Fry Fatality? Is This The Norm?

[totally tropical]

I have around 30-35 Platy fry in a separate tank (60 litre) from my main tank (300 litre). There are no other fish in the 60 litre tank other than Platy fry. I have been having around 1 fry fatality a week and it is always a fry that is around 3 weeks old - don't know if there is anything in that.

Anyhow, just wondered if the odd fatality is par for the course regardless of how well conditions are in a tank?

Am now keen to put the larger fry in the main tank (just over 4 weeks old). They will share the tank with 3 Platies and 5 Clown loach and 4 Bristlenose Plecs. I feel that they are now too big to be eaten - was going to put them in at a later date, but the fry fatalities are making me keener to switch them to the main tank asap.

Opinions please. Thank you.

 

[shelaghfishface]

how are you running the fry tank? filtered or reguar water changes, id say its part of the course but all the same its not nice, i have about 60 giant guppy fry and only lost 1 in the first week so i was thinking everything was going well, but lost another 3 days ago, survival of the fittest i think
4 weeks? are you sure theyll be big enough to avoid being eaten ?
test the water and we can go from there

 

[totally tropical]

how are you running the fry tank? filtered or reguar water changes, id say its part of the course but all the same its not nice, i have about 60 giant guppy fry and only lost 1 in the first week so i was thinking everything was going well, but lost another 3 days ago, survival of the fittest i think
4 weeks? are you sure theyll be big enough to avoid being eaten ?
test the water and we can go from there

Hi, I am running the tank via standard sponge/carbon filter - I have just done all the necessary water checks and everything is ok - I have being doing 20% water changes once a week. Can you confirm that this is ok and I am doing water changes regularly enough and at the correct volume?

Think you maybe right regarding 'survival of the fittest' - I suppose no matter how hard you try, it is inevitable that we will sadly have a few that don't make it

 

[Ludwig Venter]

Put 'em back in there with the bigger fish.... you will sacrifice a few, but once the bigger ones get used to the idea that smaller "things" are in the same tank.....the survival rate will increase.... I don't remove any fry due to this reason, & they just multiply endlessly....

 

[stiffler69]

Put 'em back in there with the bigger fish.... you will sacrifice a few, but once the bigger ones get used to the idea that smaller "things" are in the same tank.....the survival rate will increase.... I don't remove any fry due to this reason, & they just multiply endlessly....

Hes right my fry no longer get eaten i have a guppy/endler tank and the fry swim freely around with all the other fish i never see any adults chasning or feeding on them

 

[totally tropical]

Put 'em back in there with the bigger fish.... you will sacrifice a few, but once the bigger ones get used to the idea that smaller "things" are in the same tank.....the survival rate will increase.... I don't remove any fry due to this reason, & they just multiply endlessly....

Hes right my fry no longer get eaten i have a guppy/endler tank and the fry swim freely around with all the other fish i never see any adults chasning or feeding on them

Thank you so much - will certainly put this theory to the test.

 

[totally tropical]

Put 'em back in there with the bigger fish.... you will sacrifice a few, but once the bigger ones get used to the idea that smaller "things" are in the same tank.....the survival rate will increase.... I don't remove any fry due to this reason, & they just multiply endlessly....

Hes right my fry no longer get eaten i have a guppy/endler tank and the fry swim freely around with all the other fish i never see any adults chasning or feeding on them

Thank you so much - will certainly put this theory to the test.

Just to let you know, I placed 6 Platy fry in the main tank which were just over 4 weeks old and they are getting on famously with the rest of the other tank inhabitants. Ok they get chased at feeding time by the Clown Loaches but so do any other size fish!

 

[shelaghfishface]

great news