Transferring Platy Fry

[AmberMc]

Well, on the 4th of July I woke up to 3 baby platies in my hi-fin tank - I'm expecting more as one of the females looks like she's about to pop, and I'm not sure if she dropped a few early or if the other female was carrying a small batch and I didn't realize. I woke up THIS morning to a bunch of blue-parrot platy fry in my quarentine tank (the blue parrots just came in on Monday). To make a long story short, I have them all in floating breeder traps (all the ones I could find, anyway). 10 total.

In your opinion, when is it safest to move the babies to the fry tank? Should I let them float for a couple weeks, or is it safe to transfer them via sandwich bag at this stage? In the past I've moved the mother to a birthing tank - but must be I wasn't paying enough attention this time.

Also, can anyone make a suggestion of how to seperate the different batches of fry - in one tank? Maybe not necessary for these batches as I can easily tell the difference by looking at them - but for future reference.

Thanks!!

 

[Tolak]

Get a fish safe bowl that the fry trap will fit in. Put this in the tank under the fry trap. Lift the bowl under the fry trap, removing the trap, water, & fry. Walk over to the tank you want them in, submerge the bowl/trap/ fry, then remove the bowl & trap.

I've found I have less fry losses leaving the fry in water than trying to net them. I siphon a 2.5 gallon with 200+ angel fry into a 5 gallon bucket on a regular basis, drain most of the water, then pour them into a larger growout tank.

To keep fry seperate the best thing is a piece of glass or plexiglass siliconed in as a divider. This not only keeps the fry seperate, but lessens the chance of any spread of disease should that occur.

 

[Betta91]

I've got a really fine net, that doesn't have any holes that the fry can wriggle through. I usually let my females give birth in the main tank and then catch the fry with nets later on. Instead of transferring them to a breeding trap, I just put them in the fry tank straight away. There's less transfer, and less stress on the fish.

 

[AmberMc]

Thanks for the replies.

With a siliconed piece of plexiglass, do you use 2 filters?

 

[Tolak]

Yes, but depending on the filter there are ways around it.