fry tank: gravel or no gravel?

[duendecillo]

I'm setting up a fry tank, is it best to use gravel or not?
Plants or not? ...
Lights needed?
all info is welcome!

 

[Aqua_Princess64]

Your fry tank should be a simple, gravelless tank with a few plants and a light. At least that's how I think it should be. Unless you have an undergravel filter. Then I recomend gravel.

 

[ruffmeister]

gravel is fine if you clean well when water changing, even better than no gravel as it makes the fry hunt for food before they get fed, also well planted for maximum airation then good light to bring their colour out too

 

[snowyangel]

I have fry bowls/tanks with gravel and without and I think it makes no difference just as long as they're equally cleaned/syphoned. Sometimes with the newborn fry they pefer some rocks at the bottom so they dart into the little spaces when they're scared but besides that you can choose what you want . I would also recommend having plants for the fry for some comfort and to also create an evironment which all fish prefer over a bare tank. Lot's of light would also be good for fry development .

 

[duendecillo]

okay, so I have my tank filled with gravel and water now
tomorrow I'm getting a filter and a heater
the only problem now is the light, I don't have one for the tank
I'll try to find a solution for that

something else then, stupid breeder trap, 2 of the fry were able to escape!! (don't ask me how) I was able to save one of them, but the other one has dissapeared

 

[snowyangel]

I have a 5 gallon fry tank without a hood and lights and all i use is a desk lamp(can buy at walmart for like $9 can) and it does the job good. I also use desk lamps for all my fry bowls. It's cheap and provides enough lights for the fry
If you have a tall tank, just put the lamp on a little stool or box to prop it up higher so its reaches over the top.

 

[duendecillo]

okay, thanx for the advice!

 

[Angry_Platy]

My platy fry can often be found hiding in the gaps between the gravel as snowy mentioned. I think that the closest the fry tank is to the main tank they will eventually be in the better.

Cheers

C

 

[duendecillo]

hey, thanx for all the advice
just another question now, seems you know a lot about platies
I have three of them in a bigger community tank, but I find it hard to see if one of them is pregnant. I've had them for over a month now, and they do look a bit fatter than in the beginning, but not incredibly fat
do you have pictures of pregnant platies?