How Do You 'fish' Out Fry From A Community Tank?

[Lawrence]

Ok, I have a pregnant swordtail, and I am not sure what to do. I am thinking of putting her in a breeding net on friday (depending how fat she looks), and see if she gives birth to fry in the breeding net. If I am wrong, or if I do not put my swordtail into my breeding net/tank early enough, I am wondering how do I fish out the fry from my community tank.

I have 10 plants in my 15 gallon tank and 1 large piece of wood. I also have 10 other fish in the tank.

To fish out the fry what do I have to do?
What did you do to fish out fry from your community tank?
Do you remove the plants then try catching the fry?
What is the easiest method as I do not want to take anything out of my community tank and disturb any substrate.

 

[glolite]

Livebearer fry tend to swim at the surface of the water, which is why it is advise to have floating plants in a livebearer tank as the fry can hide in them. I just use a small net and transfer the fry to my little grow on tank.

 

[Lawrence]

oh so livebearer fry swim near the surface...aaaaaah...thanks for the info...so basically tomorrow i should put floating plants into my tank, and so when my swordtail gives birth when im not around, the fry can hide in the floating plants, then i can catch them with a net when I realise i have fry.
Am I correct?

 

[Harlequins]

just catch them in a net if you see them swimming around

They hide well, so you probably won't find them all if you have a lot of plants,and they'll probably be quite safe to leave in there,if you get floating plants they'll hide amongst them

Putting her in a breeding net to early may stress her and she might end up aborting her fry.

 

[Lawrence]

i would prefer to leave my fry in the tank, but...i would like to feed the fry 4 times daily for maximum growth, that is why i bought a breeding net to feed the fry, and so i can keep an eye on them.

ok but as glolite pointed out, livebearer fry tend to swim on the surface of the water...is she right?

Livebearer fry tend to swim at the surface of the water, which is why it is advise to have floating plants in a livebearer tank as the fry can hide in them. I just use a small net and transfer the fry to my little grow on tank.

what do you mean by 'grow on tank'?

 

[matchstickman47]

tbh i just let what happens happen ... usualy they are not eaten, i have a gourami and some mollies... the mollies dont eat their fry ... they let em live...

 

[Lawrence]

i also would like to leave my fry in my tank as i previously wrote, buuuuuuut...i would like to control what the fry eat. i only feed my other fish 1 time a day so the fry wont grow that quick.

and do livebearer fry swim on the surface?

 

[matchstickman47]

i let em out .... i feed once a day


they get enough

 

[21rm]

I usually add lettuce leaves to the tank when i have fry. the fry go to the surface and go in the crinklies of the leaves and are protected form the other fish. i do this when tryin to take the fry out and move them to another tank cos they always go into the lettuce leaves

 

[Lawrence]

I usually add lettuce leaves to the tank when i have fry. the fry go to the surface and go in the crinklies of the leaves and are protected form the other fish. i do this when tryin to take the fry out and move them to another tank cos they always go into the lettuce leaves

haha...very interesting method of catching the fry. never would have thought of this...do you put the lettuce leaves after the fish gave birth?

 

[Lawrence]

ok so tomorrow i will put floating vegitation/plants into my tank, and wait for my fry. when they do come hopefully they are near the surface where i can scoop them out and put them into my breeding net where i can feed them four times a day and also monitor them. well actually i can only feed them 3 times a day or maybe twice as i also have school.
thanks all who helped and gave advice

 

[glolite]

i also would like to leave my fry in my tank as i previously wrote, buuuuuuut...i would like to control what the fry eat. i only feed my other fish 1 time a day so the fry wont grow that quick.

and do livebearer fry swim on the surface?

Oh ye of little faith The fry swim on the surface at first. As they get braver they swim in other areas but instinct sends them upwards at first into the safety of the plants and to look for food.

You can feed your fish 4 times a day, adults and fry but make it a tiny feed each time, little and often.

A grow out tank is just another tank for fry to grow bigger in.

 

[Lawrence]

i also would like to leave my fry in my tank as i previously wrote, buuuuuuut...i would like to control what the fry eat. i only feed my other fish 1 time a day so the fry wont grow that quick.

and do livebearer fry swim on the surface?

Oh ye of little faith The fry swim on the surface at first. As they get braver they swim in other areas but instinct sends them upwards at first into the safety of the plants and to look for food.

You can feed your fish 4 times a day, adults and fry but make it a tiny feed each time, little and often.

A grow out tank is just another tank for fry to grow bigger in.

haha thanks...but you mentioned that you keep you fish in a grow out tank, meaning??? i dont quite understand what a grow out tank is...is it the same thing as a breeding net?

 

[glolite]

No I mean I transfer my fry to a separate tank on their own to grow bigger/ grow on/ grow out it's just an expression.

 

[Harlequins]

I found a breeding net difficult to keep clean,especially with all the feeds,i prefer to use the floating trap for a day then transfer them to the fry tank.

Regarding feeding i was concerned about the 9 x 4 week old fry i put into the main tank but they are thriving and growing faster than their siblings in the small tank,and i only fed them twice a day,so i guess they're finding bits around the tank.