# Fry killing each other



## R6RaVeN37 (Aug 10, 2012)

I have a group of Demasoni fry that was born a little over a week ago. I have them in a breeder box in my ten gallon to make sure they get food when I feed them. I tried just leaving them in the ten gallon, but they didnt seem to be able to find the food, so I put them in the breeder box. There were eight, but as of now I am down to six. Yesterday I noticed one of the fry just laying on the bottom of the breeder box. On closer inspection I could see that its tail had been chewed off and all of its other fins were chewed on, and today I found another one in the same condition.

Is this normal for fry to attack each other like that? Any info or suggestions would be appreciated as I dont want to loose all my fry. Thanks.


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## Mschn99 (Dec 24, 2012)

how big are the other fry in the tank? I have seen .75" or bigger fish kill fish through a breeder net. i would doubt the week old fry were killing each other as i have never seen that myself. Check out what i use for breeder boxes viewtopic.php?f=30&t=253430


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## Yael (Nov 25, 2012)

Could they be dying from something else and once dead, the other fish feeding on them?


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## R6RaVeN37 (Aug 10, 2012)

Mschn99 said:


> how big are the other fry in the tank? I have seen .75" or bigger fish kill fish through a breeder net. i would doubt the week old fry were killing each other as i have never seen that myself. Check out what i use for breeder boxes viewtopic.php?f=30&t=253430


They are all from the same hatch. They are still tiny. I have them in one of the clear plastic breeder boxes, and there are no other fry in the tank itself, only the Rusties that are in abother breeder box. I wouldnt think that fry would attack each other like that, but I dont know what else it could be since both the fish in question were both fine and swimming and eating one day, and then beat up and tailess the next. :-?



> Could they be dying from something else and once dead, the other fish feeding on them?


When I found the two they werent actually dead, just laying on the bottom of the breeder box unable to swim because their tail fins were gone and they were pretty beat up looking. They were obviously in distress and not going to survive so i had to cull them.


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## Yael (Nov 25, 2012)

I suppose that it's possible that being grouped close together might bring out the 'tasting' instinct towards sibs. I'd let them go in the main tank and feed them enough that they can browse for left over food to keep them busy. In nature fry are going to be hunting for bits of food and trying whatever they find all day long. You might want to stick some plants in there for them to pick on.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Release them from the breeder box.


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## AlphaWild (Apr 9, 2009)

I've not had any killer fry at that age, and I've started hundreds of dems in breeder boxes. But I suppose it's not impossible? I would think that there is something else weakening those fry before they get picked on?


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## k7gixxerguy (Jan 12, 2012)

I normally keep my fry in the breeder box box for about two weeks and then release them with their slightly older counterparts. I have had one demasoni massacre when they were about 3/4". I came home to the largest one having killed about fifteen of them from the same brood. It was only him and a few other tough ones that survived. So it can happen, just have never seen them do it that quickly. Mine was in a 20 tall tank that I use for growouts, havent had another since though.


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## R6RaVeN37 (Aug 10, 2012)

So the concensus is to let them out of the breeder box into the tank and they will be able to find the food on their own? Would it be safe to release the seven Rustie fry into the tank with them? The Dems are about .25 inches long and the Rusties are just a bit smaller. They were born about five days apart, with the Dems being first.


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## Yael (Nov 25, 2012)

Are you giving them anything to hide in and stuff to pick in and around?


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## R6RaVeN37 (Aug 10, 2012)

Yael said:


> Are you giving them anything to hide in and stuff to pick in and around?


There are some small decorations and fake plants in the tank for them to hide in/around.


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## Mschn99 (Dec 24, 2012)

When i was breeding demasoni, i found them extremely resilient in finding both food and surviving. I used to dump them in my 125 at like a half inch with the adult demasoni as well as the other species that were in there and as long as they had smaller rocks to find refuge in (which they rarely used) they grew out fast that way.


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## GTZ (Apr 21, 2010)

When I strip or have a female spit, into the fry tank they go. They'll figure out what to do. There aren't any breeder boxes in the lake.


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## Mschn99 (Dec 24, 2012)

Mschn99 said:


> When i was breeding demasoni, i found them extremely resilient in finding both food and surviving. I used to dump them in my 125 at like a half inch with the adult demasoni as well as the other species that were in there and as long as they had smaller rocks to find refuge in (which they rarely used) they grew out fast that way.


I think i need to make this post clearer. I used to dump them into my 125 gallon at .5" with the breeding group of demasoni, a breeding group of red mwanza, and a breeding group of albino ruby red peacocks. They half inch fish would survive well with adults.


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