How To Catch Fry Question.

[ColR1948]

Is there a way to catch fry?
I have a pair of Kribs that have not long spawned, they have around 15 fry that I can roughly count, they are in a community tank and the parents are having a full time job protecting them, at the moment they are very small probably around 3-4 days old.
I have a small 24Litre tank set up and was hoping to put them in there and IF I did manage to catch them would you advise putting the parents with them?
So to my main question is there a way to catch the fry or do I just have to wait till they are bigger?

 

[daz4321]

I use a turkey baster for that

 

[MBOU]

If they are in the 24L tank without predators, dont add the parents, it will be too cramped for them anyway.

Personally with such new fry, I wouldnt advise using gravel, either sand or just a few pebbles is best because you cant really gravel vac with babies and if the dirt builds up... they start dying off very quickly!

I use a bit of pipe and a bucket! I start a siphon by sucking on the pipe (airline or the one up from it) and sneak the pipe closer and closer and suck up the babies. So long as there is a little water in the bucket already and the pipe is long enough that they arent falling a great height, its definately the fastest way of catching the beggers!

 

[ColR1948]

OK thanks, I put gravel in the 24L, so you think it's best to remove it?

I got slightly worried earlier I watched the parents and they seemed to be swimming all over as though searching for the fry, I thought they had been eaten. Then I just spotted mom with them a few minutes ago, phew!

 

[MBOU]

You can keep the gravel but the risk of accidentally sucking up the babies when cleaning the gravel will make life a lot more difficult for you! Plus the babies when they are small dont eat huge ammounts and leave lots of waste...

If it were me, i'd take out the gravel and put in a few pebbles and/or a little terracotta plant pot and a plant. Plenty for them to hide and explore without stopping you keeping tank clean! At least until they are older anyways! With no gravel, you can give them a good feed and use a bit of airline to siphon out any food they dont eat!

 

[ColR1948]

Thanks again MBOU, I just took the gravel out, added a few pebbles and I had a coconut shell too so put that in.
I had an idea but not thought it out yet. I noticed the parents are back in the coconut shell in the community tank so I think the babies are in there, I'm thinking of a way when both parents leave the shell how to get them because they will be contained in there, but if I lift the shell they will be exposed to swim off, but I'm working round that plan.

 

[watertown28]

Sup. I too just had new fry myself and they are now over a week old. I have only lost 2 of them. started with 20 now down to 18,

What I do is no gravel and use an air line to suck out the food on the bottom. What makes it harder is that they are tough to see right now .....more so you than for me now because they are starting to get color and have food in the tummy.

When using a bucket, put a fine mesh net you use to catch the fish normally. When you suck out the water make sure you drain it though the net. This way if you do somehow get a fry in by accident, you can put it back into the water fast. Stop and check every so often so they are not sitting in that net too long. If you think you got one, check the net. Better safe than sorry. I would have lost half my fry if it was not for this.

O and no gravel. It will be hard to see them in there and you can not clean the bottom good because the fry might be in the cracks and stuff. makes it harder to clean.

 

[ColR1948]

Thanks Watertown28, I have to catch them first out of the community tank if I can.

I have now got another plan, I used an old pot that contained fish food, I cut an opening in the lid large enough for the parents to get in, I'm hoping they use it tonight as a hide then in the morning I will block the entrance as the parents leave and hope I have all the fry still inside.
I say 'Hope' lol.

 

[ColR1948]

I managed to catch only 2, looks like there are only 6 left, I'm sure there was more yesterday so possibly some got eaten.
I think I may have to try the siphon tube method to catch the rest.

 

[ColR1948]

Well I got the rest of them only 6 added to the other 2 making 8 all together, I bought some 'Liquid Fry' food today, the type you feed with a dropper, any other suggestions?

Also looks like the parents are in the process of spawning again the the community tank, the female is curling her body next to the male and swimming around him and he is flaring his fins, they are both visiting the coconut shell, first she goes in as she leaves he goes in and he is guarding the entrance again.

 

[ColR1948]

I had an idea for the tank bottom/substrate for the fry.

I haven't covered the entire bottom just part of it, I used some ceramic rings from a filter I threw out a while ago, I'm glad I saved them now.
The fry are small enough to go inside them and feel safe, also they will double up as a bacteria storage after time too.

Before you ask I did clean them first before adding them.