Syphoning Up Fry...

Eclecticoldsod · Mar 25, 2008

I was given some endler fry recently (about two weeks old). The guy stuck a ½ inch hose into the tank and syphoned out my dozen fry into a bag. He said that being sucked down a length of tubing was less stressful for the fish than being chased around the tank with a net.
I was surprised/horrified, but latter began to wonder if he was right. All the fry arrived home happy and healthy.
What do you guys think?

rossyt99 · Mar 25, 2008

Hi, Yeah it seems wrong, but I was reading a book on Angelfish breeding and it said that when moving the fry to the 'grow-out' tank to use a syphoning method.> There is an illustration to go with it.

Suppose it may be quicker and less chance of being tangled up in net.???

(I tend to find a hard sieve (siv) is best to scoop up fry.)

:good:

targa66 · Mar 25, 2008

I would have thought that they would get too bashed around in the tube... I suppose it depends on the tube and the strength of suction. I've never seen it done that way.

Eclecticoldsod said:
I was given some endler fry recently (about two weeks old). The guy stuck a ½ inch hose into the tank and syphoned out my dozen fry into a bag. He said that being sucked down a length of tubing was less stressful for the fish than being chased around the tank with a net.
I was surprised/horrified, but latter began to wonder if he was right. All the fry arrived home happy and healthy.
What do you guys think?

Darkstar · Mar 25, 2008

I know a few people who suck up plec fry using a turkey baster with no apparent ill effects.

Tolak · Mar 25, 2008

I've been siphoning angel fry for quite some time, it doesn't bother them. Once they get to about pea body size it is easier to net them.

OldMan47 · Mar 25, 2008

As long as they fit easily within the dimensions of the siphon, it should not cause any problems. It does seem a little unorthodox though. I move my endlers by netting them but don't worry about which ones I catch. What6ever gets in the net first is who gets moved usually. When I am netting endlers it is to thin out overpopulation and as long as the population comes down, the ones left behind will be fine.