I got some wigglers in a cave with dad, they hatched last saturday.
Untill now i used to take them out of the cave around the time the yolksack was consumed.
Now i am planning to go on vacation in 4 weeks so i can't take care of a breedertank.
I allways put a autofeeder with granularfood on while on holiday, would this be sufficient for the little ones?
BTW this is also a opportunity for me to see how well the little ones do if left in the tank with the parents...
All tips, tricks and advice are welcome
Vacation
This is a tricky one John.... one week shouldn't be a problem, but 4 takes a bit more planning, and luck, as I see it 
I have an auto feeder from Eheim which I used for a couple of weeks, after which disaster struck. it gave out just that little bit too much food, and suddenly there was a need for a major cleanup. And with small fry, you'd need water changes too...
I gather it's a well established tank? Big tank? Would there be enough biological material in the tank to keep the fry alive for 4 weeks? Maybe set the feeder on giving a very small amount every three days min?
I'm not sure if I'm more worried about water pollution or fry starving
I'm not too much help here... I think you'll just have to cancel your vacation
If it was my fry, in my tank, I think I would have set the feeder to give a tiny amount every three days, and hope for the best...
What do you others think?
I have an auto feeder from Eheim which I used for a couple of weeks, after which disaster struck. it gave out just that little bit too much food, and suddenly there was a need for a major cleanup. And with small fry, you'd need water changes too...
I gather it's a well established tank? Big tank? Would there be enough biological material in the tank to keep the fry alive for 4 weeks? Maybe set the feeder on giving a very small amount every three days min?
I'm not sure if I'm more worried about water pollution or fry starving
I'm not too much help here... I think you'll just have to cancel your vacation
If it was my fry, in my tank, I think I would have set the feeder to give a tiny amount every three days, and hope for the best...
What do you others think?
Hi
I wouldn't feed at all for risk of pollution, losing the fry is one thing, the adults another.
In saying the above if you have experience with an auto feeder and it hasn't polluted the tank in the past, why should it this time?
Take care
Dave
In saying the above if you have experience with an auto feeder and it hasn't polluted the tank in the past, why should it this time?
Take care
Dave
-
John
- Moderator
- Posts: 1612
- Joined: Wed Aug 23, 2006 8:58 pm
- Location: Hellevoetsluis / Holland
- Contact:
I can't it's my honeymoon...McEve wrote:I'm not too much help here... I think you'll just have to cancel your vacation
dave wrote:In saying the above if you have experience with an auto feeder and it hasn't polluted the tank in the past, why should it this time?
I was wondering if the fry which will be about 5 weeks old by then would feed on the granular food and survive for the 17 days that i'll be gone....
Greetings,
John
[img]http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x276/hypancistrus-zebra/half.gif[/img]
John
[img]http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x276/hypancistrus-zebra/half.gif[/img]
Hi
Hi John
I remove the eggs at about 5 days, then put them back with the adults at 14 days.
They eat the same food as the adults then.
Avoid Tetra Prima and Bloodworm at this stage.
I use crushed Tetra Doromin.
Take care
Dave
I remove the eggs at about 5 days, then put them back with the adults at 14 days.
They eat the same food as the adults then.
Avoid Tetra Prima and Bloodworm at this stage.
I use crushed Tetra Doromin.
Take care
Dave
Hope she knows what she's getting herself into 
-
John
- Moderator
- Posts: 1612
- Joined: Wed Aug 23, 2006 8:58 pm
- Location: Hellevoetsluis / Holland
- Contact:
Re: Hi
Dave,dave wrote:Hi John
I remove the eggs at about 5 days, then put them back with the adults at 14 days.
They eat the same food as the adults then.
Avoid Tetra Prima and Bloodworm at this stage.
I use crushed Tetra Doromin.
Take care
Dave
Is that 5 days after spawning or hatching? you say eggs so i presume it's spawning.
So 14 days would be around when the yolsack is consumed...
I wonder why you put them back at this moment?
Greetings,
John
[img]http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x276/hypancistrus-zebra/half.gif[/img]
John
[img]http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x276/hypancistrus-zebra/half.gif[/img]
We have had 6 spawns up to now and the 3 remained in the main tank (250 lit) with the adults (not just the parents but the whole colony), the rest were removed. We normally can't see the fry (they are unbelievably fast) - except if we tiptoe near the tank after lights out with a torch - and then only if we are lucky. We have started wondering if any of them survived at all - and if so how many.
Two days ago, during a water change, we found one in the bucket we used to move one of the pumps out to clean it. He is a very lively and plumb little fellow - which means they can survive fine with the adults.
We feed the adults as normal but add 10-12 granules of Protogen (dried insuforia) in for the fry twice a week - also some high protein granular food, ground in a pepper grinder on a daily basis.
We placed the little fellow in a breeder and gave him the same food (Protogen and ground food) - he was only too quick to start munching.
Having seen first hand the speed of these fry, we seriously doubt if any of the adults can catch them to hurt them - they shoot off faster than lightening and if there are enough hiding places in the tank (small cracks etc) they should be fine. At the end of the day that's how they survive in nature. Having said this, not every fry manages to survive in nature - and at this time we can't confirm how many have made it in the main tank (that's the only drawback with leaving them there - you can't see all of them often enough to confirm they are ok). It'd be interesting to hear what other people think on this - or what they have witnessed.
Question: How do you remove the fry once they have consumed their yolk sac? Ours are experts at holding on to the walls of the father's cave by then and dad won't bulge an inch from the entrance of the cave - which makes things even worse!
Below a couple of the very rare piccies from our youngsters in the adult tank. Relative sizes are scary ... Enjoy!
Caesars and Polleni
Two days ago, during a water change, we found one in the bucket we used to move one of the pumps out to clean it. He is a very lively and plumb little fellow - which means they can survive fine with the adults.
We feed the adults as normal but add 10-12 granules of Protogen (dried insuforia) in for the fry twice a week - also some high protein granular food, ground in a pepper grinder on a daily basis.
We placed the little fellow in a breeder and gave him the same food (Protogen and ground food) - he was only too quick to start munching.
Having seen first hand the speed of these fry, we seriously doubt if any of the adults can catch them to hurt them - they shoot off faster than lightening and if there are enough hiding places in the tank (small cracks etc) they should be fine. At the end of the day that's how they survive in nature. Having said this, not every fry manages to survive in nature - and at this time we can't confirm how many have made it in the main tank (that's the only drawback with leaving them there - you can't see all of them often enough to confirm they are ok). It'd be interesting to hear what other people think on this - or what they have witnessed.
Question: How do you remove the fry once they have consumed their yolk sac? Ours are experts at holding on to the walls of the father's cave by then and dad won't bulge an inch from the entrance of the cave - which makes things even worse!
Below a couple of the very rare piccies from our youngsters in the adult tank. Relative sizes are scary ... Enjoy!
Caesars and Polleni
Last edited by Caesars on Tue Jun 19, 2007 10:47 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Hi again
Hi John
Your correct, the eggs are placed in a breeding trap at 5 days at the latest.
My reason for placing back in the tank with the adults, sometimes 14 days, sometimes 16 days this is not too exact.
I used to move young fish to a growing on tank, but no tank space so put them with the adults when I got another brood.
It soon became apparent that the rate of growth of young fish kept with adults is far greater, so I stuck with this method.
Suppose you are going to ask why remove the eggs at 5 days. 4.5 days to be exact, this is the point when the egg ball starts to break up.
Here again another accident, an egg ball was evicted at 4 days, placed in a breeding trap, I raised 19 fry from this ball.
And finally why no fungus? I can only put it to having tanks full of Mopani Wood which I have read has a natural antiseptic, well the tanins it leaches are.
As for fish being evicted because they are unwell, I don't hold with it.
If I am exact with my timing I have had 2 broods of 13 and 1 of 15 as well.
Take care
Dave
Your correct, the eggs are placed in a breeding trap at 5 days at the latest.
My reason for placing back in the tank with the adults, sometimes 14 days, sometimes 16 days this is not too exact.
I used to move young fish to a growing on tank, but no tank space so put them with the adults when I got another brood.
It soon became apparent that the rate of growth of young fish kept with adults is far greater, so I stuck with this method.
Suppose you are going to ask why remove the eggs at 5 days. 4.5 days to be exact, this is the point when the egg ball starts to break up.
Here again another accident, an egg ball was evicted at 4 days, placed in a breeding trap, I raised 19 fry from this ball.
And finally why no fungus? I can only put it to having tanks full of Mopani Wood which I have read has a natural antiseptic, well the tanins it leaches are.
As for fish being evicted because they are unwell, I don't hold with it.
If I am exact with my timing I have had 2 broods of 13 and 1 of 15 as well.
Take care
Dave
We need a pic of the happy couple in "who are you" CONGRATS!
Although I have only had one spawn due to my breeding male being killed by the other male in the tank shortly after his spawn, I think that the fry do fine by themselves.
When I had my spawn it was one of those times where I didnt pay any attention to the tank and just fed them... I didnt even know I had a spawn till I would say a few weeks or maybe a month later judging by their size. I didn't feed the tank anything different, just kept feeding whole sinking carnivor pellets and now the youngsters are about 2 years old! They did just fine with the other adults and with eating their food as well.
Im not saying this is the best way to raise them... but I think it works
Although I have only had one spawn due to my breeding male being killed by the other male in the tank shortly after his spawn, I think that the fry do fine by themselves.
When I had my spawn it was one of those times where I didnt pay any attention to the tank and just fed them... I didnt even know I had a spawn till I would say a few weeks or maybe a month later judging by their size. I didn't feed the tank anything different, just kept feeding whole sinking carnivor pellets and now the youngsters are about 2 years old! They did just fine with the other adults and with eating their food as well.
Im not saying this is the best way to raise them... but I think it works
