Why are my fry dieing?

[Elisabeth83]

Hi There,

I've got a question about my fry and why they are dieing on me.

I started off with 13 black swordtails and 23 orange swordtails. I went on vacation last week for about 6-7 days. When I left I put in a piece of algae wafer in the breeding net for the fry to eat while I was away.

When I came home I noticed a couple of the fry dead but didn't think too much of it. Then when I took the plants out I counted like only 15 orange fry and only 4 black fry. Even today more have died I counted again and I have 12 orange fry left and just 2 black fry.

Everytime the fry died they swim real weird like a kinked back or something.

I am just wondering if it was me going away for the vacation if they didnt get enough food? It has been hot here for the last 10 days...so maybe it's the heat? Also I had a female swordtail die yesterday. She had a fuzzy tiny small spot on her tail..she was real thin too...could it be a disease that's killing them?

All my other fish are fine no spots no anything.

I'm also wondering if I am feeding them enough. I feed them 3-4 times a day and I crush flakes as small as I can and sprinkle them in. I feed them bloodworms too although even when I cut and smash the bloodworms the pieces are too big for the fry. Can the fry just pick at the food and break off small pieces themselves?

I've had my tank up and running for almost 3 months now. I don't know what my water parameters are because my lfs has been waiting over a month now to get in the tests.

Any help would be appriciated!!

Thanks!

 

[GuppyDude]

in my first batch of fry i went from 40 fish down to 7, its all about keeping the water clean, now i keep a cory in my fry tank to eat wat they miss and i do water changes once or twice a day ( this is importand if ur feeding then frozen brine shrimp)

 

[Wisperian]

Only the strong fry survive

 

[Elisabeth83]

Oh man if only the strong survive I must have loser fish no just kiddin!! I love my fish!!

Well this is my first time keeping fry so I guess I'm bound to loose some and learn for the next time.

I don't have a tank just for my fry...would like to eventuallybut right now I just have them in one of those breeding net things inside of my main tank.

I do water changes weekly and because they are in a breeder net my pleco as well as my other fish are always sucking and picking all the leftovers from the bottom.

I guess I don't really mind if some die ..I mean it's sad but I can't keep 40 fry anyways so if only 5-10 end up surviving it would actually be a good thing!!

I've noticed some are bigger than others as well...does this mean the others are runts or just the bigger ones are getting more food?

Thanks for your replies!!

 

[snowyangel]

I know it's not possible for you, but the best way to raise fry is in their own environment simply because they require more feedings than adults, higher temperatures(78-79F) and cleaner water. A possibility of the fry deaths could've resulted from that algae wafer getting spoiled and polluting your water, maybe not enough to kill adult fish but enough for the fry. Also, fry are very fragile in their first months stage, so access to disease and weaknesses happen easier then. Just keep up the frequent feedings and clean water and they should be good as new. Next time you leave, ask a friend or relative to drop in a feed your fish.

As for your last ques, fry grow at different rates. There's always gonna be a few quicker, healthier, stronger ones and there's gonna be weak, smaller, bullied ones. The more food and exercise your fry gets the quicker the growth rate. In the case of runts, they're pratically stunted from birth so you can't do too much about that. Just be patient with them and they'll grow up too.

 

[jvis0606]

All about survival of the fittest...