Best way to keep fry alive

[msdolittle]

So apparently my two female swords are about ready to have some kids. I didn't think they were so close until I sucked up a baby during my water change yesterday........I don't want to do a breeder trap because I've heard it stresses the mom too much, she wont birth, etc etc. I don't want to move them to my quarantine tank because they fry will get sucked into the filter and also because its only 5 gallons and these mommies are used to 30. So, I have two gouramis, three tetras, three swords, and four cories in my 30. How can I up the odds that fry will survive in the 30? How will they eat? If I see them, should I just try to catch them and put them in a fish bowl by themselves till they are bigger?

I have NO freakin clue about this......I'm still learning about keeping fish PERIOD and now I will be having babies........ HELP!

[Sprite42]

Give them a hiding place, some kind of floating plant that is dense enough for them to get in, like Hornwort or java moss, but too thick for the bigger fish. Or even a thick plastic plant, one that has real thick, bushy leaves.

THis is what I do for my endler fry.

[msdolittle]

Okay, thanks! Now, how do you feed them then in something like that?

[fish_doc]

crushed flakes will sink to them.
But as you mentioned to give them the best chance of surviving isolating them in their own tank/bowl is best.

[mousey]

I find my fry like to poke around the bottom of the tank for the first few weeks. I have lots of java moss in a 10 gal that contains microscopic critters they can eat.
currently my fry are in a five gal tank. it has gravel and a few java FERNS.
Fry poke around the gravel and eat ?
But still grow. I also add some fish food that I have ground with my little hammer so it is almost like dust. Also you can let a piece of algae tablet sink to the bottom of the tank.
I feed newborn fry 3-4 times a day and 2 months and up once daily and whatever they are getting in the gravel.
you can also keep the new fry in the breeding trap floating in the main tank. I do that sometimes. Give them a bit of plant in there so they can hide.
or wrap a piece of a nylon around the intake tube of the filter. It will keep the fry from being sucked into the filter.
I currently am using that in my 5 gal as a number of them were sucked up and had to be rescued.

[msdolittle]

Great tips guys! I just put my little plecostomus in the 30 gallon so I have the 5 gallon in case I need it....... I guess I have a few options!

[TheOldSalt]

Good old sponge filters are extremely useful for raising fry, since they of course can't suck in the baby fish. A 5-gallon tank with a sponge filter in it would be a perfect fry starting tank.

[msdolittle]

Good to know! I'm going to pick up some javamoss on Monday for starters, then I'll get the 5 gallon ready for the babies.

Should I take the gravel out of the 5 gallon? I also put a big algae covered rock in there from my cycled 30 gallon.....with the intent to go ahead and cycle the tank and just have it up and running all the time now. Is that okay?

[peanut_dimples]

Originally Posted by msdolittle

Good to know! I'm going to pick up some javamoss on Monday for starters, then I'll get the 5 gallon ready for the babies.

Should I take the gravel out of the 5 gallon? I also put a big algae covered rock in there from my cycled 30 gallon.....with the intent to go ahead and cycle the tank and just have it up and running all the time now. Is that okay?

i personally have used the net.....it works well with me. as i see the females laying on the bottom and giving birth or the others chasing like no tommorrow..i put here in the net in the same tank and i turn off the lights and about every 10-15 mins i check to see if she is finished and i have another net for the new babies. it always worked for me. i tried the grass on the top and extra hiding spots for them to secure themselves but my numbers went up in the net. and when they got big enough i let them out and take their place in the tank. ill try to put some of my pics even though they are not that clear.........heres some of my asst. mollies, platies, swordtails, guppies. no cant seemed to get them here.shoot.....

[peanut_dimples]

can anyone tell me how do put my pics on a new post or something to show all my pics?

[msdolittle]

I'm going to my LFS tomorrow......I'll take a peek at what they have as far as nets, moss, etc and figure out how I want to do this. Thanks guys!

[Zoe]

My boyfriend's fish all seem to have babies when we don't expect them. I take the top off and catch the babies in a net and put them in a nursery (2gal)... it's hard, but it's good if you're handy with a net.

[msdolittle]

Well, I put more plants in there and I guess I figure I'll keep an eye.....and the ones that survive will be the keepers. I have three black mollies in quarantine right now so eventually I'll have oodles of babies........more than I can handle probably!