# First Batch of Fry



## Zoolander (Jan 20, 2013)

My last post was about how my harem of yellow labs weren't breeding. It would seem that I didn't realize they already had. I stripped the small female I confirmed in an earlier post was holding, today, and the fry were free-swimming. I was able to get 14 fry out during the stripping. I couldn't tell if there were more, but if there were, it was only one or two.

I'll monitor her to see if she start eating again and look around the tank to see if she spit any more into it.

Anyway, I'm off to the store to get some food for the new guys and some other supplies to ensure their survival. Any tips for me, or a section of the library someone can link me to for when I get back home?


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## Zoolander (Jan 20, 2013)

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The mother.


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## Zoolander (Jan 20, 2013)

The Fry


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## sumthinfishy (Jan 26, 2013)

labs are pretty basic. i usually throw the fry in a 10 gallon tank. i feed them spectrum "grow" formula and crushed up flake. if u have sponge filter u can use that or any 10-20 gal filter will do. they are big enough that they wont get sucked in. be sure to use water from main tank to fill 10 gal tank, and use a filter pad out of main tank to run in filter. this will ensure the same water perameters and a cycled tank.


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## Zoolander (Jan 20, 2013)

Thanks! I've spent the evening reading everything I can in the library on this site. I've got them in this breeding net for now. Unfortunately, my extra 10 is being used. I'm going to leave them in the net. I found this "crab ladder" thing today, which is basically a hollow tube with holes in it to mimic a piece of wood. It's perfect for them to hide in within the net. Once they get a little bigger, I'm going to buy a basic 5 gallon tank and sponge filter for a home for them. Plus I can put the tank on my desk.


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## brinkles (Jan 30, 2011)

There's a good chance the adults will kill them through the net - what's in the 10 gallon that's being used?


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## Zoolander (Jan 20, 2013)

How do they go about killing them? I'm about to go to bed. Work comes early. They will just have to stay in there tonight. I can buy a tank divider tomorrow for the 10g and move it over to the far side of the tank with just enough room for the net for the time being.

Alternatively, I could just go get a 5 gallon tank for them...I just don't want to spend the money or have a third tank running.

I have two green terrors (1.5 inches each) that I'm keeping until the middle of July and a few 1 inch barbs.


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## Zoolander (Jan 20, 2013)

I can put the barbs and GT in with the labs. But I'm not sure that's a good alternative.


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## brinkles (Jan 30, 2011)

They can suck them through the net, you wouldn't believe it but they can! I'm sure you can get creative to rig up something to keep them separated.


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## Zoolander (Jan 20, 2013)

I may just put everything into the big tank tonight and go ahead and move the fry over to the 10. I'll just have to hope the GTs aren't big enough to cause problems with the labs, or conversely that the labs don't kill the GTs.


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## sumthinfishy (Jan 26, 2013)

not to sound mean, but just let the fry get eaten. the labs will breed non stop. just keep a future batch when u are better prepared.


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## 7mm-08 (Jan 12, 2012)

In a pinch, I have raised fry for a while using two nets. Put the fry in one net, then put that net inside one a little larger. The buffer between the two nets has always kept the other fish from eating/injuring them. I normally do that when I already have some bigger fry in my fry tank so the new guys have a chance to get a little size on them.


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## Zoolander (Jan 20, 2013)

No casualties through the night. Gonna see what happens today before I do anything else. Already spent enough on the tank in the past week. Worst case I will put the other fish in the 29g, but I really don't want to mess up the lab harem.


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## k7gixxerguy (Jan 12, 2012)

Put sand in the bottom of the breeder net. It blocks the line of sight and then the adults can snag them from underneath. *** done this in my growout tanks alot.


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## Zoolander (Jan 20, 2013)

k7gixxerguy said:


> Put sand in the bottom of the breeder net. It blocks the line of sight and then the adults can snag them from underneath. I've done this in my growout tanks alot.


Thanks! I'm going to do this when I get home this evening.


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## Yael (Nov 25, 2012)

If you have any live plants - floating is good - put some into the fry net along with the sand. Gives the little guys some security and a place to hide


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## Zoolander (Jan 20, 2013)

Yael said:


> If you have any live plants - floating is good - put some into the fry net along with the sand. Gives the little guys some security and a place to hide


Would they not be able to get stuck above the surface if the plant goes out of the water?


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## Yael (Nov 25, 2012)

I think they'd be fine and why would a floating type plant push them above the surface anyway? They're pretty good at fending for themselves. There's always some that survive in my tank when the females spit and they manage to avoid getting eaten. I don't do anything special even in the way of food.


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## Zoolander (Jan 20, 2013)

They look great today. No losses. Getting a lot of aggression in the tank now, though. No signs of mating. Just an abnormal amount of chasing, and the male has the two smallest females pushed up in the corners half the time.


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## Zoolander (Jan 20, 2013)

The fry have a 10g home to themselves now. Will update with a couple more pics when I get home.


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## Zoolander (Jan 20, 2013)

Working on uploading a video of them swimming inside the little hollow log in the net, in the interim...









The 10g with most of the rocks removed, gravel siphoned. Stays at 80 degrees with 50% daily water changes.









Some of the fry - still in the breeder net, but about 1/3 to 1/2 inch.


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## Zoolander (Jan 20, 2013)

And...Here's the video. Nothing special.


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## Zoolander (Jan 20, 2013)

Day 5: I can actually see a little color on them now. Still very small. I'm going to be out of town Sat/Sun. I'm hoping they will be fine for a couple days. They are eating fairly well and moving around the breeder net a lot. I'm going to wait a little longer to put them in the tank. I guess i'm just scared of what will happen when I release them. I feel less stressed about their survivability with them being in the net.

They look big enough to not get sucked into the filter and someone said in a previous post they would be fine if I went ahead and introduced them to the main tank. Should I just quit worrying about it and release them? Just seems like it will be survival of the fittest if I do that, and I'd have to sprinkle the food underwater right in front of them for them to find it.

I could remove most of the gravel and just put a couple big rocks in there. I dunno.

Thoughts?


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## brinkles (Jan 30, 2011)

I would remove all the gravel - the food will fall into it and spoil their water. I think they'll be allright for the weekend loose in the tank!


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## Zoolander (Jan 20, 2013)

brinkles said:


> I would remove all the gravel - the food will fall into it and spoil their water. I think they'll be allright for the weekend loose in the tank!


Removed all the gravel and put a rock and the little hollow log in with them. I also took the net out of the breeder net box and tied it around the filter stem, just to be safe over the weekend. On Sunday, when I get home, I am going to remove that. I think they are pretty safe to swim around without fear of being sucked up at this point. Updates and pictures in a few days.


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## Zoolander (Jan 20, 2013)

Update: The fry are now an inch long and turning yellow!

However, as some of you may know, I bought 10 Saulosi to eventually stock in the 29G and I need a place to put them while they grow. Buying another tank is not an option (or I'd have a 55 already!). Basically, my question is this:

Can I put the 15 Labs back in with the full grown harem so that the Saulosi fry will have the entire 10G to themselves to grow out for a while?

I anticipate some losses, but they aren't big enough to sell to the LFS yet and my only options at this point are put them in the main tank or leave them where they are (leaving the Saulosi in a breeder net).

Any quick advice before I make a decision?


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## brinkles (Jan 30, 2011)

How big are the saulosi? The 1" yellow labs are borderline with the adults, I'd probably put 3 in and see how they do for a few days before I put all of them in.


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## Zoolander (Jan 20, 2013)

brinkles said:


> How big are the saulosi? The 1" yellow labs are borderline with the adults, I'd probably put 3 in and see how they do for a few days before I put all of them in.


That's a good idea. I'm going to be across the country on a business trip until about the 12th. I have someone taking care of the fish until then. When I get back, I'll throw a few of the larger ones in and see how it goes.


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## Zoolander (Jan 20, 2013)

Threw all 15 in with the harem and they are growing like crazy. Also, the mother of the first batch is holding again. I'm about to sell all of the labs to make room for the saulosi. But I'm going to keep the holding female and her fry and raise them.


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