When can my yellow lab fry join the main tank?

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tedisabum

Aquarium Advice Regular
Joined
Nov 24, 2015
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Pittsburgh area
I have three yellow labs, a kenyi, an auratus, 2 blue dolphin, and an orange cichlid. I don't want the babies to be food for my auratus. When will it be a good time to add them to the main tank? Right now they're in a breeder net inside the main tank. That's where they've been since I stripped them from the mother.


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I am surprised that the fry are not being eaten through the net. With the non yellow labs you have, they are pretty aggressive. You need a grow tank to get them to two inches and then you have a chance of a few surviving if there is a lot of rock that they can hide. Normally adding smaller fish to an established tank is not recommended. At two inches most lfs would buy them from you.


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A little longer with aeration. Fry will stunt if kept in close quarters. I cannot say how long, however I remove my fry once they are eating on their own and put them in a 15 gallon grow tank, next step to a 30 gallon until I find takers.


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How large is your main tank? With the auratus and the dolphins, I'd say wait until they're nearly 2" to be sure they don't end up on the menu. But, as ralfieboy says, they won't do well in a breeder net for long. You can probably buy a 15g kit for about $60.00, and another $30.00 or so for decor. Worst case scenario, I've actually kept and reared fry in a 20g plastic tote with a heater, small hob filter, and some extra decor for several weeks when I ran out of tanks.
 
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