Prego Lemon Sword first time

[JJandTrey]

So my lemon sword is obviously pregnant, but seeing as this is my first time breeding fish I don't really know what to expect. I guess my big thing is, when should I put here in the breeding box. AND, can I safely put the fry in my RCS 10gal to raise them up a bit. The momma is in my mostly livebearer community tank.

Here are a few pictures



Because shes so pale I can actually see through her and see the little individual embryos. Super cool.



I tried to get a head on pic. Is this her "squaring off"?

Thanks for the help! I want to try and save as many fry as possible.

 

[JJandTrey]

Anyone out there?

 

[Darkseid76]

She's very close. Be sure to add cover to the breeder box for the fry.

Personally I'm not a fan of breeder boxes. I'd rather put her in a separate tank to drop. My female green sword won't drop anywhere but in my main tank though lol

So be prepared if she doesn't "cooperate"

 

[JJandTrey]

Ive got a 10 gallon that only has about 10 red cherry shrimp. Could I put her in there or will she eat the shrimp? I planned on putting the fry in there to mature a bit. This is my first fish birth, im intrigued.

 

[JJandTrey]

And what do you mean cover for the breeder box? I have a bunch of frogbit if thats what you mean.

 

[JJandTrey]

Checked this morning and shes still preggers. I picked up a new 20 gallon yesterday, I now have 7 tanks and I fear daily my wife will kill me. Anyways I got a 20 gal tall, so I think I'm going to move my ten guppies from their 10 gallon to the 20 and strip down the 10 for a fry tank. I generally keep a couple of sponge filters running in my other tanks for emergencies and extra tanks, so I'll put one in there should be instantly cycled. I also try to use about half old tank water setting up a new tank with an established filter. I find this keeps all the BB happy.

Any comments or advice from anyone would be appreciated. Based on the pictures how long before I should put her in the ten gallon. Or do I let her drop in a breeder net and try to relocate the fry only. I'm just not clear on a couple of the little steps.

 

[Darkseid76]

Checked this morning and shes still preggers. I picked up a new 20 gallon yesterday, I now have 7 tanks and I fear daily my wife will kill me. Anyways I got a 20 gal tall, so I think I'm going to move my ten guppies from their 10 gallon to the 20 and strip down the 10 for a fry tank. I generally keep a couple of sponge filters running in my other tanks for emergencies and extra tanks, so I'll put one in there should be instantly cycled. I also try to use about half old tank water setting up a new tank with an established filter. I find this keeps all the BB happy.

Any comments or advice from anyone would be appreciated. Based on the pictures how long before I should put her in the ten gallon. Or do I let her drop in a breeder net and try to relocate the fry only. I'm just not clear on a couple of the little steps.

You've got a great set up going. By cover I meant plants, fake or real. Aquatic moss is perfect. Most people will use cover at the bottom but I think fry prefer to hide upwards.

In my experience all my sword fry always hide in my floating water sprite instead of the java moss in my tank.

I like your spare tank set up also, its perfect. My 5.5 uses a box filter seeded with media from my main tank. I filled it completely with tank water from my main also. Threw in a ball of moss from a trimming, add a small heater and its set. I would do exactly as your thinking for your ten. Keep it bare bottom for easy clean up and add the female. I would use no lighting to minimize stress. Add plenty of plants if you have them for fry cover and you should be all set. Keep her fed and she should drop no problem.

It's easier to move mom than fry. Because my green is a stubborn mom I have to do the reverse lol

 

[JJandTrey]

Thank you I appreciate it all. I've got her in the breeding tank now. I was able to scavenge some anacharis and java moss from my other tanks. Right now I have a small h.o.b filter on there with the sponge, with some filter media over the intake of the hob. You think I should leave it like this or ditch it for the sponge filter only? Thank you for the encouragement. I feel like I've been wanting to progress my hobby, and I guess this is the next step. I hope she drops soon as I have another lemon sword and a red wag sword both prego too. Also two of the guppies in my 20 gallon I noticed were pregnant when moving them. I'm going to be overrun with fry soon.

 

[JJandTrey]

I swear I can't stay out of my tank room. I decided my red cherry shrimp could do without one of their anubias. So its in there now along with a little clay pot thing I made a while back. I'm hoping she mated with my black sword that I have in the community tank with her but I do have a male lemon in there too. Wouldn't that make some cool orange and black colors possibly?




*edit
Sorry for so many posts, but any input on what I should be feeding her? I have all types of food from brine shrimp to freeze dried blood worms.

 

[Darkseid76]

That's a great set up. And yeah you'll be over run with fry soon lol

I think I have the same sponge filter. Just bought 4 on eBay for $10 shipped.

Been thinking of crossing my green male with another sword type, I just can't decide what though. Solar flare, pineapple or painted.

 

[JJandTrey]

Yeah I think its cll pet supplies out of WI. I have bought tons of stuff from them. Its chinese knock offs but so far my equipment works great. Im running several of their canister filters and a bunch of various sized powerheads.

As for the sword, she was still carrying this morning and has calmed down in the nursery. She still gets nervous when you get close to the tank but I think she'll be fine. I matched ph, temp, salinity (I run a little salt in my livebearer tank), etc. So im hoping for little Tennessee Volunteer Orange swords right in time for football season.

 

[henningc]

A cheap easy way to get good fry counts is take a flower pot or something else to use as a stand and place it in the shrimp or new tank. Place a plastic pasta strainer in top so you have two inches or so of water. Place your female in there so the fry exit through the holes upon birth. Then mom can go back home and catching her won't be a chore. You can then raise the fry.

Please use live food, bbs or micro worms for fry. They will grow much more quickly and much larger in the end.

 

[JJandTrey]

All great advice thank you. I have bbs and I was even thinking about culturing some microworms. How soon after birth should I be feeding them? I know I need to be feeding a couple times a day. Its going to be interesting teaching wife to feed them while I'm at work.

Ugh I just checked on her and STILL NO BABIES! It has to be any day now. Shes not really eating well and just hanging out in the little cave. Fingers crossed its today!

 

[Darkseid76]

Ive fed my swords Hikari first bites. The fry can eat right after birth. Ive also trained them to feed of a sinking wafer too. While live food is great, the Hikari first bites are also excellent. Once they're about a month you can also give them mosquito larvae.

Also i only fed them at most twice a day. Just to make sure the slower fry got a chance to eat.

 

[JJandTrey]

So this is weird, I don't know whether my fish is in labor or what. She's definitely huge and ready to pop, so I've been waiting anxiously for it to happen any day now.

Well today I came home from work and found what looks to be a little fry in the tank. it's extremely tiny maybe a millimeter long at most, clear, definitely fish shaped, but all I can make out is a black dot at one end which I assume is eyes. I thought sword tail fry were supposed to be a little bigger. But there is nothing else in that tank and there is definitely something alive and tiny swimming around. I haven't seen any others, but she's been pooping constantly.
Is this labor?

 

[JJandTrey]

Anyone have any thoughts?

 

[Darkseid76]

Never seen my sword drop. Usual times are dusk or early morning I've read. It's possible she may have ate them or didn't drop them all yet.

My sword dropped last night. Biggest clue is the noticeable slimming of the female.