Should I Leave The Mother In The Net Breeder?

[out_of_eden]

Hi I'm new to this forum, so I ask that you please bear with me if this has already been discussed somewhere else.

I have a pregnant platys that is currently isolating itself from the other fish in the tank. I own a net breeder because another one of my fish, a swordtail, was pregnant but died before giving birth in the net breeder. This may have happened possibly due to the fact that she was moved under the stress of being pregnant. The net breeder is made of mesh so it allows the water that is in the tank flow through it. I am thinking of leaving the fish I have that is pregnant now in the tank and collecting the fry after they are born and placing them in the net breeder. I know that some of them may be eaten before I get to them but I'm willing to risk that as long as the mother stays alive and some of the babies are saved. So right now that is the plan. I was wondering if I'm overlooking anything and if there are any flaws to doing this? Will the fry be hurt if I try to move them shortly after they're born?

Thank you for your time.

 

[sussexgirl]

Hi I'm new to this forum, so I ask that you please bear with me if this has already been discussed somewhere else.

I have a pregnant platys that is currently isolating itself from the other fish in the tank. I own a net breeder because another one of my fish, a swordtail, was pregnant but died before giving birth in the net breeder. This may have happened possibly due to the fact that she was moved under the stress of being pregnant. The net breeder is made of mesh so it allows the water that is in the tank flow through it. I am thinking of leaving the fish I have that is pregnant now in the tank and collecting the fry after they are born and placing them in the net breeder. I know that some of them may be eaten before I get to them but I'm willing to risk that as long as the mother stays alive and some of the babies are saved. So right now that is the plan. I was wondering if I'm overlooking anything and if there are any flaws to doing this? Will the fry be hurt if I try to move them shortly after they're born?

Thank you for your time.

Please don't put the pregnant platy in the net breeder. She will become very stressed and this may cause her to abort her pregnancy early and you may lose all the fry. I keep my fish in the tank and let her give birth in a place of her choosing where she feels comfortable. I monitor the tank for the next few days at least 4 or 5 times a day and scoop out any fry I see and put them into the breeder net. Be sure to put some kind of floating plant in there for the fry to hide in. Also check you filter regularly because some fry are often sucked into it and you'll find them swimming around your sponge pads. You may not find and net out all the fry in time but you'll be doing it the kindest way for the fish. Hope this helps. And buy your liquifry food in ready.

 

[out_of_eden]

Hi I'm new to this forum, so I ask that you please bear with me if this has already been discussed somewhere else.

I have a pregnant platys that is currently isolating itself from the other fish in the tank. I own a net breeder because another one of my fish, a swordtail, was pregnant but died before giving birth in the net breeder. This may have happened possibly due to the fact that she was moved under the stress of being pregnant. The net breeder is made of mesh so it allows the water that is in the tank flow through it. I am thinking of leaving the fish I have that is pregnant now in the tank and collecting the fry after they are born and placing them in the net breeder. I know that some of them may be eaten before I get to them but I'm willing to risk that as long as the mother stays alive and some of the babies are saved. So right now that is the plan. I was wondering if I'm overlooking anything and if there are any flaws to doing this? Will the fry be hurt if I try to move them shortly after they're born?

Thank you for your time.

Please don't put the pregnant platy in the net breeder. She will become very stressed and this may cause her to abort her pregnancy early and you may lose all the fry. I keep my fish in the tank and let her give birth in a place of her choosing where she feels comfortable. I monitor the tank for the next few days at least 4 or 5 times a day and scoop out any fry I see and put them into the breeder net. Be sure to put some kind of floating plant in there for the fry to hide in. Also check you filter regularly because some fry are often sucked into it and you'll find them swimming around your sponge pads. You may not find and net out all the fry in time but you'll be doing it the kindest way for the fish. Hope this helps. And buy your liquifry food in ready.

Thank you sussexgirl. About the food, I read that I could feed the fry the same flake food I feed the adult fish but grinded up with my fingers first. What is your opinion about that? Also, do you know how many fry can fit in a net breeder and be happy?

Thank you

 

[Htw]

Hi. I,m not sure your fingers will make the flakes small enough. With guppy fry I use an empty, flat bottomed fish food tub. Put a small amount of flake in and use the back of a teaspoon to grind it down to almost a powder. They only need a very small amount on the tip of the spoon,3 or 4 times a day. They also love microworms which are really easy to do if you can get hold of a starter culture. [This is only from my experience of course] Good luck with the babies!

 

[sussexgirl]

About the food, I read that I could feed the fry the same flake food I feed the adult fish but grinded up with my fingers first. What is your opinion about that? Also, do you know how many fry can fit in a net breeder and be happy?

Good morning! I fed ground up flake (with my fingers) for the first 3 days to my first batch of fry and they didn't really go for it because it was still too big. When I put 'liquifry plus' in (the powdered fry food) they went crazy for it so I stuck with that for a week or two and then started to introduce frozen brine shrimp - only a tiny amount though at one or two of their 6 meals. I kept 16 fry in my breeder net for 2 weeks and then transferred them into my fry nursery which is a 28litre tank. They've done really well in there. It's the Aqua One 320 and I set it up with gravel, 3 artificial plants, a hiding cave and a heater for £75. It's been a really good investment because when the fry are out of it I can use it as a quarantine tank. Best of luck!