Keeping fry in hatcher

[Andrew C]

After re-reading my first spawning thread, i see that John keeps his fry in a hatcher in the parents tank for around three months.

I used to move the fry into a growout tank from the hatcher when a new brood appearred out of the cave, which is approx one month, thought two broods would be two much for the hatcher.

I find my fry eat whatever food i put in the hatcher, but when i put them in the grow out tank, they don't seem to eat as well.
I am starting to keep them in the hatcher for longer now, as i feel they need the food close by them for a while..
And to stop the hatcher getting overcrowded, i'm going to set up a hatcher in the grow out tank, to transfer the fry to from the parents tank after a couple of months, and keep them in there for a few months more.

I just find newly hatched fry aren't eating as well in the larger grow out tank, than when they are in the hatcher, even though it is the exact same food as they were eating in the hatcher !

What are other peoples experiences ?

Tank Setup.


Hatcher.

[Jamie24]

it should be fine to keep various ages of spawns in the same fry trap, i know of many people that do it. i see your fry trap is home made, why dont you considder making a longer or larger one so the you can keep more spawns in it and for longer?






J

[Andrew C]

Thanks Jamie
A longer trap is a good idea.
Ordering some perspex and sponge filters and i'm going to make a few longer traps to keep the fry in for a good while.

The fry deaths i have been having must have be down to starvation, as the fry must not have been venturing far to find the food.
And when i did try heavier feeding in the grow out tank, even with daily sypthoning of the substrate, i must have been getting a bacteria build up on the substrate, that was also killing fry.