Bolivian Ram Fry! Help!

[AtodaJ]

Ok... I got a bit of a surprise and I'm very much unprepared for it. I have 3 Bolivians and 2 apparently took a liking to eachother. They laid eggs and many have hatched (20 -40 I think.. tough to count). I have "wigglers". I think they will become free swimming in the next 24-48 hours. I've read a number of articles/posts regarding breeding these guys but haven't gotten very good answers for my specific questions so here they go.

1 - I have a very large mass of Java Moss in my tank. Will the fry gravitate to the Moss for protection or will they continue to try to stay near their parent resulting in certain death from my Tetra possie? I know a number will get eaten but will any go for the shelter?

2 - Should I move them now while in Wiggler state or wait till they become free swimming?

3 - What should I use to move them? As wigglers they are still in the sand and I fear if I use a turkey baster I'll hurt them by sucking up sand with them. I tried using the baster to suck up an egg but the egg always just fell right back down before I could get it out of the water. Plus the Mom attacked my baster... very good parents these Bolivians.

4 - I don't have a free tank to keep them in so I'm considering keeping them in a breeder net inside the main tank. If they begin to grow and appear to be "making it" then I'll either grab another tank or sell most of them I suppose.

Any other suggestions are welcome.

 

[Allivymar]

I found my Bolivians to be spectacular parents. The Angelfish found the free swimming fry pretty yummy tho LOL poor buggers.

Don't use a breeder net. They won't survive in it; they need the oxygenated water, and the water in breeder nets isn't well circulated; I'd think they have a better chance with the tetras to be honest. So no worries about moving them; I'd only move them to another tank, and they'll really do best with the parents anyway.

They will stay near the parents and prob ignore the java moss UNLESS the parents decide to keep them near it. I found my fry couldn't leave the parents if they wanted to; the parents grab the wandering fry with their mouths and bring em back to the fold.

Have you thought about feeding them? Have anything prepared?

 

[AtodaJ]

No thoughts of feeding them outside of feeding the entire tank. How soon do I need to do that and what do you recommend?

 

[Allivymar]

Once the fry are free swimming they're ready to eat. Thing is, Bolivian fry are pretty small and won't be able to eat much of what you'd normally feed adult fish. Plus they need more nutrients.

The best thing to feed cichlid fry is baby brine shrimp. I picked up a can of eggs and was going to raise my own as that really is the best way, but I discovered my angelfish fry found frozen BBS just as yummy and did just as well. Then again, I only had 11 survivors, so it wasn't an expensive proposition.

Initially ram fry are sometimes too small to even eat BBS. Is the tank planted? The Java moss will help as the fry can start off eating microorganisms which can sometimes be found hanging out in it, and a well planted tank can offer a lot.

 

[Menagerie]

Yeah fry! Have fun with them, the parents should take good care of them!