Breeding Rams

[dirtydogg]

Well my rams are constantly producing babies in my community tank, after talking to the lfs they said that they would happily take any babies that I could produce. So I decided to give it a try. I have moved the other inhabitants into my new 55G since the rams had just laid eggs last night, hopefully after I get this batch out I can purchase a new home for them just to breed in.
Does anybody have any hints/tips/suggestions on how to make this a success?
This will be my first attempt at actually breeding fish and could use any advice I can get.

first question I have is about liquid fry food. I've read conflicting reports on this and wanted to see if anybody can give me a first hand synopsis of it. My original plan was to feed liquid fry food once they are hatched and free swimming until I could start to make out some of the features of the fish. Then I am going to switch to baby brine shrimp. Until they will start to accept pellets. Which should be about the time to take them to the lfs.
Second question, should I leave them with mommy and daddy or should I move them to another tank. I also have a ten gallon with sponge filter that I could move the fry to once they start swimming. After three attempts so far mom and dad did start eating the babies, but as far as I could tell they didn't start that until the tetra that where in the tank had depleted the population.

sorry for the long post, so many questions. . .

thanks in advance
DirtyDogg

 

[pnyklr3]

I would say to start off feeding the fry baby brine shrimp. Also, I have noticed that the parents will eat the babies if they feel there is too great a threat to try to keep them protected. I think that you should leave the parents in with the babies. They will actually round up the babies to keep them together, and help them find food.

 

[nightowl1350]

I have never raised blue rams, but from some other forums as far as I can tell the best first foods are microworms. If you have real plants in the tank there may also be infusoria in the tank....tiny microscopic creatures they can eat. I would stay away from the liquid fish food as it dirties the tank very fast and you could loose the pair. They can be dept with the hatched fry, but if you notice lost of snacking I would take them out. Good luck with the spawn.