Krib fry and type of substrate

[rohitp78]

Hello,

I have Krib pair that have fry about 3-4 days old. My female had laid eggs in an inverted plastic pot, with a small hole as entrance. I have colored normal size (gravel size 1/2 to 1 cm)substrate, do you think that this is correct substrate?

I had her house placed on the edge of the tank and after 2 days the eggs fell off the sides of the pot. My Krib female was moved all her fry to an ornament in which bottom edge had a flat surface (not covered with gravel), then i looked carefully from side of the tank and found that some fry had penetrated deep into the gravel and she was not able to rescue them. I found 2-3 wiggling frys at the base of the gravel layer. I moved the pot and removed some gravel, she was able to rescue 3-4 more frys.

So was wondering that do you guys have any special substrate or flat surface below the krib's home so that the fry don't penetrate substate?

 

[Tiffi]

I have Tahitian Moon sand, which is very fine black sand. I don't really like big gravel anyway, because the debris can get into it quite deep too.

 

[BillD]

That is very large gravel. I don't use anything bigger than 1/8" grain size. What you have sounds more like pea gravel, which I think is too big for aquarium use (although lots of people use it). It is definitely too big for fry, as you have discovered, and as Tiffi, mentioned also debris to sink deeply into it.

 

[rohitp78]

Oh! I did research in almost everything except type of substrate.... I think i will continue for few months with this gravel and then buy sand as substrate..

But the good news is that I have around 30 fry swimming with their parents.

Is there any special food i need to buy for the fry? or they will eat uneaten food at bottom?. I feed floating flakes for all fish, and sometimes frozen blood worms.

 

[Tiffi]

That should be fine, exspecially the sinking pellets for the fry. You could also feed brine shrimp, but if your aquarium is established you'll probably won't need it.

 

[Crusis]

Your fry look great! It's awesome to have your fish reward your care like that.