Gourami fry and water surface movement

[nanoinmiami]

Dear all,

I've read that water surface movement should be minimized if not altogether stopped after Gourami fry hatch. In other words, you should turn off filtration lest water surface movement impair the development of the labyrinth organ.

How long would you recommend that filtration be stopped for?

Thank you as always

 

[neoyyf]

I have noticed that you have not had any replies so i will do my best to answer you. However i have never kept gouramis so please keep this in mind.

Firstly i need to ask, is this an established tank? If so, turning off the filter will kill the beneficial bacteria that you have built up and it will cause the tank to be uncycled. Instead, try to point the direction of the fast flowing current towards a corner or side of glass. You still however need to make sure the water is circulating the entire tank so that the heat from the heater is evenly dispersed.

If it isnt, it may be better to have a large fry trap in your main tank which is furthest from the filter. Fry need clean water to survive. And doing daily water changes in an uncycled tank will really stress out the fragile babies.

In future i recommend setting up an air driven sponge filter and have it cycling to prepare for new fry. Breeders use this type of filter for the smallest and most sensitive of fry. You can set it up in your main tank and 2 months later move it to your fry tank. These types of filters can be easily made by yourself for little cost and are cheap to buy. The main cost is the air pump.

 

[Demeter32]

Hopefully you planned the spawn and they are in a tank on their own. Sponge filters are perfect for this as you can increase/decrease the water movement. To even further decrease surface movement you can add floating plants such as duckweed, wisteria or hornwort. This will also provide better water quality and micro organisms for the fry to feed off.

I do not recommend turning off all the filtration. You need some circulation to evenly heat the tank.

As for the development of the breathing labyrinth, you need to keep the air above the water humid and warm. You also don't really want the surface of the water to get that filmy thing or the fry won't be able to penetrate the surface to take in air.

 

[nanoinmiami]

I have noticed that you have not had any replies so i will do my best to answer you. However i have never kept gouramis so please keep this in mind.

Firstly i need to ask, is this an established tank? If so, turning off the filter will kill the beneficial bacteria that you have built up and it will cause the tank to be uncycled. Instead, try to point the direction of the fast flowing current towards a corner or side of glass. You still however need to make sure the water is circulating the entire tank so that the heat from the heater is evenly dispersed.

If it isnt, it may be better to have a large fry trap in your main tank which is furthest from the filter. Fry need clean water to survive. And doing daily water changes in an uncycled tank will really stress out the fragile babies.

In future i recommend setting up an air driven sponge filter and have it cycling to prepare for new fry. Breeders use this type of filter for the smallest and most sensitive of fry. You can set it up in your main tank and 2 months later move it to your fry tank. These types of filters can be easily made by yourself for little cost and are cheap to buy. The main cost is the air pump.

Thank you so very much to both, very sage advice.