I am buy no means an expert on fatheads but if I were to guess the answer to your question is yes, Getting anything to spawn in a captive environment is tough trust me I have tried it with other fish, (mostly aquarium fish) short of guppys and mollies everything else seems to be tough, If you want to put the time in it I would say go for it One thing though you have to watch I know other fish will eat there own when born SO you will have to invest in a breeding cage and as the fish appear t be going to do there thing you will have to seperate them. Do you know if fatheads are born live or eggs straight out of the fish? I would also say since you put them in a aquarium and they all died that your not off to a very good start. I would do some research maybe you tempeture of your water was wrong or you put to many in too fast try it again and put in 1 fish per 10 gallon let them sit for a couple weeks see what happens. Another thing what temp. do they spawn at or does it matter? If its like a bass can you get the water temp. down to that level? If you keeo them inside you can only get it a cool as the house. I would say it would be easier to buy em ay 6.50 a pound. probably cheaper to. One more thing If you have not been home for three weeks how would you find the time to babysit them? Leave it up to the wife?