Spawn Die-off...

[splashluff]

Sooo, my babies had a massive die-off recently. I had about 50 very big, healthy fry, and now I have 5-10. I did a 100% WC with aged, treated water... I'm guessing that it might have been a slight Ph change, or something, that caused so many to die so quickly. I am pretty much at a loss with how to deal with SO few babies. The remaining few are nearly 2 months old, but I feel like it is so difficult to feed them in a 10g, because I need to add enough food to make sure they all find some, but since there are so few of them, I'm positive I am over-feeding so I'm doing a lot of WC's.

Should I divide the tank? That would require me to remove all of the water (at least most of it), and the fry, which I would worry would stress them after such a huge die-off. Would it be stupid to put them all in a breeding trap (it's just a plastic floating box, with small holes all over so the water flows through) with some java moss? There are just 5 or 6 that look really health and as though they'll make it. The other few are very much on the small side for their age. I would really prefer either moving them into a smaller tank (like a 2.5 or 5), or putting them into the breeding trap, because I really want them to get the food that I'm feeding without polluting the tank so much.

Any advice from people who have had teeny spawns?

 

[SPLiSH]

Aaw splash, sorry to hear about your losses. babies.

Unfortunately I know next to nothing about breeding so I can't help you much, but good luck!

EDIT: And you are not a failure!

 

[OhMyDog]

Aw, sorry to hear about the die off Erica. I was devestated when I lost most of my beebs.

When I went through a massive die-off, I took out the remaining babies and jarred them with fresh water. I lost a couple but most of them survived. Maybe you can jar them with the tank water? They might get a little stressed but since it's the same water, I wouldn't worry too much.

 

[ezrock]

Could you move them to a 5gallon with the same tank water? I had a spawn of 10 fry that survived. I fed them in a 5 gallon and it worked out pretty well with water changes often enough.

-Ian

 

[splashluff]

Ok, they've been moved to a 5g. To be sure this was not caused by something in the water, I used fresh aged water with IAL. =( I hope the new water doesn't affect them.

 

[fawnmodel]

I'd also jar them, its why I like to jar at around 5 weeks. Sorry to hear about the sudden deaths (I also had a big bunch of deaths in a huge spawn, at the 4 week mark)

I dunno I feel safer jarring, more work less worry

 

[splashluff]

Yeah, I think I'm going to jar really soon. They need to grow, too! I noticed that most of the die-offs were my biggest, most well developed fry which just killed me. =(

Thanks Fawn! It's crazy how one spawn (my first, go figure) can be very successful and the same line can just die off out of nowhere. I am going to try the pair again soon, as they both seem more than ready and are totally healed. I think I won't leave Daddy in so long... I left the Dad's in over a week more than usual, and they did plenty of "culling".

 

[mantis147]

Hi Splashstuff,

Sorry to hear the loss! What are you feeding the babies? there isnt a possible build up old food in the tank possibly? Seems strange that they all died at that age. I find when my bettas have a spawn the most of them die within the first 3 weeks.

Ive currently got 3 left out of a 40+ spawn they are at the 7 week mark on saturday but most of died early.

 

[fawnmodel]

What's the temp been like in your area? mine died during a heatwave....

 

[splashluff]

You know, I thought about the heat thing. We have central AC and it remains at 78* in our house constantly, but you never knowww. I also had a heater in there that keeps it at 80*, shutting off if it goes over. I am really clueless and sad about the whole thing - so, so depressing. The parents are so adorable. I would've rather all of them died off at like 2 weeks than after they've been doing so well and I have already put tons of work in!!! It is kind of ironic that I had so many that lived to be healthy with my winter spawn (born November), but my summer spawn, which I thought would be much easier, just dies off out of nowhere.

thanks, Mantis. I've fed them a variety of foods... started with microworms, and tried weaning them onto Atison's Betta Starter, which sucked basically. After a few weeks of failure with that, I only added that in every once in a while in tiny amounts, and stuck with BBS. I was just starting to feed crushed dry foods and minced frozen BS and BW's. If anything, I might attribute some bad water quality to the betta starter, but I syphon off the tank bottom every day and do water changes every day as well.

I am having the w o r s t luck, lately! My beloved little yellow DT girl, Melon, died out of absolutely nowhere. Actually, she was acting wierd and "darty" ever since I got her... but I thought maybe it was just her personality, because I have a girl that I raised who acts the same. I'm unsure, but I think she could've had internal parasites or fungus or something! There were no physical signals, just wierd behavior, leading to her being lethargic and not eating for a day, then dying the next day. So I'm very sad right now. I was planning on spawning her with Guava, but now I have no idea what I am going to do about that?.

Sorry, this post is utterly depressing...

 

[juliehainsworth]

Sorry to hear about your losses, it's a shame! Hope your next spawn is much more successful for you and that your remaining ones keep doing well!