Tropical Fish Forum

Tropical Fish Keeping Help and Advice => The Emergency Room => Topic started by: daniel_james_taylor on July 05, 2013, 05:16:40 PM

Title: Very unexpected babies!
Post by: daniel_james_taylor on July 05, 2013, 05:16:40 PM

Hi All,

I have a 200L aquarium set up and running (if you have seen it in the gallery its the Eco 200 project).Anyway my Buenos Aires Tetras were originally in a smaller tank in the kitchen. I moved them out into the new 200L tank to cycle the tank. They are about 8years old :)

What I didn't realise was how much damage they do to plants! I put in some Pogostemon helferi and Alternanthera cardinalis which both got mostly eaten. Now I had left the tank in the kitchen still running with filter and a huge amount of snails and too my frustration algae as well. I moved the battered plants out and put them in the kitchen tank around mid June.

So this morning I am looking at the poor plants and realise there are two healthy fry (silvery colour) swimming around! I really dont want to kill them off so advice on food etc please! I didn't even know I had a female tetra. :)

Title: Re: Very unexpected babies!
Post by: Resa on July 05, 2013, 06:02:44 PM

Hi DJT,

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

With my baby platys, I just crumbled up in to tiny pieces the normal flake food...both the algae flakes and the normal stuff. They have been absolutely fine and have thrived, but there is probably a dedicated fry food available.

Good Luck!

Title: Re: Very unexpected babies!
Post by: Sue on July 06, 2013, 01:03:43 PM

It depends on how big the fry are. Newly hatched fry from egg layers are usually very small. If you moved the plants in mid June, they should be around 3 weels old by now, and have presumably been feeding on micro-organisms on the plants. Things like microworms (you would need to buy a starter culture) and baby brine shrimp (you would need to hatch some) are good for fry. I have read of people buying frozen baby brine shrimp but I have never noticed it in any of my shops. I have something that looks like red dust which I bought as fry food - I have an idea it might be decapsulated brine shrimp eggs. If you use powdered food, it will need to be ground up really small.

Title: Re: Very unexpected babies!
Post by: daniel_james_taylor on July 06, 2013, 03:35:09 PM

Thanks for the info :)

I have just got back from my local MHA, they pointed me in the direction of Liquifry, I hope this is ok for them ?

Title: Re: Very unexpected babies!
Post by: Sue on July 06, 2013, 04:25:55 PM

I've used that in the past and it's OK. One tip I will give you - put the drops in a small tub and add a bit of tankwater. Stir it up then add it. If you add the drops straight to the tank they stick together in a big clump and fall to the bottom of the tank.