Am I Overfeeding My Platy Fry?

[sussexgirl]

My platy fry live in my Aqua One 320 (28L) and are approx 7-8 weeks old. I noticed them and started fishing them out of my big tank on June 29th and continued to spot them over the next 4 days. I kept them in a breeder net for two weeks and then transfered them into the nursery tank. When they were 5 weeks old I went away on holiday. I put them back into my 130L community tank for the duration of my holiday because my fishsitter could only come in every two days and I thought there would be more for them to forrage on in between feedings in the bigger tank. I kept the small tank ticking over with a couple of platys. When I got back I changed them over again, the platys went into my big tank again and the fry back in the nursery tank. I took 15 out before I went away and put 17 back afterwards so we had another birth or two during my absence.

I'm still feeding my fry 4-6 times a day with liquifry, frozen foods and crushed up flake. My water levels had been spot on until today when my nitrate in the fry tank came out at 0.25, amonia 0.25 and Nitrate 20. Do you think that this is because I'm overfeeding them? How long should you continue to feed fry that often? I gave the tank a really good clean out last Friday before transferring them back into it but I treated the water and everything should have been ok. Any ideas?

 

[Egmel]

I gave the tank a really good clean out last Friday before transferring them back into it but I treated the water and everything should have been ok. Any ideas?

How thorough was your clean? Could you have removed some of you nitrifying bacteria and set off a mini-cycle? Do frequent water changes to get the nitrite and ammonia levels down and good luck with your fry

 

[LiveLifeGoJump]

I would suggest that you could stop the liquifry when they are over a couple of weeks old as by then they can handle crushed flake no probs. Up till then I use powere food for babies.

Mine like both dried & frozen bloodworm, dried tubiflex, frozen brine shrimp & daphnia one they are 2-3 weeks old (and it's fun watching them eat food that fights back [live bloodworm] ).

I tend not to feed them the first day after being born then for the first couple of week small amounts upto 6 times a day dropping to their normal 3 meals a day from week 4.

I don't know if what I'm doing is the 'right' thing or not but have only had 2 deaths out of approx 150 platty fry that were not down to being sucked into the filter.

Is your tank barebottomed as this makes cleaning up after meals far easier. Don't leave uneaten food lying on the bottom. If it's not all eaten in a few mins. then reduce the amount & increase the number of time per day if you are worried that they are not getting enough. Not feeding at all (or just one small meal) once a week doesn't harm them.

As for the extra 2, these could have been from a second batch where the rest got eaten while in the big tank. Remember they can give birth every 4 weeks or so.

Amonia & nitrite readings could be (as Egmel states) due to a mini cycle but could also be caused by over feeding.

As they survived in the main tank during your hols I would put those you intend to keep in the main tank, imo they grow fasted forraging in the main tank. The rest keep in the nursery tank till they are big enough to sell, pass on or whatever.

Good luck.

 

[sussexgirl]

I would suggest that you could stop the liquifry when they are over a couple of weeks old as by then they can handle crushed flake no probs. Up till then I use powere food for babies.

The liquifry that I've been feeding them is the 'liquifry plus' which is the powdered food. Should I stop feeding this or were you referring to the liquifry 1 & 2 foods that are liquid form?

I'm going to keep them all in my nursery tank because I don't want to keep any and risk any cross breeding. I've enjoyed having a batch of fry and raising them but it's not something that I want to keep doing, I think I'm going to leave it to survival of the fittest next time. Thanks for all your advice - Julie.

 

[voo]

What about adding a snail or two to the fry tank to eat up the left over food?

 

[LiveLifeGoJump]

The liquifry that I've been feeding them is the 'liquifry plus' which is the powdered food. Should I stop feeding this or were you referring to the liquifry 1 & 2 foods that are liquid form?

I was refering to the liquid but even so at 7-8 weeks they will be fine with lightly crushed adult flake, they can manage live bloodworm when younger than that & it's fun to watch their reactions when the food tries to escape!

I'm going to keep them all in my nursery tank because I don't want to keep any and risk any cross breeding. I've enjoyed having a batch of fry and raising them but it's not something that I want to keep doing, I think I'm going to leave it to survival of the fittest next time. Thanks for all your advice - Julie.

Crossbreeding or inbreeding?

Inbreeding is likely to happen (brother/sister or parent/offspring mating) & won't matter if they are in the main or nursery tank. Nature prevents most risks of crossbreeding (but it can still happen ie. swordtail/platty).

Only real way is seperating male from female as early as posible & not mix species that could crossbreed. Not too hard with 17 but with my 112 & upto100 more soon it's a different story .

What about adding a snail or two to the fry tank to eat up the left over food?

If Sussexgirl is lucky (or unlucky) she could end up with a few hundred snails .

 

[sussexgirl]

The liquifry that I've been feeding them is the 'liquifry plus' which is the powdered food. Should I stop feeding this or were you referring to the liquifry 1 & 2 foods that are liquid form?

I was refering to the liquid but even so at 7-8 weeks they will be fine with lightly crushed adult flake, they can manage live bloodworm when younger than that & it's fun to watch their reactions when the food tries to escape!

I'm going to keep them all in my nursery tank because I don't want to keep any and risk any cross breeding. I've enjoyed having a batch of fry and raising them but it's not something that I want to keep doing, I think I'm going to leave it to survival of the fittest next time. Thanks for all your advice - Julie.

Crossbreeding or inbreeding?

Inbreeding is likely to happen (brother/sister or parent/offspring mating) & won't matter if they are in the main or nursery tank. Nature prevents most risks of crossbreeding (but it can still happen ie. swordtail/platty).

Only real way is seperating male from female as early as posible & not mix species that could crossbreed. Not too hard with 17 but with my 112 & upto100 more soon it's a different story .

What about adding a snail or two to the fry tank to eat up the left over food?

If Sussexgirl is lucky (or unlucky) she could end up with a few hundred snails .

Sorry I meant inbreeding, there's nothing else in my tank that platies would try to mate with thankfully.
As for adding snails - God forbid! I'm riddled with snails as it is in both my tanks. Thanks for the suggestion though