Ideas For Saving Fry/eggs

Gun · Nov 9, 2008

Hey guys

Can you help me out with a few ideas for saving fry/eggs from un-caring fish?

Ok, marbles is a good idea..but not for multiple set-ups. They are difficult to find in large quantities and proove to be to expensive.

I'm thinking of some sort of sturdy yet flexable plastic meshing, on a roll maybe. This way it could be cut to size to fit each tanks bottom surface area neatly. The mesh could then sit on stones or something creating a section below which cannot be accessed by the adult fish. Slate/lead/etc will sit in each corner above the meshing to keep it in place. Floating plants will be present at the surface. Keeping the bottom clean could proove difficult, but I think this way will give me the highest number of fry/eggs.

So guys, any ideas on material to use for this meshing?

Lastly, any ideas how I could keep floating plants in place? I don't want the full surface covered. Hmmm...maybe make a floating plastic ring or something...that sits around an inch above and a few inches below the surface. Stuff it with maybe cabomba and I should have a floating hideout for fry..right guys?

Any help would be great

Honeythorn · Nov 9, 2008

A plastic ring containing some salvinia or water lettuce would be fine, also Riccia is a floating plant which you could also contain within a ring. As for fry, you can get breeding traps and fry nets pretty much anywhere. Breeding the fish in a specific breeding tank and then removing once done would be easier.

Just set up a ten gallon with a bare bottom, heater and a sponge filter, some java moss and cabomba on the bottom to hide in, and some riccia in a ring to float when the fry can swim more easily, and simply remove the adults when they're done breeding and pop them back in the main tank.

Truck · Nov 9, 2008

marbles

fifefish · Nov 9, 2008

java moss

Gun · Nov 11, 2008

Honeythorn said:
A plastic ring containing some salvinia or water lettuce would be fine, also Riccia is a floating plant which you could also contain within a ring. As for fry, you can get breeding traps and fry nets pretty much anywhere. Breeding the fish in a specific breeding tank and then removing once done would be easier.

Just set up a ten gallon with a bare bottom, heater and a sponge filter, some java moss and cabomba on the bottom to hide in, and some riccia in a ring to float when the fry can swim more easily, and simply remove the adults when they're done breeding and pop them back in the main tank.

Hi Honeythorne....thanks for the advice

Breeding traps are fine and I have a few, but I'm trying to think of easier and more natural ways at saving fry/eggs. Also, I work 7-5 and leaving fish in those traps for hours on end puts me off.

This is the idea I have in my head..some advice on this would be great as I would like to know if it can/would work?

Ok, 10 gallon, bare bottom, 4 blocks/stones (3-5" high) of some sort sitting in each of the bottom corners of tank. Plastic mesh of some sort cut to size (tank bottom area), then placed on the blocks/stones. Sitting on top of mesh would be 4 more blocks/stones sandwiching the mesh in place.

The apertures of the mesh would be maybe 5x5mm. Surface would include floating plants. Maybe a few plastic plants, rocks sitting on the mesh so as to not look to bare and make fish feel more relaxed. The idea is to let the eggs hatch or the fry start swimming below the mesh and then remove them to larger grow out tanks. I think this way the parents will be far happier..only being removed now and then so as I can collect fry/eggs or for maintenance reasons.

Fish for this type of setup would include barbs, livebearers, tetras, danios to name a few. Just a thought...Is it possible to keep fish happily in a meshed/segregated bottom tank for a long period of time? Like years?

If I get the go ahead on this type of setup there will be multiple 2 ft tanks set up like this. All containing only the same species with several females/few males in each tank.

So guys, would this work and any ideas on the material for the meshing? (pretty sturdy and on a roll preferably)

Gun · Nov 12, 2008

Could a mod please move this

to DIY for me. Might get a bit more feedback in there.

Edit: I just noticed I was 1min from replying exactly 24hrs later...yeah I know sad, lol!

saz326 · Nov 12, 2008

When I buy oranges, they come in an orange net. How about using this net draped over some stones to keep it raised off the bottom?

As for keeping floating plants in place, do you have a magnetic glass cleaner thing? Tie a thread around the floating plant (if possible) and hook it behind the "inside tank" magnet bit.

fifefish · Nov 12, 2008

what about using a strong mesh suspended on some rocks so that the fry can slip through and the parents cant?

Gun · Nov 13, 2008

Hi fifefish & saz326

Saz the net is a good idea, although you would have to buy some oranges, lol! You'd have to join several to cover a 24x12. I like your magnet idea, I also have 10 of those little algarde clamps...maybe I could use these also.

Yeah fifefish..hmmm I'm trying to think of maybe a 'household' material that there is plenty of and doesn't cost a lot, as I have numerous tank bottoms to segregate.

Do you think this would work...

It's galvanized steel and the holes look like 3mm. I can cover 6 tank bottoms with this sheet. Two questions...

Is the material safe? Are the holes big enough? :unsure:

fifefish · Nov 13, 2008

what type of steel is it?
i think the holes are the right size

Gun · Nov 14, 2008

Mild Steel..I think :unsure:

Guys, I could really do with some confirmation on the safety of the metal/size of holes...as I would like to get started tomorrow on these type of set ups.

It shouldn't rust with the galv, although totally submerged constantly could be a different matter...? Then there's the water chemistry..? -_-