Tropical Fish Forum
Tropical Fish Keeping Help and Advice => Fish Food and Feeding => Topic started by: Extreme_One on February 25, 2016, 06:07:07 PM
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Over been feeding my baby Apistos with BBS, and am now noticing quite a few Hydra on the glass. I've removed the Hydra I can see. I plan doing this daily.
The fry are 9 days old now and must have doubled in size since the first day.
Any advice would be appreciated ...
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Hydra usually comes in with live food, or possibly on plants. They are usually quite harmless to fish except fry. They are small enough to be caught by the hydra.
Wormer plus kills hydra; and snails. But it is not a chemical to use lightly. If you can control it by not over feeding the fry and physical remove, that is better.
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Thanks Sue.
It's interesting because I haven't added anything new to the tank other than the BBS.
Before the BBS were added, for about 5 or 6 weeks, there were no Hydra present (that I could see).
In my research I've noticed that Hydra particularly enjoy live food and Baby Brine Shrimp will encourage their proliferation.
Perhaps they were always there but have 'bloomed' since the BBS were added.
I think I'll buy some 'wormer' and us a half dose at first and continue removing the Hydra manually, and then increase the dose if I need to.
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You can get Kusuri wormer plus from Ebay and direct from Plymouth Discus, though I could only find the tortoise version on Amazon. It is a powder and you won't need much for a small tank, the smallest pack will be more than enough.
The chemical usually recommended for killing hydra is fenbendazole but I can't find anything in the UK which contains that. KWP contains flubendazole, and I know that kills hydra as I used it myself for doing just that a few years ago. That's how I know it also kills snails.
You can also culture microworms for the fry or even feed decapsulated brine shrimp eggs.
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I found a product with fenbendazole but it was large tablets and i didn't fancy breaking them to dose the small tank.
Ended up buying eSHa Gastropex which is sold as a 'snail treatment' but it does mention the fact that it 'combats' Hydra.
I've read on other forums people mention that they use it to kill Hydra in shrimp tanks as it's shrimp-safe.
The fry are growing so fast I expect they should take crushed pellet crumb soon and so wont need the BBS.
I didn't realise they would eat the bribe shrimp eggs though, that is interesting!
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It's decapsulated brine shrimp eggs. They are a red powder. I've used them - mix with a bit of water then use a turkey baster to put them in front of the fry.
But once they reach a size big enough to physically fit it into their mouths, yes use ground up adult apisto food. I bought a cheap pestle and mortar for grinding food up as I have had some very small fish in the past.
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It's decapsulated brine shrimp eggs.
Thanks for clarifying, I did miss that bit.
I noticed some in a shop I visit infrequently and they seemed very reasonably priced.
I presume other small fish like CPDs would take them. Considering my other fish, including the biggest Tiger Barbs eat the BBS so I see no reason why they all wouldn't take the decapsulated Brine shrimp eggs too.
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These decapsulated eggs are very tiny, they are a bit like red talc. Small fish would doubtless relish them but anything bigger than about an inch would probably dismiss them on sight.
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Thanks again Sue
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How are the babies getting on Simon?
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They seem to be thriving. :D
I still haven't been able to count them, but there must be about 25 or so.
They're about 1cm long now. Can't yet tell what sex they are.
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Any chance of a vid please? I'd love to see them.
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Yes, video or pics, please.
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Quick update:
Motherhood officially ended for The Duchess today!
I had glanced over at the breeding tank and saw her attacking one of her offspring. I can't be sure but I think she killed and ate one of the smaller babies. :yikes:
She's back in the main tank now and I'm monitoring her after a fairly stressful relocation.
The remaining babies are doing well.
The largest are roughly quarter the size of the adult female and there are two or three that are half the size of the biggest ones.
Judging by their growth rate I reckon they'll be with me for another two or three weeks.
They're eating crushed flake and pellet.
Every time I try and count them I arrive at a different figure. Somewhere between 15 and 19 remain.
Not sure about sexes yet, they're still indistinguishable although it's tempting to presume the larger ones are male and the smallest are female.
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Any chance of photos or a vid Simon? Its been a while since we've seen them
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Will do Fiona, I'll record a little video in a couple of days when things have calmed down a bit.
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Much obliged! :)
I made a video of my tank the other day using my son's phone, I was going to email it to you. My twit of a son however sent me the wrong video and deleted the right one so I'll have to do another. I'd managed to catch the stiphs, threadfins and celebes displaying like loons and the cories doing their thing too, I've no idea why they were all at it at the same time, must be something in the water ;) it was interesting to watch. The shrimps, apple snails and rummynose were also making frequent guest appearances. Fingers crossed they do it again sometime and I can catch it.
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Shame, I'd have loved to have seen that.
I'll be happy to help with any video in future though. :cheers:
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Ta Simon. :cheers:
I really need to learn how to download stuff to my lappy.
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Motherhood officially ended for The Duchess today!
Thanks for the interesting update, Simon; had been wondering how they were getting on.
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I have read that once the babies get big enough they'll be seen as rivals by the parents. It sounds like that's what has happened with the Duchess.
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I had assumed that to be the case Sue. It makes sense.
Whilst it was a bit shocking to witness, it's only natural really.
In the wild the young would naturally separate from the mother, inhabit new territories and the cycle would start over.
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#Invalid YouTube Link include https#
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Oh, how I do enjoy your videos. :cheers:
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Thanks for the video, it had the full cute factor and made me smile. ;D
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the full cute factor and made me smile.
Me too, I'm sitting here with a big grin on my face. Thank you Simon, they look so big compared to the last time :)
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Looks like all your hard work has paid off.
I have enjoyed following their story from first getting their parents, to several false starts (egg eating mysteries), setting up the nursery tank, getting the fish into the tank and up dates on their progress. Plus all the photos and videos.
Thanks
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I've returned from a trip to the LFS where I exchanged the 19 (or 20) juvenile Apistogramma Agassiz for £25 store credit.
I promptly exchanged £20 of credit for a blue/green Tiger Barb, four Otos and two Yamato Shrimp.
All are now happily exploring the quarantine tank (ex Apisto nursery)
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Nice swap. 8)
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Great news, Simon. :fishy1:
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Sounds like you did some good business there Simon, well done! :cheers: