Proper Care For New Fry?

[phantomlink]

Maybe, just seems weird it died now and not 4 weeks ago when I found it. Honestly, I have no idea how much surface agitation is needed to oxygenate the water, on my 125 gallon I have my spraybars points up so they ripple the water ( cant hear water breaking the surface ) and I haven't had a fish die in probably a month or so. I wont use HOB filters because of the noise they make makes it hard for the girlfriend to sleep

Too bad there wasn't a way to test oxygen levels in water...

 

[Chad]

I understand about the noise. My tanks are in my study and I'm not allowed to have them in another room and the noise is the reason. I'm a huge proponent of surface agitation and oxygenation of tanks. 125 gallon tank is actually going to be better oxygenated simply for the fact that it has a greater surface area where gas exchange can take place. Of course it could just be a fluke or some other cause. Often in a fry tank some fry starve to death if they can't compete with the more robust siblings.

 

[snazy]

As tcamos says, perhaps it could be just a bad luck because you only have just a few fry in it but generally you need more surface movement than that, not splashing of course but ripples/waves, whichever way your filters are capable of doing it. Oxygen is needed for everything, organic break up, filter bacteria, fish, plants, etc..so all of them compete for the same thing and when there's little of it the fish will suffer and be outcompeted even. Random unexplained deaths is the most common oxygen problem overlooked.

 

[Chad]

I agree. We had a similar discussion last week about some cory that were listless. A change in surface agitation and they perked up.

 

[Nenana]

Hey to join the discussion I have a 10 gallon set up with the same sponge filter and I kept my fry only originally in there when they got bigger now I added some adult guppies as well. I change water every other day or 1 time every 2 days. I change 10 % if it is every other day or about 30% when it is one time on 2 days. I have had only 1 fry die in there no other deaths. I set it up about 4 months ago I think. Here is the difference with mine I have more live plants. Got some live plants that grow slow and do not need lot`s of light- the plants give more oxygen in the water I keep my lights on for at least 10 hours a day for the plants. I have gravel in mine cause of the plants, babies do not get stuck in gravel or at least my fry has not... I also have an air stone, big one that makes a lot of bubbles, i have the filter in the same corner you placed yours, and the air stone in the opposite corner so it creates a little movement with the bubbles. My water stays at around 76F a little colder than my other tank, but colder water has more oxygen. Actually now looking at it my sponge is bigger on my filter than the one on yours It was kind of big but I cut the plastic pipe shorter so it can have more space for the bubbles to travel to the surface. Now the only death I had was when my old filter got broken so the guys stayed with no filter all day, although I did a 50 % water change then... I think your set up is nice, just add an air stone and make sure to clean the tank at least 2 times a week, it is nice you do no have gravel cause it will be easier to suck the extra food, you can add some snails there to clean too. This filter you have needs to be washed once a month make sure to wash it in aquarium water because otherwise you will kill the good bacteria growing on it. When adding water just make sure it is the same temperature and poor it slowly so fishes can have time to adapt. I honestly have not done any testing of my tank water since it got done cycling and have not been doing the right thing of adapting fish before placing it in the tank and so on, but I always try to keep the same amount of babies in the tank and change the water at least 2 times a week. i think the plants help a lot.
Hope my info helps
have a nice day

 

[PrairieSunflower]

I have a very similar setup for my shrimp tank and occasionally slap in some small guppy fry (don't have guppy fry anymore as mine are all out of juice or virgins). I have raised mine in a similar sized tank, in a breeder mesh box in a larger tank or out in the community tank.... to be honest, my best success was in the smallest tank! I did an 80% water change every 2 days, (dechlorinated and temperature matched), I feed them Tetra Mini 3-5 times a day (which is the only reason I changed the water every two days), I would also give them boiled egg yoke 2-3 times per week.... I still give that to my fish and its their favorite treat.

(How to do boiled egg yoke, hard boil an egg, let it cool and separate the egg yoke, get a bit of tank water and place a piece of egg yoke into it and mash it up thoroughly. I then take a teaspoon and drop bits of the water with fine particles in it and they eat it up. I only do this on the same day as a water change as it can pollute the water badly if you over feed which is super easy to do).

I have kept my guppy fry in my small tank for about a month before moving them into the community. They are usually around 1 1/2cm at that time.