Urgent Help Required

[oswoldy]

Hi Guys,
I need a little advice if you would be so kind. I have just found a baby smaller than my finger nail sized fish in my tank. I don't know what it is or anything but I want to help it survive. Obviously I was not expecting a baby so dont have any breeding traps etc, do you think it will be ok left in the tank or should I try and get a breeding trap tomorrow? HELP!

If anyone is near Exeter and would like to lend me a breeding trap tonight I would greatly appreciate it.

Thanks

Mike

 

[Jenste]

Hi Guys,
I need a little advice if you would be so kind. I have just found a baby smaller than my finger nail sized fish in my tank. I don't know what it is or anything but I want to help it survive. Obviously I was not expecting a baby so dont have any breeding traps etc, do you think it will be ok left in the tank or should I try and get a breeding trap tomorrow? HELP!

If anyone is near Exeter and would like to lend me a breeding trap tonight I would greatly appreciate it.

Thanks

Mike

Which Exeter?

 

[oswoldy]

Exeter, Devon, UK

Generally how big do fry have to be before they are ok in the main tank?

 

[Harlequins]

If you've got bushy plants it may survive,until tomorrow,otherwise you could pop it in a makeshift floating tub,ice cream tub or similar,pop a few holes in it and float it on top of the tank,you could always clip it on top using pegs?!

What sort of fry is it?,possibly a livebearer from your platies?

 

[Jenste]

Oh ok...reason why I asked which Exeter is because there is an Exeter in Rhode Island, USA...which I am close to!

Generally....the fry have to be about a centimeter long...big enough not to be swallowed. By food quality and frequency of water changes this can be anywhere from 3-6 weeks.

I suggest just grabbing your hospital tank or anything you can to separate the fry until you can get a trap. I myself have had a lot of luck with tuperware containers. Most people tell you to have a tank with filters but I have never lost a fry with this method and I twice daily I put them into clean water in tuperware containers. I alternate each batch between two containers...they originally go into container A, and get a feeding. about 12 hours later they go into container B with new water, and get a feeding.

I have a total of 32 containers for this right now lol. 16 are being used right now - full of fry, and tonight the other 16 will be used. They are currently sitting full of water but empty of fry while the water becomes room temperature.

Much cheaper than getting a ton of tanks, easy to replace, and I have successfully raised hundreds of fry this way. This is how my mother has done it for yearsssss and I will continue doing it this way.

 

[Harlequins]

I'm in Bristol uk,although that not that close by .

 

[oswoldy]

not sure what type it is - will try and get a picture

we have got a container so are now just trying to catch it (or it might be them as we think we have just seen another one!)

 

[zuulan]

I need a little advice if you would be so kind. I have just found a baby smaller than my finger nail sized fish in my tank. I don't know what it is or anything but I want to help it survive. Obviously I was not expecting a baby so dont have any breeding traps etc, do you think it will be ok left in the tank or should I try and get a breeding trap tomorrow? HELP!

He'll have to be bigger then the biggest mouth of your adult fish. This is probably unlikely so he will be at risk. If your going to leave him in there he'll need plenty of hiding places, usually best done with plants.

He'll only be truly safe in a spare tank or a breeding trap, but the traps can be had for a few pounds so it's a worthwhile investment.

we have got a container so are now just trying to catch it (or it might be them as we think we have just seen another one!)

Yea, keep looking there's likely to be more. Fish don't tend to have single babies, but maybe some have already been eaten

 

[Harlequins]

If its the platy dropping,you will probably find more,unless they've been eaten

 

[oswoldy]

Thanks for the replys guys/girls. I have indeed found more than 1. I will try and get a breeding trap tomorrow. Hopefully they will be ok as its a planted tank so they have lots of cover including crevices between rocks that are too small for the other fish to get into.

Thanks for all the reply much appreciated!

Mike

 

[OldMan47]

Platy fry should be fine in an environment where they can find plenty of shelter. They do know enough to hide, even when they are first born.

 

[oswoldy]

Just a quick update. The babies (2) are doing well. I have not managed to get them out of the tank mainly due to not being able to catch them, I fed all the fish earlier as normal and the two little ones made an appearance grabbed some food and swam back off into the little crevice in the rocks they came from at least I know they are eating. All the other fish in the tank appear to not be fussed by them and just ignore them even if they swim straight past them so fingers crossed they will be ok.

Mike

 

[K-Holed]

You usually find that a few from each batch survive. It's really cute to watch them at first, but after about the 10th time of it happening you start to hope that not too many make it, as you realise that they're adding to an ever increasing bioload! (or is that just me?)