# Tapajos Red heads spawned. Fry question...



## peterl (Nov 27, 2006)

Greetings,

One of my pairs of Tapajos spawned a couple of weeks ago. They held the fry for about 7 days, and released them about a week ago. Should I move the fry to my 10 gal. fry tank or leave them with the parents in the 75 gal. tank? I have 100-150 fry.

Thanks,

peter


----------



## CrypticLifeStyle (Dec 14, 2009)

Hey pete. I would prob. keep them with the parents as they need the experience, but if you notice some missing, then move them, but i find the parents learning how to raise them is best for long term success if you want them to keep breeding, and up the success rate, but i should note it took my original pair almost 9x's to pull it off right, and another pair did it their first try. You could also split the fry in half, half in the 10, half with the parents to be safe too.

Being as i've seen your pair, they seem pretty calm, and theirs ample room obviously in that tank. If the male does get really aggressive with the female, or the female is looking stressed then i'd be worried she'll eat them. If she isnt holding them much thats also a good sign as well things will be ok. If they hold them a lot when your around them they tend to also neglect eating which can lead to them eating the fry so they can eat, it happens.

Other then that observation, and gut instinct really. Your what 2 weeks into it, or 3 i forget. Long enough for me at least to think things will go ok. Usually any problems i had happened in the first week or 2, nothing ever after that.


----------



## peterl (Nov 27, 2006)

Thanks for the reply.

They seem to be the model parents. They are doing a fine job keeping the Caridnals and corys away from the fry. I think I will leave them be.


----------



## CrypticLifeStyle (Dec 14, 2009)

You should timeline a journal in this thread for them


----------



## peterl (Nov 27, 2006)

CrypticLifeStyle said:


> You should timeline a journal in this thread for them


I am afraid I am not organized enough to do that! I'll try, though.

Here is an update--from what I estimate I originally had between 150 and 200 fry. The parents held them after hatching for about 7 days. I know have about 50. I think despite valiant efforts by the parents, the Cardinals have been picking them off one by one.

I know I have seen a site (recently even) that sells nice foam sheets for making filter media. IF I can find that site I might buy enough to make a barrier in the tank for the next spawn. It is a 4 foot tank so there is plenty of room to isolate the parents and the fry until they are no longer tasty little bites.


----------



## CrypticLifeStyle (Dec 14, 2009)

The Perot foam? I havnt done it yet, but wondering if a window screen of the right size would do the trick, wrapped around light diffuser.


----------



## peterl (Nov 27, 2006)

CrypticLifeStyle said:


> The Perot foam? I havnt done it yet, but wondering if a window screen of the right size would do the trick, wrapped around light diffuser.


I think that is it. I have to find the reference.

A window screen is a really good idea. I can make one to fit with fiberglass screen. I think I would have to line the edges with airline tubing to ensure a tight fit in the tank.


----------



## peterl (Nov 27, 2006)

Well, I lost most of the fry. Of the estimated 150 I had I am down to 15 or 20. Question is why?

Inadequate feeding?
Parental consumption?
Fry being picked off one by one by the Cardinals?
Some combination thereof?

They are in a 75 gal. with an L182 pleco, 12 sterbai cories, and 25 or so Cardinal tetras. Moderately planted (although the plants don't stay planted for long), two big piles fo driftwood.

I have a pair in a 40 gal. breeder also. Although they have spawned a few times, the eggs were not fertilized. It looks like they are getting ready to spawn again.

Has anyone separated fry from parents of these or other SA mouth-brooders at a week or so? I have a 10 gal. seasoned fry tank running.

peter


----------



## jkeeler (Aug 25, 2009)

I have experienced similar problems with my spawns. I even pulled a pair once and placed in their own 55-gallon. They cared for fry for awhile then one day...gone.

I recently decided to strip after 7-10 days and place into fry saver. I fed micro worms for a week and then crushed flake and I think most if not all are surviving and this is week 3. They are now in their own 10-gallon. Good Luck!


----------



## peterl (Nov 27, 2006)

Thanks for the reply.

I think I will try next spawn moving the fry to the 10 gal. fry tank as soon as the parents release them.


----------



## Narwhal72 (Sep 26, 2006)

It is pretty much impossible to raise fry in a community tank. Tetras are avid fry predators and will eat them the first chance they get. If you want to raise the fry the best thing is to remove them to their own tank. Once you put the fry in a tank of their own you can better control the feeding and water quality and prevent any predation issues.

For Geophagus I generally move the fry to a hang on incubator hatchery for the first week and then release them into a 10 gallon to grow for at least 2-3 months. Once they are about 1/2" long it's best to move them to a larger tank like a 30-40 gallon to continue growing. I feed baby brine shrimp for the first month and then transition to finely crushed flake food.

Andy


----------



## peterl (Nov 27, 2006)

Narwhal72 said:


> It is pretty much impossible to raise fry in a community tank. Tetras are avid fry predators and will eat them the first chance they get. If you want to raise the fry the best thing is to remove them to their own tank. Once you put the fry in a tank of their own you can better control the feeding and water quality and prevent any predation issues.
> 
> For Geophagus I generally move the fry to a hang on incubator hatchery for the first week and then release them into a 10 gallon to grow for at least 2-3 months. Once they are about 1/2" long it's best to move them to a larger tank like a 30-40 gallon to continue growing. I feed baby brine shrimp for the first month and then transition to finely crushed flake food.
> 
> Andy


Thanks Andy.

Why do you use a hatchery for the first week rather than moving the fry to a dedicated small fry tank immediately?

I am powdering both pellets and flake in a mortar and pestle for the fry food. Is this adequate? Also, prior to moving cory eggs into the fry tank, I squeeze filter goo from the parent tank to the fry tank to supplement the mulm in the fry tank for newly hatched fry food.


----------



## Narwhal72 (Sep 26, 2006)

When you put the fry into a big tank and then feed it the food density in the water column is very low unless you really overfeed the tank which can lead to water quality issues. Since the fry are not very motile for the first week or two you want to get the food close to them and keep the density up so they can find it easier.

If you put them in a small hatchery (about a half gallon size) you can feed them at a high density but it's only a small amount of food. It is also important to keep in mind that for fry if it's not moving it's not food. That's why live baby brine shrimp is one of the best foods to start out fry on. Then you can wean them onto dry foods.

I use a variation of the Ted Judy incubators which is a Lee's Specimen container with a hole drilled in the bottom that a Jungle Dirt magnet sponge filter riser stem is stuck through. I cut down the stem so it goes halfway up the height of the container. At the top, facing the inside of the aquarium I drilled a 3/4" hole and hot glued a section of old fish net over the hole. I also used the latex rubber paint dip (the kind used to put rubber coverings on tools, etc...) to coat the bottom on the outside so the adults cannot see the fry from below. Otherwise the adults will try to eat the fry which will stress them.

After that just hang it on the side of the aquarium and hook up an airline to the sponge filter. The sponge filter will pull fresh filtered water into the incubator and the dirty water will leave via the mesh covered hole.

Andy


----------



## peterl (Nov 27, 2006)

Great tip! Thanks.


----------



## dstuer (Mar 27, 2013)

Agree with Andy. after a community spawn, I then move the pair to a separate tank to spawn again in less hectic setting. I use a turkey baster to aim artemia directly into the school of fry, and after a week or so of artemia, I start mixing in pellets, or peas that I have been pureed with tank water.

I also let algae grow heavily in fry tanks, or move rocks or wood covered in algae to fry tanks to provide constant grazing.


----------

