Umm Help, My Molly Just Had Fry

[mwood2]

well this is the first time my Molly had some fry. I count 6-12 in the tank right now. Its a 5 Gallon with 2 Oto, A Molly (female) and a Platy (male). The problem is i dont have any place I can keep them. I dont think my other tank would be good since I think the AFD my eat them or the cory. Although if I'm wrong tell me and I will move them. I have fish flakes I will crush up and feed but am still worried about how to keep them alive. I am broke till next Friday and only have enough money to feed just me.

My 30 gallon isnt ready yet since I cant get the crap off the side of the tank. Is white spits on the side of the tank a health issue? if not I plan to rinse it out tonight and set it up for cycling. Would a 30 (I think its a 30 gallon isntead of a 50, I haven't measured) Gallon fry tank work out?

Also I dont have a heater for it, how much of an issue is that if i decide to cycle it?

 

[LauraFrog]

The tank should cycle fine without a heater, the same nitrifiers are at work in a coldwater tank. When you do get the heater though, increase the temp slowly, by about two degrees a day until it reaches suitable temperature or you might kill the bacteria because of the sudden change.

A 30 gal fry tank is enormous, I have raised livebearer fry in 2.5 gal plastic buckets with airstones or bubble filters. A bucket is suitable for the first month, after that they need at least 8 gallons of space or they may mature stunted. They will eat anything, crushed flakes are suitable for their first food.

 

[mwood2]

well I want to get my new tank ready as fast as possible so would my tank have any issues with white lines on it? most is not visible when water is in but some are but I cant get it off of there.

I only have 1 clean bucket and I use that for water changes. How bad would it be to keep them in the tank still? Also would a water change be a bad idea right now since this was my planned day to water change but I just found them a few hours ago.

 

[kevinthecow]

Well, Are any of the fry being eaten by your fish? Check that first. more likely, they will eat the fry. you should look for an empty bucket. For now, get lik an ice cream bucket. Those 4 litre ones, and quaratine it for now till you find a suitable place for it.

Also, are you using gravel for your tank? Cause I found that sand is better since the fry sometimes will slip between the gravel.
Buy a sponge filter, or make your own also! Baby fry should be scared of the filter's current and try to escape it, btw.

 

[mwood2]

would this be able to house the fry for a week and a half? its small but about all I have. Would a eye dropper be a good way to pick up left over food from here and how often would i change the water there in and how should I go about that?

from my last count there are around 8 Fry (from what I can see)

 

[saz326]

For picking up dirts from the bottom (excess food and poo) you can use an airline or similar bit of hosing. Start a siphon going, and then simply wave one end of the tube over the dirt and it will be pulled up by the flow of water. Airline tubing is narrow enough to not create too much water flow.

That tank looks fine. Give it a wash with warm water (hot water may crack the plastic if its old), or a warm bleach solution if it had fish in it before. Just make sure you wash all the bleach off, and then wash with some dechlorinator solution to remove any remaining chlorine (bleach is basically chlorine)

id recon a 25 to 50% water change. 25% is probably enough if running an air stone in the tank as the water will stay oxygenated.

You do have a healthy fish tank tho (the bigger one) so I would take water from this bigger tank to use for water changes in the fry tank. Swap 50% of the old water from the fry tank for water from the big tank then top up the big tank. This way the water has already been conditioned. Its easier too.

 

[mwood2]

ok so how does this sound:

fill with water and turn on bubble want (dont have a stone right now), move try into container. daily change out 25% to 50% of water? How long will such a small container last my fry? I can get a bowl but its a week and a half from now and can this small conatiner be left undeated? I have a heater but its to big for the conatiner and its usually cold aroud here, would a towel ontop of it be good?

 

[saz326]

Small containers will allow more temperature fluctuations, so heater would be good, but alternately have you got a room that stays warm? maybe a room like the kitchen if or if you have an airing cupboard (cupboard for towels etc that contains the hot water tank), in there.

I once kept some fry in the airing cupboard, was 22 degrees. Had to leave the light on but I didnt mind.

As the fry grow, you may be able to return them to the main tank.

Otherwise you could split them up into 2 pots. They dont have to stay in a single pot.

 

[mwood2]

well I managed to save 8 fry and place thim into the container like this:

I will leave it like this over night and see how the temp goes, I may cover in a Blanket/Towel but I don't know yet.

As for lighting would leaving them next to my other tanks with there lights on be fine?

 

[LauraFrog]

Yeah, that should be fine. If the water goes cloudy, change it. That happens in fry setups sometimes.

If there is any way to do it you can float that little tank in your main one to keep it warm.

 

[mwood2]

cool, I will look into ways that I can maybe keep the tank warm.

Also how would Platy/Molly hybrids work out? I have never seen them.

 

[nosoup4you]

If the top of your refrigerator stays warm you could keep them up there. Platies and Mollies cannot hybridize.

 

[saz326]

your fish may have been pregnant for a while

 

[mwood2]

so i just found a quick filter that i think i can use. its an air pump powered filter that uses filter sponge and carbon to filter. its small and will fit on the bottom of the container. anything else i should think of using? maybe easy cheap heating ideas