Recommendations for tank for raising fry

[Guest]

My female guppy just gave me a batch of fry. Currently they are still in the breeding trap, but I would like to set up some sort of dedicated tank for them to eventually move to (and for future generations).

I had a look at the Eclipse 6 and 12 systems. They seem nice enough although they'd really be great if they had some sort of built-in heater as well (I've read the lamp can do that job though, ha ha). Would one of these systems make a good fry tank? Would the built-in filter suck fry up, or is the flow rate adjustable? Or, am I better off getting a 10-gallon glass tank and doing my own system from scratch? It's the filtration system that has me worried the most. I don't want to find a bunch of fry dead in filter floss

 

[TCTFish]

A simple fry tank should only have a heater, a sponge filter (air pump driven) and something for the fry to hide in like some low lying plastic plants weighted down and some floating. It's best to keep the fry tank bare bottomed (no substrate). Do this for the future generation. In fact, it's best to transfer the pregnant fish into the fry tank so the fry are born in that tank's water, then just remove the adult after birth. Transferring fry from one tank to another can be lethal to them. They are babies...infants and are very very touchy when it comes to sudden changes in water chemistry. For the ones you currently have, just get a breeder net and let them grow up in there. Much better than the breeder traps IMO.

 

[Guest]

Oops, I should have mentioned - and this was an important point - that air-pump based filters are out of the quesiton. Too loud.

 

[TCTFish]

Without an air pump driven sponge filter, the fry are more likely to die from being sucked up into a motor filter. I do understand the noise issue, however...there is an air pump that is very quiet and no it's not a Whisper or TetraTec...LOL. Rena air pumps are the most silent air pump I've ever come across. They cost a little more, but when I plug them in to show my customers, I have to put my finger to the nozzle to make sure it's working. That's how quiet they are.

 

[TomK2]

You could try a muffler for an air pump. check out my link:

http://home.comcast.net/~tomstank/tomstank_files/page0016.htm

Some pumps are quiet only when the hoses are attached. Thats because the noise stays in the airline tubing and goes into the tank. Some tanks are good at reverbrating the noise back out into the room. I put mufflers on a pump, and then put the pump under the stand and It is acceptable. Its easy to do too. I also like to build things when I am bored, so maybe I just have too much time on my hands!

 

[Wolfspyder]

Oops, I should have mentioned - and this was an important point - that air-pump based filters are out of the quesiton. Too loud.

Try the Rena Air pumps. They are very quiet, I don't hear mine at all, just my penguin filter and the bubbles the pump makes. I need to find an airstone that is quiet now..

 

[BASSNMAN]

I use fine nylon netting around the filter strainer. Cut a piece big enough to allow you to blouse it out away from the strainer. Attach with a rubber band. You can probably buy a 10 gal glass tank at your LFS for around 10 to 12 dollars. Get a small filter , a hood and heater on line.

 

[FancyGuppyGuy]

Bare bottom 10 gallon tank with sponge filter or HOB with Sponge on the intake.

the basic plain set up