I Cant Keep My Babies Alive

[missigfunk]

This is the 5th lot of babies one of my fish has blessed me with...

Unfortunately they keep on dying. I only have 1 survivor at the moment.

I won't go into detail about the other lost babies, but the last lot before this, the problem was ammonia. This time I got some ammonia block things to use, and I put them in their own tank and that like everyone else does. I checked the temp all the time and I always checked to see if they were ok.

They were alright up until 5 or so days old. Here is what changed on the 5th day...

1. I bought a plant and put it in the tank. Could that have brought in a disease?

2. I didn't have a pump or filter in there for the first few days because I didn't have one. I then put one in and the water turned a little cloudy. I know your meant to sort the 'maternity' tank out first, but I had to rush as I had an outbreak of mouth fungus in my big tank. The pump was an old one I found. I was at work and asked my dad to set it up and put it in the tank for me. I found out today that he never cleaned it first!!!

3. On the 5th day the water seemed pretty warm when I touched it. I didn't check the temp though? Not sure why. Anyway, I took the lid off and left it off for about 10min. I also turned the heater down a little. I then decided to do a water change (I did about 30%) because the water was a little cloudy anyway. I put some water conditioner in there too...only a little bit!
Is there anything in the above point that I should NOT have done?

There is no point asking about the stats of the tank as I don't have the stuff to check for nitrate and all that stuff. I only have a PH kit (and the PH was 6.8)


My family keeps telling me it's all trial and error, but this is the 5th lot of babies! The only time I was a little successful was with the first lot of white mollies. I had them for about 4-5 weeks, but then my boyfrind bought me some new fish and they gave my tank white spot and killed all my babies and 2 of my other older fish.

I get so excited when my fish have babies, and I get so heartbroken when they all die. I only have 1 survivor at the moment. I think it's one of my platys (I had 2 mollies have fry on the same day, and a platy 2 days before)

I check on it constantly to see if it's ok. I was even up until 3am just watching my baby fish. I thought they would be alright when I went to bed, but when I woke up...all dead except 3. I put those 3 back in the breeding net in my big tank, but now can only see 1 baby in there

Sorry for the long post and please don't get angry at me guys. I really REALLY want to raise happy, healthy fry.

I just need help.

 

[Esfa]

It sounds like you didnt cycle your baby tank, and the ammonia build up killed them

you can move mature media from your big tank into the little tank, which will instantly cycle your little tank

 

[missigfunk]

Thanks for your reply.

I don't know what cycling is? And even if I did, I didn't have time because of that fungus stuff.


Also, I haven't seen the baby fish eat anything yet. I know the mollies did when they were alive, but not this little guy.

 

[Esfa]

http/www.fishforums.net/content/New-to-t...shless-Cycling/

read that thread to learn about cycling.

 

[missigfunk]

Oh geez!!

That's a lot to read! Luckily I have another month or so until my fish have babies again.

I had a quick skim through it, but need to read again in full detail.

Thanks for that

 

[missigfunk]

I haven't seen my remaining baby fish eat.

Is there any way I can get it to eat?

I'm just feeding it really crushed up flakes. A mixture of normal flakes and brine shrimp flakes. It's like a powder almost so the peices aren't too big.

 

[karneval]

Try some hard-boiled egg yolk. Dunno if they'll take it, but it's worked for other people, and it's worth a try.

That's about all I know to tell you. Good luck

 

[missigfunk]

Well I fed him twice today and both times I saw him eat a little. Like maybe 1 tiny almost powder like flake.

He seems to be swimming around a little more too. I think maybe he was just scared before?

He comes to the glass when I come over to check on him too

He will be my new lil baby. I will name him Platy Pie.

you say? Well it's sort of a 'thing' I have with all my pets. I put 'pie' at the end of their name a lot. Sort of like a nickname.


I'll take a pic of him once I finish treatment for the fungus my other fish had. My tank water is fluro green!

 

[missigfunk]

I couldn't wait until treatment was finished and took a pic of him...

Sorry about the bad quality (my camera reflection and dirty looking water) It's not really dirty, just off colour coz of the treatment.

 

[shewolf]

most of the natural plants when added to the aquarium without cleaning results in leeches which attach itsel to the fish just like ich !