings at backyard scale, without depending on a hatchery every season.

9 video modules
From broodstock to first feeding
No commercial equipment
Instant access

30-day money-back guarantee.

Jonathan collecting eggs from a rainbow trout female in his backyard

Why trout don’t breed on their own

Trout will not breed naturally in a standard aquaponics system or a typical pond. Salmonids need very specific conditions to spawn: the right water temperature, light cues, precise timing, and careful handling of reproductive material. Without those conditions being created on purpose, nothing happens.

So however well you grow your fish, you stay dependent on a hatchery for your fingerlings every season. Supply can be limited, seasonal, or simply unavailable in your area. If fingerlings are scarce one year, your system sits empty.

Breeding trout at backyard scale is achievable. It takes specific knowledge, the right setup and careful timing — not industrial equipment, a commercial facility or a biology degree. This training walks you through the complete method, step by step.

The whole cycle, in a backyard

Photos from Jonathan’s own breeding seasons, from the first eggs to a net full of fingerlings.

Collecting eggs from a trout female — Collecting the eggs

Freshly collected trout eggs — Freshly collected eggs

Eyed trout eggs hatching — Eyed eggs, starting to hatch

Trout alevins with their yolk sac — Alevins on their yolk sac

A school of young trout fry — Fry, after first feeding

A net full of trout fingerlings — Fingerlings, ready to grow on

From a student

“I have attached pics of my holistic Aquaponics system, I am proud of how well it has developed thanks to your videos! I’ve also managed to breed some trout. I lost a lot during incubation stage, I have to refine that next time, but am happy to have 50 healthy fingerlings.”
— Graham, Australia · Holistic Aquaponics & Breeding Trout student

Graham has since helped his daughter build her own holistic aquaponics system.

What the training covers

9 video modules, from broodstock to first feeding.

1 · Broodstock managementCondition your broodstock before spawning, and build a practical holding setup for a small-scale operation.

2 · Incubator designThe principles of trout egg incubation, and how to build a working incubator for a backyard system, without commercial equipment.

3 · Spawning readinessThe visual and behavioural signs that tell you your fish are ready, so you collect gametes neither too early nor too late.

4 · Gamete harvestingHow to correctly strip eggs and milt, avoiding the handling errors that make beginners lose their fish or their eggs.

5 · FertilisationThe sequence, timing and handling details that decide whether fertilisation succeeds.

6 · Egg careWhat causes egg mortality during incubation and how to prevent it, including fungus management, without chemicals or expensive treatments.

7 · Embryo developmentA practical way to track fertilisation rate and embryo development, so you separate viable from non-viable eggs early.

8 · Fry developmentThe critical larval stages, including swim bladder inflation and first feeding, and how to improve survival through them.

9 · BonusA simple technique to breed a few fish without building an incubator — a good starting point for modest goals.

Watch the introduction

Is this training for you?

A good fit if…

You grow trout in aquaponics or a pond and want to stop buying fingerlings every season
You want a technically grounded introduction to salmonid reproduction
You are ready to follow a careful, step-by-step method and handle fish with care
You want to own more of your production cycle

Probably not for you if…

You want a casual overview with no plan to try it
You expect guaranteed biological results without careful work
You are looking for a commercial-scale hatchery method
You have never kept trout: start with Growing Trout

Your instructor

Jonathan Martinetto has spent his career at the crossroads of aquaculture, aquaponics and sustainable food production. He holds a Master’s degree in Food Science specialising in seafood and aquaculture, an aquaculture degree specialising in quality and environment, and a landscaping qualification specialising in ornamental pond design.

He founded Aquaponics Revolution (originally Melbourne Aquaponics) in 2013, wrote The Art of Aquaponics, and teaches aquaponics and landscaping. What he teaches here comes from fish he has raised himself, not from theory.

Master's degree in Food Science — Master’s degree, Food Science (seafood & aquaculture)

Aquaculture degree (quality & environment)

Landscaping qualification (ornamental pond design)

Breeding Trout in Aquaponics

$197 USD · one-time payment

9 video modules + introduction
The complete cycle, from broodstock to first feeding
Instant access right after payment
30-day money-back guarantee

Get instant access

Secure payment by Stripe (card, Apple Pay, Google Pay).
You go straight to your training after payment.

30-day money-back guarantee

If you work through the training and find it falls short of a serious standard of technical quality and practical usefulness, I will refund you in full within 30 days of purchase.

The guarantee covers the quality of the teaching, not biological results, which depend on your fish, your setup and how carefully you apply the method.

Questions

How do I access the training?

Right after payment you are taken to your training page, where all the videos are. Bookmark that page so you can come back to it anytime.

How long do I have access?

There is no expiry. Watch the modules as often as you need, especially during your first spawning season.

Do I need special equipment?

No commercial hatchery equipment. Module 2 shows you how to build a working incubator for a backyard system, and the bonus module shows a technique that needs no incubator at all.

Should I take Growing Trout first?

If you have never kept trout, yes: Growing Trout in Aquaponics covers their water needs, feeding and behaviour. Breeding builds on that knowledge.

The price is in US dollars. Can I pay from elsewhere?

Yes. Stripe accepts cards from most countries and converts the amount automatically.