Marina 3 In 1 Breeding Trap

[Mpope]

Hi just wondered if any one else had had any issues with these? I have some swordtails and 1waspregnant when we bought them but the tank wasn't planted enough to save any fry so I bought a marina 3 in 1 breeding trap as another was pregnant while I sort out plants. I put the pregnant female in the trap last night and when I got up this morning she seems to have had her fry but there's none in the trap I did spot 1 swimming around the main tank how ever? Could they have got through the gaps?

 

[phoenixgsd]

i have one of these with baby shrimps in, i covered the sides in tights as i suspected they would get through the gaps, although i started with 10 i only now have 5, so they either swam over the top or got through the gap anyway

 

[Mpope]

The gaps do look quite large I'm thinking of maybe putting a bit of old net on the bottom is yours the plastic 1 like mine?

 

[phoenixgsd]

yes it is

 

[Akasha72]

Hi,

Fry can get through the slots with the plastic breeding traps. If it's the same as mine (it has a plastic grill and the fry are supposed to fall through into a seperate compartment) I've also seen fry swim back up through the grill floor only to be eaten by mum.

Livebearers get very hungry after they have given birth and they will eat their fry.

I've seen fry swim out through the side slots into the main tank and straight into the jaws of tank mates.

You could do the same as pheonixgsd suggested (it's the cheapest) or get a mesh breeder box and slip the mesh bag over the plastic trap so any escaping fry can't get into the main tank - this doesn't stop mum from eating them though

The only other option is to leave mum in the main tank and net the babies as they are being born - sucking them up with a turkey baster is also an option

Hope that helps