I have fry!

[missdiane]

HI FOLKS
I'M PROUD TO SAY I WAS FINALLY ABLE TO RESCUE 3 PLATY FRY FROM THE MAIN TANK BEFORE THEY WERE EATEN. I KNOW THERE ARE AT LEAST 3 OTHERS - LAST SEEN IN THE BUSHES, BUT THESE GUYS ARE SAFE & GROWING. I MOVED THEM WITHIN HOURS OF BIRTH FVE DAYS AGO & PLACED THEM IN THE FLOATING BREEDER IN MY MAIN TANK. I HAVE SOME ANACHARIS AND PART OF A CATAPPA LEAF IN WITH THEM. I WAS ALSO ABLE TO FIT AIR TUBING THROUGH THE HOLE IN THE BREEDER TOP SO I COULD ADD AN AIRSTONE FOR EXTRA CIRCULATION. I'VE HEARD THAT THEIR LITTLE TUMMIES EMPTY QUICKLY SO I'VE BEEN FEEDING SMALL AMOUNTS 4 TIMES PER DAY, PLUS THERE IS INFUSORIA ON THE LEAF & PLANTS FOR THEM TO NIBBLE. I TRIED SOME BABY BRINE SHRIMP, BUT THEIR MOUTHS ARE TOO SMALL FOR THEM SO THIS MORNING THEY HAD A BIT OF HARD BOILED EGG YOLK (YUMMY), THEN GROUND OMEGA ONE FLAKES FOR LUNCH, AND GROUND SPIRULINA FLAKES FOR DINNER. I LEAVE THE FOOD IN FOR ABOUT AN HOUR, THEN LIFT THE BREEDER SLIGHTLY TO FRESHEN THE WATER & CLEAN THE BOTTOM WITH A TURKEY BASTER. AT THE END OF THE DAY, I GENTLY LIFT THE BREEDER TO REMOVE ABOUT 90% OF THE WATER & REPLACE WITH FRESH TANK WATER
YES, I'M A GEEK!
I HAVE A QUESTION. I UNDERSTAND THAT THE FRY NEED ABOUT 2 MONTHS GROWING TIME BEFORE RETURNING TO THE MAIN TANK.... I HAVE A 1 GALLON BOWL THAT I NORMALLY USE FOR QUARANTINE OR MEDICATED BATHS, ETC. I HAVE A SMALL FILLTER AS WELL. THIS TANK HAS NOT BEEN SET UP SO WOULD I NEED TO CYCLE IT BEFORE PLACING THE FRY THERE? WHICH WOULD BE LESS STRESSFUL FOR THE FRY - TO REMAIN IN THE SMALL BREEDER FOR 2 MONTHS, OR MOVE TO THE 1 GALLON AFTER A FEW WEEKS? I'VE PLACED A PIECE OF FOAM MEDIA IN THE FILTER OF MY 20 GALLON IN CASE I NEED SEEDING MATERIAL. IF I NEED TO CYCLE THE 1 GALLON, SHOULD I START IT NOW & PUT THE FRY IN IN ABOUT A MONTH?
I'M ABSOLUTELY A DOTING FISH GRANDMA & DON'T WANT TO LOSE THEM.
THANKS FOR ADVICE!

[devonjohnsgard]

Jun 17, 2014 23:09:40 GMT -5 missdiane said:

HI FOLKS
I'M PROUD TO SAY I WAS FINALLY ABLE TO RESCUE 3 PLATY FRY FROM THE MAIN TANK BEFORE THEY WERE EATEN. I KNOW THERE ARE AT LEAST 3 OTHERS - LAST SEEN IN THE BUSHES, BUT THESE GUYS ARE SAFE & GROWING. I MOVED THEM WITHIN HOURS OF BIRTH FVE DAYS AGO & PLACED THEM IN THE FLOATING BREEDER IN MY MAIN TANK. I HAVE SOME ANACHARIS AND PART OF A CATAPPA LEAF IN WITH THEM. I WAS ALSO ABLE TO FIT AIR TUBING THROUGH THE HOLE IN THE BREEDER TOP SO I COULD ADD AN AIRSTONE FOR EXTRA CIRCULATION. I'VE HEARD THAT THEIR LITTLE TUMMIES EMPTY QUICKLY SO I'VE BEEN FEEDING SMALL AMOUNTS 4 TIMES PER DAY, PLUS THERE IS INFUSORIA ON THE LEAF & PLANTS FOR THEM TO NIBBLE. I TRIED SOME BABY BRINE SHRIMP, BUT THEIR MOUTHS ARE TOO SMALL FOR THEM SO THIS MORNING THEY HAD A BIT OF HARD BOILED EGG YOLK (YUMMY), THEN GROUND OMEGA ONE FLAKES FOR LUNCH, AND GROUND SPIRULINA FLAKES FOR DINNER. I LEAVE THE FOOD IN FOR ABOUT AN HOUR, THEN LIFT THE BREEDER SLIGHTLY TO FRESHEN THE WATER & CLEAN THE BOTTOM WITH A TURKEY BASTER. AT THE END OF THE DAY, I GENTLY LIFT THE BREEDER TO REMOVE ABOUT 90% OF THE WATER & REPLACE WITH FRESH TANK WATER
YES, I'M A GEEK!
I HAVE A QUESTION. I UNDERSTAND THAT THE FRY NEED ABOUT 2 MONTHS GROWING TIME BEFORE RETURNING TO THE MAIN TANK.... I HAVE A 1 GALLON BOWL THAT I NORMALLY USE FOR QUARANTINE OR MEDICATED BATHS, ETC. I HAVE A SMALL FILLTER AS WELL. THIS TANK HAS NOT BEEN SET UP SO WOULD I NEED TO CYCLE IT BEFORE PLACING THE FRY THERE? WHICH WOULD BE LESS STRESSFUL FOR THE FRY - TO REMAIN IN THE SMALL BREEDER FOR 2 MONTHS, OR MOVE TO THE 1 GALLON AFTER A FEW WEEKS? I'VE PLACED A PIECE OF FOAM MEDIA IN THE FILTER OF MY 20 GALLON IN CASE I NEED SEEDING MATERIAL. IF I NEED TO CYCLE THE 1 GALLON, SHOULD I START IT NOW & PUT THE FRY IN IN ABOUT A MONTH?
I'M ABSOLUTELY A DOTING FISH GRANDMA & DON'T WANT TO LOSE THEM.
THANKS FOR ADVICE!

The 1 gallon would be better than a small breeder. Where ever they do, it does have a to a cycled tank. I would say they need some time before going into the main tank too. Any fish that is small enough to go into another fishs mouth, is at risk. I have a fish that just cases small size around for fun and had some die from it. If the fry are safe, I would say you could leave them were their at.

[missdiane]

ok.... so I understand that the 1 gallon would be better, but my question is HOW should I go about cycling it? When using as a hospital or quarantine tank, I don't go through the whole cycling process first - I just put some of the other tank water in and that's it. Must I cycle for a month or what?

[Carl]

ok.... so I understand that the 1 gallon would be better, but my question is HOW should I go about cycling it? When using as a hospital or quarantine tank, I don't go through the whole cycling process first - I just put some of the other tank water in and that's it. Must I cycle for a month or what?

Since you have a healthy established aquarium, all you need is season filter media, even gravel from the top layers contains nitrifying bacteria (although not as much unless in an aquarium with an undergravel filter).
This way there is no one month cycling process.
Put another way, not all cycling processes are created equal, and this adds to the confusion IMO since essentially with enough aged seasoned filter media you can go from nothing to a fully capable cycled aquarium over night. The key is how much season media is used.

From my Nitrogen Cycle article (season Filter media section):
"My preferred cycling method is to transfer filter media.
Sponges work well as Autotrophic nitrifying bacteria tend to cling to sponge media in high quantities and sponge media is easily transferred, although floss, ceramic media, volcanic rock, etc. are also fine from an established aquarium and possibly along with some gravel, then introduce the fish SLOWLY after 3-7 days.

The method of adding “aged” or "seasoned" media is much faster (you still have to take it slow, but this with this method some fish can and should be introduced immediately), and provides all the necessary bacteria, the only negative is adding disease pathogens to your aquarium, but I have rarely encountered this problem. To prevent this transfer of disease pathogens and parasites, only use a media source where no new fish have been added in 30 days, ALL water parameters are good, and if possible has UV Sterilization (although not necessary).

It is also important to note with this method that you do not rinse filter media/gravel prior to addition to the new tank (especially not with tap water which can kill the nitrifying bacteria). It is important to NOT rinse so as retain some of the organics necessary to “feed” the bacteria, especially while fish are not present. It should also be noted that true Autotrophic nitrifying bacteria secrete a glue like substance (as noted elsewhere in this article) that allow the bacteria to cling to filter media/surfaces, so merely squeezing sponges or similar will NOT add many of these bacteria to your aquarium.
If fish are not added before 3-7 days, I suggest adding a small amount of fish food to feed your growing bacterial colonies. I will also note that the 3-7 days seems a bit vague, however this can vary due to temperature, amount of bacterial seed, and other factors, so I would not be overly concerned about the exact timing as I have added fish as soon as 2 days and as long as over a week with no problems."

Reference:
www.americanaquariumproducts.com/Nitrogen_Cycle.html#seasoned

Carl

[missdiane]

thanks - I kept looking for the site article, but couldn't find it! Carl, WHY is it that tiny fry can't remain in the breeder box floating in the main tank - provided the breeder is cleaned often?

[missdiane]

thanks - I kept looking for the site article, but couldn't find it! Carl, WHY is it that tiny fry can't remain in the breeder box floating in the main tank - provided the breeder is cleaned often?

[devonjohnsgard]

Jun 20, 2014 17:00:03 GMT -5 missdiane said:

thanks - I kept looking for the site article, but couldn't find it! Carl, WHY is it that tiny fry can't remain in the breeder box floating in the main tank - provided the breeder is cleaned often?

I'm thinking that Carl was just thinking that more size would be better and just trying to help get it cycled. I was thinking the breeder box didn't have openings too, so you would be putting new water in it. That's why I was thinking about cycled water too. I'm sure they would be fine in the box for a little while. Some fish live a lot longer in containers.

Doing the water change everyday would be something else stressful for the fish, but it's not to much and not for too long.

[missdiane]

thanks devonjohnsgard! babies growing like crazy - don't seemed stressed at all, very lively & immediately come to the top looking for food when I remove the top

[parker002]

Just make sure your breeder box has sufficient water flow and they should be fine for a while. We used mesh breeder boxes with our livebearers and they provide adequate circulation for a while but tend to get clogged with gunk and algae, just like a sponge filter.

[missdiane]

sounds silly.......but the fry are playing now, very entertaining. they're eating like pigs and have taken on deep gold & bright yellow color though not yet 2 weeks old. the breeder floats right in front of the out flow & has its own airstone for extra circulation - live plants are also helping. All seem happy.
Meanwhile I moved my 1 male platy to my 10 gallon (where the zebra loach boys live) and he's not so happy. He isn't hiding now, but they took quite a chunk out of his tail - guess it wasn't my wisest decision but the girl platies really need a break from big papa!

[devonjohnsgard]

Jun 25, 2014 16:47:06 GMT -5 missdiane said:

sounds silly.......but the fry are playing now, very entertaining. they're eating like pigs and have taken on deep gold & bright yellow color though not yet 2 weeks old. the breeder floats right in front of the out flow & has its own airstone for extra circulation - live plants are also helping. All seem happy.
Meanwhile I moved my 1 male platy to my 10 gallon (where the zebra loach boys live) and he's not so happy. He isn't hiding now, but they took quite a chunk out of his tail - guess it wasn't my wisest decision but the girl platies really need a break from big papa!

Growing up fast. I'm glad there doing good in the breeder box. Soon they'll be playing in the display tank

[parker002]

Are you planning on separating babies like this every time? If so, GOOD LUCK!!!