Fry Help

[Meggie :)]

Hey everyone! So I just had a bunch of balloon molly fry born in my tank last night...(and yes, I do want to save them all! haha)...but there is something fishy going on in my main 10 gallon...It could be ich? Another external parasite? Maybe its stress? Maybe I just need to convert the water to brackish? (which I think I'm going to do)I don't know...anyway, I want to get those babies out of there just until I get my tank sorted out...

I just wanted to know if this setup was okay temporarily until I can move them back:

~I have an extra 10 gallon I can use, no lid, but I can cover it with a towel or something with a bit of an opening for air..
~I have an extra top fin 10 hang on the back filter that I can put in there...Should I put it in or can it do without if I do frequent water changes?
~I might have a bit of extra gravel, but could I just go without because this is so temporary?
~I can steal the heater out of by betta tank (He doesn't really need it anyway, I live in the desert...hah) but I'll keep a close eye on the temp anyway...The heater will keep the fry tank at about 76-68...I know it might be a bit chilly for them, but it's the best I can do. This one is not adjustable
~I can pop in a few fake silk plants that I have...I won't put any of my live floating plants in though because there won't be any light and I don't want them to all die off and make a mess..
~Should I fill up the tank all the way? If not, how much should I fill it?

Thank you!
Meg

Edit: I have the stuff to make a sponge filter, too if that's better...which one do you think would work better? (except for the bottle one I would us actual sponge filter media instead of a foam curler haha)

http/www.youtube.com/watch?v=5bVelE9Cu5c
http/www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Tsic7qoxMA

 

[fluttermoth]

I'd do the bottle one, as then you can put a bit of mature media from the filter in the main tank in there.

Personally I'd put some floating plants in and not cover the tank. Fry won't jump out, and the live plants give them something to feed on and help a bit with water quality.

Do as many water changes as you can, so they grow well and don't get stunted

 

[Meggie :)]

Thank you so much! would my java moss/elodea/hornwort die? (because those are my floating plants)...

And I just realized that the only bottle I have is a small container of betta food (without the food of course hah)...would that work you think? And if not, could I still use mature media for the other one?

And the only reason I would put a covering is because I have two cats...this tank is going to be in the laundry room...where their food and litter box is...I don't want the litter to fly around (like the dust cloud that comes up when they are in it)...plus, one of my cats is very curious.....haha

How much should I fill up the tank?

Thank you so much for your quick reply!
Meg

 

[Meggie :)]

And what is the best to feed them and how often? I have cory shrimp pellets, high protein flakes, umm sally's seaweed salad (like giant algae flakes), blood worms, brine shrimp..I've heard crushed up egg yolk is good?

What do you all suggest?

And if I put some live floating plants in there, would they die without light? They are java moss, hornwort, and elodea

Thanks!
Meg