Draining The Water

[Ludwig Venter]

Some of these babys are so minute (esp Betta fry), that even if I cover the end of the siphon hose with a silk stocking, they still manage to get through...

I put the submerged end of the hose through the cap of a plastic bottle - tight fitting (cut off the bottom) and cover the bottom with a silk stocking.

Any suggestions?? How do you do it??

 

[Colin_T]

I don't do water changes during the first week, after that I use a gravel cleaner and try to drain water from a section without too many fry in. Drain the water into a bucket and use a small measuring cup to return any fry that got taken out with the water.
Alternatively use an icecream bucket and scoop some water out.

 

[Tolak]

A large piece of filter sponge over the end diffuses flow, keeping fry from being sucked up. For cleaning the bottom of fry tanks I have a length of air line cable tied to a wood dowel. I adjust the siphon with my thumb over the end in the bucket. Very few fry end up in the bucket this way, and the bottom of the tank gets clean.

 

[TwoTankAmin31]

Its almost impossible never to suck up a few. No matter how small a hose one uses, fry manage to take the wild ride. Just be sure to syphon into a bucket and you can get them back out. I often use a turkey baster for that task.

 

[shelaghfishface]

use a jug, i have had to check every bucket full of water for fry when theres any i may catch, as 9/10 times i do