G.gouramie Babies New Pics.

[Miss Dib Dabs]

Ahhhh got the suprise of my life this morning. Was doing my normal feeding rounds of the various tanks this morning and saw something odd in the 35g. Both bubblenests at either end of the tank (There's two males in there and two females, or so it seems) were much smaller although the butch male is continueously rebuilding and very small moving dots. Stretching along the top front of the tank are literally hundreds of fry. None of them are trying to harm them in any way, including the females. I've never stopped feeding and even did a clean just a few days ago. They have got the remaining two baby synos and the b.n herded into one spot (The other two were moved out due to one male being over aggressive towards them) and they all seem to be acting as though they are the parents!
I would take pics but my camera is crappy so am gonna try and talk my Daddy into coming over this weekend and get some pics.
Am also gonna pick up a small spare tank today as a precaution and because it would be nice to raise some.
Hugs,
P.
Edit:Fish pics now added and resized here.
Queenie(Mummy)
Alien looking fry
Week old babe
Blurry fry.

 

[trevo878]

Awesome!

Good luck!!!

 

[demonmagus]

good luck raising the fry!!

 

[Miss Dib Dabs]

Thanks guys. Most of the fry have been herded back to one corner this evening by the female no less! The parents seem to be sharing the responsibility of the fry although I caught the male flirting with another female earlier. I did get in a spare breednet in, in case I do need to rescue any but for now they stay in the tank. Couldn't get a spare tank today. Have got yet another filter due tho.
Right now I'm more concerned about doing a tank clean without sucking up half the fry or upsetting the parents.
Hugs,
P.

 

[Miss Dib Dabs]

Okies, need a little advice now. They are mating again. In fact the male mated with two of the females today, which was fascinating to watch I must admit. But one of the females makes small bubble nests herself and guards her young fry! Surely this is somewhat unexpected?
I need to do a vacuum in the tank tomorrow but I'm worried about sucking up babies and disturbing the brooding fish. Anyone got any ideas? Advice really appreciated thank you.
Hugs,
P.
P.S:Have a mature filter I can use in a grow out tank thankfully. Just gotta get the tank now!

 

[sylvia]

First of all - are you 100% certain the 'female' blowing bubbles is a female? If it is, what you are describing is deffinately quite unusual but I am not all that suprised as females will sometimes build nests and it isn't impossible to think she'll start guarding her fry if there is no male to do it and chase her away.

Now I have to ask what it is you are proposing to do... how exactly are you planning to raise these fry? Normaly you'd need to have a tank set up especialy to spawn and raise the gouramies in. Power filters will suck up newly free-swimming fry and kill them, feeding the minute fry is difficult as you have to give them very small foods, catching them is also a nightmare if you ever have to do it in a decorated tank and most will get eaten as soon as they leave the bubblenest. Everything's fine while the fry are still in their nests but I don't know what it is you plan to do afterwards - considering you want a tank to raise them in (which you need ASAP) but don't appear to have foods to feed them yet.

As for changing water, if the bubblenests are to remain intact, skip the water change. As soon as the fry are free swimming you can do one. Just use a light-colored bucket to syphon the water into and you'll hopefuly be able to see any fry you also suck up and return them to the tank.

Obviously I don't know exactly what it is you have decided to do with the fry or how you are going to raise them but good luck anyway and please do ask if you need help - I'd love to see these fry grow up and this spawning be successful.

 

[Miss Dib Dabs]

No no. I HAVE free swimming fry being guarded by one female in the opposote end of the tank to the male. She also mated with him today, again. I had thought she was just a less developed male and looked more female but today prooved me wrong. NONE of the 4 gouramies in the tank are eating the fry at all. There is now the new nest full of eggs being tended to by the male up his end. There are two filters running, one either end. I am feeding them with appropriate food. The tank is capable of holding the fry currently but they will have to be moved out soon or the population explosion which seems imminent will cause a mini cycle in both filters.
The fry were TOTALLY unexpected, hence my first post. I immediatly acted on getting myself organised which is why I have things to hand (I had stuff as it is). The tank is the only thing I'm short of currently. But I can get one very locally at a push within the space of 24 hours. Not a major issue. I'm more worried about doing a clean of the tank which was put off already because of the new arrivals.
Hugs,
P.

 

[sylvia]

Oh I see. Well good luck! I'd be worried about that female eating the free swimming fry eventualy (so get that other tank!).

 

[Miss Dib Dabs]

Oh me oh my. Another batch of fry have hatched. These guys are just virulent! Fry tank setup now ready for the young to be transfered over thankfully. Tis a nice sized 25g with plenty of surface area. I haven't yet moved them over but shall be in the next few days. The first fry are doing well and have gotten used to my frequent visits. Often coming up for the food I put in for them. They are really quite bold considering their tiny size often hanging around my figers when I'm removing snails (mutters expletives about damn pesky snails ) The Malaysian Trumpet Snails have been breeding in the tank too and seen about day and night now. May have to shift some out if they get too virulent. Still, fry tank will need some.
All I can truly hope for is that the fry continue to grow and flourish once moved, which naturally worries me as a first time breeder. It's such a steep learning curve but so much fun and highly interesting too.
Hugs,
P.

 

[sylvia]

Good luck with them! As long as the new tank doesn't have a different water temp. or different water chemistry, I'm sure you'll be ble to raise the fry.

 

[Miss Dib Dabs]

Nipe, am being sure to do it in the exact same way as I do that one. In fact the way I do them all. The only difference is it's not a mature tank although am taking a mature filter to run it on so hopefully won't be too much of an issue. And the live plants of course aren't established like the other tank but, all being even on the water side here's hoping!
Hugs,
P.

 

[Miss Dib Dabs]

Update. Managed to move some of the fry successfully to their new tank yesterday and all are doing well. Have found it almost impossible to do water changes in the adult tank now without sucking up half a dozen fry and eggs. Still loads in with the adults but the new ladies in the tank have settled in quite well. Although not yet carrying eggs the males are letting them be and the queen is mostly leaving them alone. She is bigger then one of the males and quite capable of keeping both in check at will.
Pictures to be taken today of the adults and young so shall add them here hopefully this evening or tomorrow. Will continue to move the older fry when possible but they can't half shift and there's a great many hiding places. Even full grown adults can disappear without much problem. Still have one of the otos in there. Seemed the gouramies don't mind him after all despite killing the other two early on and he's doing very well.
Hugs,
P.

 

[Miss Dib Dabs]

Finally have some piccies!
Have posted them as urls so as not to cause too many probs for those on dial up.
Queenie. Mother of the young.
Week old fry.
Woah! Talk about detail!!
A little blurry but fry nevertheless.
There are way more fry then in those pics. My Dad had trouble seeing them let alone getting pics although those first two are great. Shall get some more once they've grown up a bit more and are a little easier to see.
Hugs,
P.
Edithoulda said, you can see another egg in the second fry pic from a second batch from her. Like I said, she really does produce eggs although once she's done she'll wait until the oncoming full moon approaches again. Helps her pace herself and the males don't seem bothered either.

 

[GuppyDude]

wow, very cool, they remind me alot of betta fry.

 

[Miss Dib Dabs]

They are very much alike at this age. But then they do come under the same heading of anabatids. Guess there has to be some similarities other then the obvious laberynth organ. Obviously this is before that has developed (I believe arounf 3 weeks old that is). So will try and aim for some pics around then.
Hugs,
P.
P.S:Are the pics too big? Only the ones I put up of my bettas were apparently enormous. )