Kicked out zebra fry.

Zebrapl3co · Post by **Zebrapl3co** » Fri Mar 10, 2006 6:13 pm

Hello,
I had some zebra fry kicked out of the cave. Not sure if they were just too curious and wiggle thier way out or dad acidentally kick them out or intentionally kick them out. They are only 7 days old and still have a huge sac attached to them.
I try to take care of the fry, but one of them died last night. So I use a turky baster and squirt them back into the cave.
I was wondering if that was a good idea or not. Would dad lose their sent and think it's food?

Plastic Mac · Post by **Plastic Mac** » Fri Mar 10, 2006 6:15 pm

As a few people have mentioned before, since it isn't the first time this has happened. In future try tipping the cave back a little so it's harder for them to be ejected out of the cave.

A turkey baster - very inventive!

alga · Post by **alga** » Fri Mar 10, 2006 6:25 pm

I tried putting fry about the same size you mention back in the cave and my male alomost immediately kicked them back out.

So I scooped them up with a small spoon and put them in a breeder trap in the same tank with the parents. I lost one but the other 7 did just fine.

Just as a note, you may want to be careful using a turkey baster or any other suction device for moving fry, as they get sucked up and pushed out its possible to damage the yolk and kill the fry.

If the Dad keeps them in the cave I would think they would be alright. I have only seen a female it one fry, with yolk, after it was kicked out of the cave.

Rob · Post by **Rob** » Fri Mar 10, 2006 6:26 pm

Good advice Mr Mac!

I would also like to point out that along with a Torch, and small hand-towel, the Turkey Baster in on the Absolute necessity list for any Hypancistrus Zebra Breeder!!

I myself have now gone through 3, since my wife banned me from using the posh one!

If it is healthy then it will probably be fine. However it is quite common for the male to kick out any ill fry to ensure that they don't contaminate the rest. If he is kicked out again, I would stick him back in the breeder and keep your fingers crossed.

As Plastic Mac said hoever it is quite common for them just to "wander" if the cave has a slight slope forward.

Did you take a close look at him so that you could recognise him from the others!!

Zebrapl3co · Post by **Zebrapl3co** » Mon Mar 13, 2006 4:24 pm

Thanks for the reply guys.
I have a grim suspicion for my precious frys. I am not sure if I should be happy or sad.
I just realize some thing during the weekend. I notice that another male zebra was very protective of his cave. He acts in the same maner as the first one. And I found these guys in front of that 2nd zebra cave. I was kind of curious as to how they could've wiggle right accross the tank ... I am affraid I may have doomed those frys by dumping them into another males cave ...

LyreTail · Post by **LyreTail** » Tue Mar 14, 2006 1:39 am

I often use a turkey baster or a small eye dropper to pick up fry in their wiggler stage. I also use it to cull fungus eggs. My Zebras have not spawned yet, but this is a trick I have been using for a decade with Angel and Ram eggs.

Due to the size of Zebra eggs, I can imagine a wider opening of a turkey baster would be important and the eye dropper probably would not be sufficient. Glass ones are probably better than plastic ones since the glass ones are nice and smooth around the opening and sometimes the plastic ones can have some sharp protrusions due to injection molding process.

Just a note. I have never noticed damaged Angel or Ram eyes using this trick even with the plastic droppers

nightowl1350 · Post by **nightowl1350** » Fri Mar 17, 2006 7:41 pm

Hope all goes well. it sounds like you have 2 spawns at once.
Be very careful with the turkey baster...I've moved BN pleco with the huge egg sac (only once) and one was damaged by it so I never did it again. It is fine if you can blow it with a stream of water.