Bristlenose Fry...a Question!

[LoachLover!]

My two lovely bristlenoses have (which I didn't know about until I found the fry) have bred and now have lots of teeny fry around my 200L community.
 
They are around 1.5cm on average.
 
My rummies mouthes are too small to cause much harm to the fry, but my bleeding hearts are fully grown and have mouthes big enough to easily devour any of the fry.
 
I have a 25/30L spare tank and was thinking should I move them over to there?
 
I would probably have a small layer of substrate, some rocks from my community, I would move filter media from my 200L into there, so the tank would be pretty well established if you see what I mean.  Would that be a good idea, because I fear that they will soon all be eaten, and finding food in the tank is hard for them, plus the current is very strong.
 
If I were to set up another tank, would it be worth keeping it "bare bottomed" or putting substrate in there?  Should I do daily small PWCs and provide fresh veg every day?
 
 
I was thinking sweet potato, courgette, cucumber, lettuce (what type?) and not sure what else!
 
So, does this sound ok to move about 15 or so babies into until they're big enough to not be food!
 
Move them over to 25/30L tank which I will add established filter media and water from their large aquarium
Provide cover
Cover filter with thin layer to prevent fry from being sucked in
Feed veg/algae wafers daily
Do daily 30-40% PWCs due to veg 
When big enough, move some back to big tank and then sell when ready
 
Does that sound ok, or not?
 
 

 

[fluttermoth]

Sounds like a plan, with the proviso that, tbh, a 25/30l tank isn't big enough.
 
Even with daily 50% water changes you won't be able to keep the water quality up, and the nitrate/hormone levels down, enough for them to grow properly.
 
Get yourself a nice big plastic storage box from your local supermarket/DIY place and use that instead
 
I always use a very thin (more or less a single layer) of substrate in fry tanks.

 

[greenmumma141]

Congrats on the fry.  My bn's have paired up as well, which was a big surprise for me too  
 
I haven't been able to raise ay of the fry, I can't get to the little cave that Edward has chosen, so I can only save them when I find them high enough on the glass or someplace I can scoop them out. I have yet to have any survive, but I realized that the tank I kept moving them to did not have any wood in it. I also didn't try any fresh veggies. 
 
The bleeding hearts will most certainly eat them, and I've found that once fish know there is an abundance of fry in the tank, the hunt begins!!
 
If you think you should move them, I would! It's a cool process, sometimes sad, but I would go for it. Don't forot to add wood to the tank, and I would use a sand for the substrate.  Good luck!!!!

Whoops, I thought it was a 25/30 Gallon, sorry. I would agree that that's way too small, it'd be more work than it was worth   The bin is a good idea though, I'm going to remember that one.

 

[LoachLover!]

So literally just a plastic container, filled with water and then with a filter and heater?  I shall have a look!  Sounds like a good plan

 
What size would you say would be best?

Shall I get a breeding net to use until I have a storage container...not sure whether I'll be able to get one tomorrow

This? http/www.tesco.com/direct/45l-underbed-plastic-storage-box-with-lid-clear/208-6946.prd?pageLevel=&skuId=208-6946
 
Or... http/www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/8754815.htm

 

[betta fish]

The Tesco one is better than the Argos one, has a clear lid a bigger volume and is cheaper but personally I would take my chances and leave them where they are unless you can see them being actively hunted and eaten by your other fish? I've bred bristlenoses a few times and the fry always fared better when kept in the parent tank than when they were moved at least until they get a little bigger.

 

[LoachLover!]

Thanks for your help

 
I shall monitor and if I see them being hunted, I shall do something about it  

 

[fluttermoth]

So literally just a plastic container, filled with water and then with a filter and heater?  I shall have a look!  Sounds like a good plan

Yep, that's it. I really recommend all fishkeepers to have a couple. They make great quarantine/hospital tanks as well and, unlike a proper glass tank, there's no temptation to keep it set up for something else, lol!
 

What size would you say would be best?

As big as you can afford

 

Shall I get a breeding net to use until I have a storage container...not sure whether I'll be able to get one tomorrow

I wouldn't. Breeding nets don't get as much water circulation as you'd think and fry are very prone to pollution problems in them, IME. You could put them in the little tank for a day or two; keep up the water changes though; twice daily if you can, but use water from your main tank to be safe; fry are delicate.

 

[TwoTankAmin]

I can not count the number of bn fry I have started in 10 gal growout tanks in which I simultaneously grew out excess plants (floating). Water changes were 50% weekly. Once they hit an inch (2.5 cm) it becomes time to start spreading them around more.
 
I mostly use bare bottom tanks for plecos although I do now have 3 of 11 pleco tanks with sand bottoms. I have also used tanks with gravel on occasion. But these are not limited to bn as I keep a few other pleco species.
 
I have at least one sponge filter in all pleco growout tanks. I also use some hang on filters and their intakes are always sponged.
 
This is a 10 gal tank with lf bn:

 

[SarahR]

Why not temporarily move the Bleeding Hearts?  The fry will find food and do better in the larger tank.  It's also thought they need the bacteria from their parents waste.  Once they are bigger you can return the tetras.  
Of course, once Bristlenose start there is no stopping them.  Chances are there will be another spawn very soon.

 

[LoachLover!]

Unfortunately I don't have a tank big enough for the bleeding hearts to be moved to

 
Thankfully, as yet, the bleeding hearts are showing no interest whatsoever in the fry, which is fantastic!  One of the rummies did, but gave up when it realised it couldn't eat it!  They've managed to find a spot to hide down the side of my 3D BG, where no other fish can get them and they are scattered all around the glass and on my filter pipes too
 
One quick question, how fast should they grow?  I am thinking in terms of them being big enough to avoid the mouths of the bleeding hearts!
 
In a tank so big (for a little fish ), are they likely to find vegetables or algae wafers?  

 

[SarahR]

In a big tank as long as you do frequent and regular water changes they should grow fairly quickly.  I would think in 3-4 weeks they should be large enough not to get eaten.  If you haven't another good size tank I would definitely go with survival of the fittest, as I mentioned if you leave the pair together they will continue to churn out babies.  Sometimes males need to be separated to rest since they often don't eat much or at all when guarding a spawn.  
It sounds like you have a set-up that will enable a good number of fry to survive.  Adding more cover, especially things like driftwood and such will increase numbers. (They should have wood to rasp and eat in any case).  
Tuck foods like zucchini slices,  spinach, romaine, etc. in places they can feed unmolested- yes they will find food and you don't want it where it leaves them exposed while they eat because they eat constantly.  Algae wafers are taken also.  Putting the food in just before lights out helps too, though fry are not particularly nocturnal, they basically eat 24/7.
Good luck, these guys are fun and usually shops are happy to buy or trade something for them.  Make sure they are at least an inch before selling them, smaller ones tend to not do well.

 

[LoachLover!]

Thank you  
 
I will try some zucchini later today and see how they take to that.  Bleeding hearts still showing no interest

 

[greenmumma141]

All of this information was extremely useful to me as well. I'm hoping any new fry will do better, I have moved most of my fish to a friend's 125g and all I have left are my cories, my pictus, bolivians, and polka loaches in wth my bns..... Edward is guarding them as we speak! Hopefully this time will be more successful
 
Good luck LoachLover! (speaking of loaches, I just brought home my first hillstream loach! He's pretty cool hehe...)

 

[LoachLover!]

All of this information was extremely useful to me as well. I'm hoping any new fry will do better, I have moved most of my fish to a friend's 125g and all I have left are my cories, my pictus, bolivians, and polka loaches in wth my bns..... Edward is guarding them as we speak! Hopefully this time will be more successful

 
Good luck LoachLover! (speaking of loaches, I just brought home my first hillstream loach! He's pretty cool hehe...)

 
Good luck with your fry
 
My username is misleading -  I no longer have any loaches after having to rehome my aggressive zebra loaches...good job I did rehome them as I can guarantee they would've hunted down my fry!

 

[greenmumma141]

Yup, i doubt any fry stand a chance with my polka dots too.