Honey Gouramis -What Is Missing?

[SouthernCross]

Ok so I noticed I had another batch tonight so I slid a small Tupperware container in under the bubble nest and managed to suck in probably about a hundred fry! The container is probably about 10 x 10cm and it's bouyant enough to float in the tank without risk of escape. I have put a piece of hygrophila in there that hopefully has some microscopic nibbles on it and also some duckweed for cover and to help soak up any nitrates they are making. Also put some crushed flake in too, not sure how keen they are on it.

I used the container instead of a net trap cos my LFS said because honey gourami are so tiny they often crush themselves in a net trap and a plastic container with water changes would be best.
I am keen to see if I can grow up some of these little guys! I plan to change the water using some airline tubing everyday. Anything else I should be doing? How long should I expect it to take for them to look like fish and not tadpoles?

So exciting! Would something like liquifry be more ideal than crushed flake?

 

[looking-glass]

well done on the fry feed liquifry and baby brine shrimp - his nests might improve with the next batch of eggs

 

[SouthernCross]

Oh his nests are definitely a lot better and that's how I was able to scoop up this lot - I pretty much scooped up his nest which disintegrated in the container but now the fry are safe from the cardinal tetras in the tank. Poor Dad though, I think he was a bit upset that I took his babies away!

How much/how often should I be feeding them?

This is how they are looking at the moment in the container. I usually have a glass lid over the top to keep the humidity in but is off for the pic obviously.



Fry!

 

[looking-glass]

id feed them small amounts around 2 - 3 times a day  

 

[SouthernCross]

I have gotten NLS fry starter and also some frozen daphnia.

 

[DreamertK]

Awesome job!

Remember to do a bunch of WC's as well!

 

[SouthernCross]

So. All the babies in the container died. I think I traumatised them all during the water change, to be perfectly honest. I kept sucking them up and then tried transferring container to container and it was all a big mess and they were getting swirled around everywhere . I need to figure out a better way to do it. Despite my disappointment, I DID look in the back filter compartment of the tank (it's kinda under where the light is covering in the tank pic from before. I discovered about 20 fry in there. I figure that's a good a place for them as any - they are safe from the other fish back there and there's probably lots of muck for them to eat. I dropped some food back there anyway.

I think I need to get another little tank with a sponge filter for the next batch I try to raise, as the water changes with the container were impossible and I think the water quality suffered cos I couldn't get the waste food out without sucking up fry too.

So... I will keep you updated on the fry in the filter and see how they go in the meantime, as I'm not going to be able to set up any extra tanks anytime soon unfortunately. The filter compartment is actually quite spacious back there with a fair bit of open water (it's kind of designed like a sump built into the rear wall of the tank) so they might actually do okay and I don't have to worry about them being in unfiltered water, obviously, as they were in the container.

Will keep you posted!

 

[DreamertK]

  Sorry about that mate.
 
At least your gourami has more chances for a second go.

 

[SouthernCross]

Lol, since 6 months of nothing and now I had two batches of fry within a week something tells me I'm not going to have to wait too long. They're like teenagers, it seems now that they've discovered they can do it, they can't get enough! I'm sure I will have many more chances to raise some fry.

Not to mention the filter fry are still in with a chance!