Fry in REAL fuzz???? Help

[Kelly5978]

If something CAN go wrong, it seems that it WILL to my poor wigglers! I have 10 wigglers in a goldfish bowl with methelyne blue, air stone and heater. They look fantastic....except they are stuck to a piece of fuzz. I don't mean dead wiggler fuzz....I mean sweater fuzz. I covered the bowl with aluminum foil, so I have no clue how this happened, but I do have a sweater the same purple color of the fuzz. ?. Can I do anything to save them? They wiggle like crazy, and are bigger than any I've had so far. They are about 2-3 days from free swimming. The air hose sent them flying once....but the fuzz kept them all together. I see no way to get them out without harm. Will they stop sticking to the fuzz when they're sacs are gone....or do I have yet another set of doomed fry?

 

[Toad]

Maybe get a pair of tweezers and wave and wiggle the fuzz around in the water and see if they dislodge? I'm not really experienced in these sort of fry so maybe other people have a better idea.

 

[Kelly5978]

I'm just afraid to hurt them. 1 looks tangled in it, but the rest look like their sticking to it on purpose....to stay together. The air blew them around at one point, and now they are stay ON the blue bubbler at the end of the air hose. Can that injure them? Trying to keep my hamds out of their tank....

 

[delfisherman]

I use a wooden skewer. I have about 150 angel free swimmers and the carbon dust clumped and my babies attached to it i just got close and made a quick movement with the skewer and they all came off and i sucked the clump up and out

 

[Kelly5978]

Thanks so much! Was hoping someone would have a suggestion! Now....what's a skewer? Lol. So, I'm guessing it's NOT okay if they are "on" the bubbler? I'm thinking my air flow is too strong? I'm past going crazy about all the things that go wrong....but if I can save them, I would be very happy. If the air isn't too strong, maybe the fuzz is caught on the bubbler....and therefore keeping them there? I'll investigate when I get home. I suppose I can't make things worse (I say right before I mess everything up.....?)

 

[delfisherman]

Idk your tank situation but i use a bare bottom tank with just a heater and sponge filter. Its whatt u use when grilling and put food on. I use low to medium air or it becomes to much and they are over worked my baby tank

 

[Kelly5978]

I have almost the exact same set up. But so far I have not been very successful with my angel fish fry. The longest they've lived is three days free swimming. I have two different pair of angel fish that have had three unsuccessful spawns each. As I said, if something CAN go wrong.... It typically does to my fish. This was the first spawn of two different angelfish in a different tank that just paired up. Frankly, I didn't think any would make it, and wasn't positive that the parents were actually male/female until I had wigglers. Also I was very tired of filling up the fry tank.....only to empty it when they died. (Crying of course). So this time I just used a goldfish bowl. I have the tank with heater and sponge filter sitting there ready in case they do become free swimming, but in the meantime they are in a goldfish bowl with methyl blue, a heater and air stone. Should I shake the air stone (hoping the wigglers free themselves of the fuzz and stone)?

 

[Kelly5978]

If these guys survive all of this....I will be convinced that there is something wrong in the main tank, where the other 2 pair are, that is causing their fry to die. I noticed what I believe is a camallanus worm coming out of a different fish in the big tank....which just plain pisses me off, because i paid so much money on diff meds to rid my tank of the awful worms a few months ago. Levamisole, prazi, fenbendazole, and others.... I thought I had them licked. But, if even just the TANK still has them, that would kill the fry....right? I'll be thrilled if my newly paired angels in the 20g have healthy babies....but I really wanted all my angels to breed successfully....so I'm just trouble shooting. I'm buying something to slow down the air flow on the wigglers right now. So, hopefully they'll survive.

 

[delfisherman]

I started my baby tank with parents tank water and then dosed medium to heavy meth blue the put a sponge filter in the tank that was seeded and put the leaf the parents layed on about 3 inches away from the filter and let it go. If they are newly formed just getting wigglers is good enough. All my new pairs normally wont get good hatch rates till 3-5 spawns. This is my blue pairs 5th time and ive had a 50-60% hatch rate. This is my only pair im actually trying to keep spawning because my other three pairs are in a community tank and i havent been there when they spawned so its ok. After the holidays ill be doing better to catch their spawns. it is frustrating but i would tear down the tank filter and sterilize it and have the parents in a quarintine tank till they are cleared of the worms. Till then i wouldnt worry about babies.

 

[Kelly5978]

Well, I dosed my tank with levamisole this morning (big tank), and will see how they act after the huge water change in 2 days. If I were to sterilize....what's the best method? I mean....safest to fish? How long would I need to keep them out of the tank? I don't have a QT big enough for them all...
Also, the wigglers from the new pair in a diff tank, are STILL WIGGLING! I did a 20% water change....getting more of the m.blue out....and use the dropper to try to gently push the fuzz off. No go. I think THEY might be sticking to IT...not the other way around. So....if anyone has ever had this weird thing happen, my main question is: will they break free themselves once their egg sack and sticky "stuff" is gone? Or are they doomed? Andy once told me he had a batch of fungused over eggs, but happened to see a few tails moving....and had a few survive. But, that's fungused eggs....not real fuzz. I will keep caring for them until the no longer move, of course. But, I'm just wondering if I should hope....
They're soooo big! And lively! I tried a new method this time....and made their water 80 degrees, instead of the 82-84 degrees in my main tank. They are developing slower...but they really seem healthy. Heck, a FIRST spawn has survived fuzz, my meddling, and being stuck to a bubbler (tossed around), etc...and are still kicking. I would love any advice, as I really hope they make it! I think I'm going to just leave them alone (guessing that would be the "master breeder's" advice. I hate waiting....?

 

[Andy Sager]

Well, I dosed my tank with levamisole this morning (big tank), and will see how they act after the huge water change in 2 days. If I were to sterilize....what's the best method? I mean....safest to fish? How long would I need to keep them out of the tank? I don't have a QT big enough for them all...
Also, the wigglers from the new pair in a diff tank, are STILL WIGGLING! I did a 20% water change....getting more of the m.blue out....and use the dropper to try to gently push the fuzz off. No go. I think THEY might be sticking to IT...not the other way around. So....if anyone has ever had this weird thing happen, my main question is: will they break free themselves once their egg sack and sticky "stuff" is gone? Or are they doomed? Andy once told me he had a batch of fungused over eggs, but happened to see a few tails moving....and had a few survive. But, that's fungused eggs....not real fuzz. I will keep caring for them until the no longer move, of course. But, I'm just wondering if I should hope....
They're soooo big! And lively! I tried a new method this time....and made their water 80 degrees, instead of the 82-84 degrees in my main tank. They are developing slower...but they really seem healthy. Heck, a FIRST spawn has survived fuzz, my meddling, and being stuck to a bubbler (tossed around), etc...and are still kicking. I would love any advice, as I really hope they make it! I think I'm going to just leave them alone (guessing that would be the "master breeder's" advice. I hate waiting....?

To quote a Tom Petty song, " The waiting is the hardest part. " Get used to it. The longer (within reason) the fry take absorb their yolk sac, the better as this means they are not burning up the nutrition but absorbing it and using it to grow. Be patient

It's hard for FUZZ to kill a wiggler if the tail is moving. Once again, I suggest you LEAVE THINGS ALONE until they should be free swimming. At that point, if they are still stuck, then you go with tweezers to try to separate them from the fuzz. ( Grab the fuzz and shake, NOT the fry!!!) I doubt this will become necessary as the fry tend to be able to break through stuff like fuzz. You just need to be more careful when around your fry tanks so nothing foreign gets into them.

 

[Kelly5978]

Thanks! Guess your voice (and awesome accent) echoes through the haze....cause I figured you'd say "leave em be"! Lol. I'll report how it turns out

 

[Andy Sager]

ACCENT? What accent????????? I don't have an accent

 

[Kelly5978]

I LOVE your accent . Okay, they're still alive. ALL of them. Most are in the bundle of fuzz, but 1 is free. He seems to be hoping/scooting in circles and around the tank. I can't upload here, and I know utube isn't very clear, but here is the scooter...
http://youtu.be/zpbhrZxdKhU

The ones in fuzz seem to be trying to jump out if it, but not succeeding. Last few questions....
1. Should I worry that they seem to be developing so slowly? 3-4 days after hatching, they still have large egg sacks.
2. I've done 20% water changes since day 1 (trying to do things diff this time and see if it might be my water causing me trouble). The water is still VERY blue. Will it hurt them if they swim in m.blue water? Or should I do the carbon bag trick?
3. Since they seem to be determined to live (ooohhhh crossing fingers tightly), should I move them to the fry tank now? Or wait till they swim? Do I use the siphon method that I used to move them as eggs?

 

[Andy Sager]

It seems like today's Angels are taking about 7 days to become free swimming so a big yolk sac is not concern at day 3 or 4. Remember, at cooler temps, the fry do everything more slowly so don 't compare things to what happened at 84 degrees.

Meth Blue is harmless so it doesn't matter that they are swimming in it. I don't start to get rid of my blue until day 6 and I just use carbon bag , no water changes this time around.

My suggestion is to not do anything until the fry are free swimming. In fact, I currently have a 1 Gal bottle with about 3 week old fry in it cause there are only about 30 fish. Don't be in a hurry. I keep them in the smaller area until after they have eaten a few times. This way they don't have to hunt for their food, it's swimming right under their noses. lol ( These are still in the bottle cause I haven't had the time to make a tank ready to move them. This should show you that there is no need to rush, EVER!!!!! )

So we shouldn't hear from you regarding these fry for another 3-4 days Just leave them alone!!!!

Have a Happy New Year

 

[IShallNtEatFish]

I've been following this thread and wanted to tell you that the free swimmer is absolutely adorable!!!

 

[Kelly5978]

Thanks . I'm trying to shut up for a few days, per request....but I think so too! There are 2 free now....jumping and swimming for short periods of time. I started BBS cooking just in case I wake up to a bunch of swimmers! If not, my big angels will get a treat . I worry way too much, and know it. I'm sitting here now, wondering if the air's too strong....fighting the urge to move them to their fry tank. But, listening to Andy typically pays off...so happy New Years all....

 

[IShallNtEatFish]

Hahaha be proud of your new babies!!! I'm that way when my cows have calves, I've been known to spend the first week sleeping in the field with them...

 

[Kelly5978]

Lol, my bf says I'm a "mermaid". If I could jump into their tank...I prolly would

 

[delfisherman]

Andy ive done the same froming learning from you. Just put them in a m blue 80 degree tank and wait. Except my latest batch only took 2days as wigglers and 3-4 after that for free swimmers and havent ever had such strong fry in my life.