Found babies in my tank?!!

[Karmachica]

I was watching my tank yesterday and just checking on everyone and making sure life was good, and what do I see??... A baby cichlid hiding in an artificial plant in the front left corner of my tank!! I look around some more in excitement and then what do I see?!... Another baby cichlid hiding in a plant on the right corner of my tank!! Both are a lil short of 1/2 inch long and I can slightly see they have stripes already, very exciting!
Both of my females were holding awhile back for the first time since I've had them and I decided to let nature do its course first time around. I thought none of them survived and was surprised to see one female holding after I thought she had just spit , then a week or two later she wasn't holding anymore so I assumed she spit too early again or ended up swallowing them. -But now I'm thinking she scooped 2 back up when i rescaped their tank, that I never saw.

Whatever the case I'm super excited! I also just bought a 55g and now I'm thinking since ill have a little more room soon, I want to give these little babies a chance to grow up.

They have survived this long I believe because of where they are hiding. No one can get at them due to the placement of terracotta pots and plants in both corners. My issue now is I need to do a water change don't want to have them make a run for it and get eaten in the process. I have considered removing them and putting the 2 babies in a 1.5 gallon I have that's empty, or I also have a 20g with 3 skirted tetras, one fire tetra, and 2 mystery snails.

If I moved the 2 babies to a different tank...
1. Would this be their best chance to survive?
2. Which tank should they be moved to?
3. How the heck and I going to catch them?

Currently the babies are in a 29g.

29g stock besides the 2 babies are:
1male sunshine peacock
2female sunshine peacocks
It's sand substrate / Hob filter

20g stock:
3skirted tetras
1 fire tetra
2mystery snails
(Also 1 pleco, but it's going in the 55g soon or rehomed)
It's gravel substrate / hob filter

I also have a 5g:
1 male crown tail Betta
It's sand substrate / Tetra whisper filter

Then I have a 1.5 gallon
Empty
Tetra whisper filter

Thanks in advance for any help!

 

[bettaowner]

Moving the fry would help them. I would move the fry to the 5 gallon and move the betta to the 1.5. The betta should be fine but you can always get a new tank for it.

 

[Karmachica]

The 1.5g is too small for my beta - IMO
That's where I used to have him & ever since he moved to the 5g, he blows bubble nests and gets to swim all over and he's super happy. I would really prefer not move him back into that tiny thing if I don't have to, it would make me sad & I feel like he would look at me everyday like, 'wow really?'' lol

Do you think the 2 babies would be good for the 1.5g?

 

[bettaowner]

Ok I love bettas so I don't want him suffering. Would you be able to get a new tank for the fry?

 

[Karmachica]

Yeah I could probably get another tank for the fry. You think a 5g would be good or something else? I guess the only thing I'm concerned about with getting another tank or even setting up that 1.5g tank is that will make it 4 tanks running & I'm also setting up my new 55g so technically that would make it 5 tanks running lol I don't mind that at all however my bf I live with will most likely be sitting me down for an intervention soon lol

However, I justified getting the 55g because it will be replacing the 29g & the 20g once it's ready. So in the long run, ill just have the 55g for my cichlids and the 5g for my beta...So if he can see the light at the end of the tunnel- i can have the 55, the 5, and then a tank for fry.. Lol that's still downsizing ... Right?

 

[bettaowner]

A 5 gallon would work for the two fry

 

[Karmachica]

Sounds good thanks