Advice on Moving Fry/Eggs in Caves

Post by **TwoTankAmin** » Wed Jul 19, 2006 8:29 pm

I have had a number of spawns which have been left in the main tank with the adults. However, I feel it is now prudent to move some of the current batches into a growout tank to hedge my bets.

I know I can move the cave with dad and free swimming fry easily. But I also have a dad on eggs in a second cave. they should be wigglers by now- have a hard time seeing in. Is it safe/OK to move that cave as well or should I wait until they become free swimming to move them?

This will effectively disrupt the colony- removing the two top males. I want to return the caves and males to the main tank as soon as the fry are booted. Is there anything else I should be doing or considering to pull this all off with minimal undesired side effects?

alga · Post by **alga** » Wed Jul 19, 2006 8:46 pm

What I do is let the fry get "booted" and then catch and remove them.

A lot less work on your part too. I've had a male sitting on eggs with two separate batches of fry in with him. The males are very good father's, let em' do their thing.....

Post by **TwoTankAmin** » Wed Jul 19, 2006 8:52 pm

Catching fry in the main tank would only be possible if I broke down the tank to the glass. Ideally I would like to pull cave have dad kick em out inside 24 hours and then return dad and cave.

I have had 4 spawns before these two plus the 5 fry that came with the colony. It took a major maint. session to spot 6 different fry and none would have been catchable.

My other big decision is whether I remove the bits of walnut gravel from the growout tank and go BB or not.

alga · Post by **alga** » Wed Jul 19, 2006 9:22 pm

If you use caves with removable backs you can squirt the fry out and the Dad flairs his pecs and stays in place. Just be sure the fry and cave are over what you want them in.

Post by **TwoTankAmin** » Wed Jul 19, 2006 9:31 pm

I have been told about that sort of cave, however I have no idea where to buy them

KenW · Post by **KenW** » Wed Jul 19, 2006 9:43 pm

Hi TTA,

This is what I do. All my caves have removable tops that were once siliconed to give a good tight seal. After about 14 days or so I open the top and nudge the male out of the cave and move the cave into a floating basket with the fry. Of course doing all this ever so gently. At the same time I take a second cave and replace it in the same loaction. The male usually goes into the second cave after a few minutes to an hour none the wiser. This I found to be the least disruptive to the colony. Hope that helps.

Ken

Post by **TwoTankAmin** » Thu Aug 03, 2006 7:01 am

Just a followup. I converted a cyled 15 to growout. I pulled the first cave- male and fry. 7 fry exited the cave over the next 36 hours and I returned the cave with dace to main tank believing all the fry were out. I was wrong, one or two rode back with dad.

I recently repeated this process with another male/spawn/cave and now have at least 15 fry in the growout tank and it could be a few more.

Barbie's caves arrived and I redid the tank for them over the last weekend. During the process I spotted an assortment size fry from 3/8 to 1+ inch.