Losing Babies!

[domsmom]

How many babies average can you expect to lose out of a batch of babies? We had 22 platy fry, which turned into 16& today, 8! They are in the nursery by them selves. I'm not finding dead babies anywhere. I can only expect they SOMEHOW escaped and where eaten!

 

[animalzrok2]

imo it really depends on the batch. sometimes none, and sometimes all. are there holes in the nursery that they could get through?

 

[domsmom]

There are a few small holes in bottom but I put some gravel on bottom to cover all possible escape routes! Then when I just now realized there's only 8, I even added some more in case they found a way out, just now we looked in there again, and we are down to 7! In the matter of and hour or two! I'm so annoyed! I need to get a completely different breeder tank but by the time I get one, cycle it and put the babies in it, I prob won't have any more babies

 

[Zagz]

What else is in the tank with them? I know they are in a nursery but what is in the tank you are housing the nursery in? They are probably getting out and getting eaten or perhaps they are getting caught in the filter?

 

[domsmom]

I've looked in the filter, I think they are getting eaten. I just don't know HOW they are escaping!

In the main tank there are:
2 mm platy
2 serpae tetra &
3 painted tetra

 

[domsmom]

This is the main tank with the nursery inside. The 1st batch of fry never escaped! with this batch we have caught a few going for a joy swim in the main tank, rescued then and put them back! But then there's those we didn't see or couldn't rescue ....

 

[gabysapha]

Try using a net breeder if you don't want to get another tank. Or just use the biggest fish net you have and bend the handle over so that it doesn't fall out of the tank. I do that all the time. I raised corydoras from eggs that way.

 

[Zagz]

The serpae tetras are the most likely to eat the fry if they are getting out.