Is oxygen important for fry?

[Kelly5978]

I am having trouble keeping angelfish fry alive longer then 3 days. I'm trying to figure out my problem. I believe it's either the water I'm using (I buy RO water from Walmart, but purchased an RO machine....just waiting on delivery), or possibly the oxygen in the water? Whether I pull the eggs and hatch them myself or leave them with the parents....they free swim for a few days (eating live BBS)....then die. I turned the air stones on both sides of my tank off about 2 months ago. I learned that turning them off lowered the ph and created a better breeding environment for angelfish. In fact, my angels started laying eggs the next day. I left them off, as the angels seemed happier without the bubbles. I have an aqua clear 300 HOB running in the middle, a 20g smaller whisper internal filter on one side, and a small sponge filter on the other side. However, there is very little surface agitation. Could my tank lack oxygen, and more eggs died this time due to the lack of oxygen? Will an air pump, that only creates surface agitation put oxygen in the waster without raising the ph? Just trouble shooting here...but help is appreciated.

 

[henningc]

That is very odd. A couple of things could be happening. One, have you pulled and tested a water sample from the bottom and mid-water in the tank? Are you checking to make sure the egg sacks are completely gone? They can free swim with them on and if their not actually eating the shrimp you get insto sewage. I always start my angle fry on green water for the first 3-4 days of free swimming. I then begin with the live baby brine shrimp. As for air stones, have you tried placing one inside a large air driven sponge and stuffing filter floss in the lift tube? This further breaks up the bubble and gets rid of the fizz.

Hope this helps, Happy Holidays

 

[Kelly5978]

Thanks for responding! I will try your air stone suggestion. I have 2 other angelfish (same tank, but other side of the divider) who stay in the big plant under the filter about 90% of the time. They come out to eat....but go right back to hiding. The remaining angelfish and denison barbs swim as if all is well throughout the tank. But, the 2 in "hiding" used to swim around just fine! Why did you say test from the bottom of the tank? Could my filters not be filtering the bottom? The 2 parents, divided off with a sponge filter on their side, DO seem happier and healthier, so you may be on to something! Yet, it was their eggs/wigglers who made it even less time than the previous spawns. Someone said ALL bottled water has tons of bacteria (no matter what the bottle claims), so even natural spring water (bottled) isn't safe for aquariums. I'm waiting g on an RO system to be delivered, but these fish have been in my bottled water/tap mix for a LONG time. So, I don't get why it's just now affecting them! Thanks for the tips either way!