Cycling Tank --- With Fry, Help!

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fishpeeps

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This is my first baby experience In my tank are 3 balloon molly and 2 cory
My 29G is still cycling. Ammonia is 0, Nitrites are 1 and Nitrates are 10. And my mollies are having babies.

Can anyone answer some questions?

1. Is it better to keep them in the 29 tank in a breeder trap or move them to a 1.5 G tank that would be fresh water, not cycled at all.
2. How do you tell if they are eating?
3. Is it better to have a bare bottom tank? Maybe with some plants?
4. If I put them in the new tank, how often would I change the water?
5. Is it ok if they don't have a light?
6. The 1.5 has a small inside box filter driven by an air pump. Could they be sucked into it?
7. Should I add Prime or cycle to the new tank?
8. would they eat off an algae wafer if I put that in, or maybe half of one?
9. Should I put salt into the fry tank?


One molly had 8 babies Saturday, kept them in the 29G for a few hours in a breeder box, then moved them to the 1.5 that had gravel from the big tank(probably made a mistake there since the big tank was not cycled) They swam around, but by the next day they all died.

I could not tell if they were eating the Hikari First bites that I put in there several times. How do you know?

Some seemed to be under a piece of gravel. I don't know if they were sucked down by the under gravel filter after they died or before and that is why they died. Anyway, I have a new 1.5 g tank with the small filter powered by an air pump.

I have 2 more molly that will drop within a week any day (I think) Should I put the one that is acting like she is closest into the new tank and keep regular water changes going since it, nor the big tank have finished cycling?

I don't have an option for a bigger fry tank, so plan on moving them back into the 29g. after they have doubled in size.

I plan on keeping the small filter from the 1.5 g tank in the big one after it has cycled, that is, in between fry batches. Does that sound reasonable. Will it help when in the future I have more baby and have to start up the 1.5 again?


a side question... Could I use the 1.5 for a medical tank, quarantine tank, when fry are not in it?


Thank you for any help you offer. I read the sticky posts and learned a lot, but mostly am trying to figure out the best way to go about this with a tank that is still cycling.
 
hello fish keep'r haha........na listen this is the way i did it simple and easy and cheap and works really well....i had a big fat preg molly mother i put her in my d.i.y 2 leter bottle of water she gave birth fine in there a few was dead from the birth but i had 39 good ones. i used about 30 fry as food seen as i would have no space for them i have 4 strong healthy baby fry now in the main tank as they are to big to be eaten the other 5 just die coz they where to wake to live '' only he strong will live '' ill upload some pics for you to get ur head around it
100_0874.jpg

100_0897.jpg


if you would like to see how big they are now and happy let me know and ill take some pics and put them up thanks.

food wise i got a food calles first bits from ......let me just show u easy'r
just a little a day and they really grow fast with this stuff.
hikari20first20bites2010g_350.jpg


let me know how ur geting on would like to help more. thanks :good:
 
To be honest, I wouldn't use a breeder. I would let her have a natural birth. As for the bottle method, I've heard it can be very successful, but can be a right hasle having to change the water in it everyday. The ammonia will build up quickly in the bottle, so be wary if you decide to use it.

as for the "cycle" thing you mentioned, is it that Nutrafin stuff? If so don't bother. Cycle is completely dreadful. It clouds up the water and doesn't provide any useful bacteria.
 
1. Is it better to keep them in the 29 tank in a breeder trap or move them to a 1.5 G tank that would be fresh water, not cycled at all.

if you are talking about the babies i would move them to the 1.5 gallon tank, i have about 30 fry of all ages in mine and i haven't lost any yet! ps i wouldnt put gravel in as it is a pain to clean with little fry!

2. How do you tell if they are eating?

if you have a bare bottomed tank you can easily see if they are eating, i just fed mine crushed flake food, though Im sure its not the best...

3. Is it better to have a bare bottom tank? Maybe with some plants?

as above, bare bottomed! i don't have any plants but i did i just floated some plants at the top and they seemed to hang out in it =]

4. If I put them in the new tank, how often would I change the water?

I do mine once a week full 100% because i don't have a filter...but im not totally sure in your case

5. Is it ok if they don't have a light?

indeed if you don't have plants, if not they will rot!

6. The 1.5 has a small inside box filter driven by an air pump. Could they be sucked into it?

if you feel they can use some pantyhose/tights [depending on where you live!] over the intake, pull it tight and use an eleastic band

7. Should I add Prime or cycle to the new tank?

Im sure they will be fine without!

8. would they eat off an algae wafer if I put that in, or maybe half of one?

my adult guppies eat wafers, you can only try! vegetable matetr is good for mollies, but they dont half make a mess of no one eats it!

9. Should I put salt into the fry tank?

i heard mollies like salt but i can't really say if you should put any in yet


If im wrong im sure someone more knowledgeable will be along!

Hope i helped and good luck
 

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