For those of you who don't know, I just set my 33 g/128 l tank up a week ago, and got 2 zebra danios for cycling. I wasn't sure about their sex, I could only tell one was bigger and fatter. They've been chasing each other around all week, but I didn't think they'd start breeding so soon (not even knowing if they were male and female)!. Today, I started doing my first gravel vacuum, when I noticed a black fleck hanging on to the side of a plant. Then I spotted those same things in the buckets where the water from the tank went. I caught about 10 of them and put in a container with tank water in it, because I have no other place for them, no other tanks, and none of those separate breeding things for the tank, either (and can't get any until Monday). They can swim a little, but they hang on to the sides of the container. I was excited, of course, to find them, but now I'm afraid I can't keep them alive in these conditions. And the rest of the babies in the tank were probably killed while I vacuumed the gravel and also moved some plants around. I read I should get some liquid fry food for the babies once they are free swimming, but I highly doubt my one and only LFS has that! Any ideas what I should do? I was totally unprepared for a this kind of a surprise!
My danios had babies!
- Thread starter Sinuhe
- Start date
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beckers
Aquarium Advice Newbie
I'm not familiar with danios but I went through a similar experience with my guppies. When my guppies first had babies I had to keep them in a small plastic container the first couple of days too. They did fine in it though. They're better off in a small space at first, they can find food easier and dont have to waste as much energy swimming around looking for it.
I ended up just buying a plain 5.5 gallon glass tank for them. All I put in it was a sponge filter and some java moss (and eventually a tank divider to make room for more babies!). I use a peice of regular airline tubing to vaccuum the bottom, it takes a little longer but it works just as well and theres less chance of sucking up a baby in it.
I tried that liquid fry stuff for my babies but they were not very fond of it and I found that it sunk to the bottom quite quickly and my guppies prefer to eat at the surface. Not to mention that liquid fry stuff cost me $6 at my lfs :\
I found that my babies love First Bites by Hikari, and it was only $2 something! It is like a powder. I use a small peice of airline tubing (I heard using a toothpick is better) and get the tip of it wet and shake it off, then touch the tip to the food and the food will stick to it, then I touch it to the surface of the water. If you do it carefully most of the food will spread out on the surface, or you can stick it under the surface and it will slowly sink. The babies swarm to it and hog it down.
You can make your own baby food by mashing some flake food into a powder in a ziplock bag or something. I tried it but my babies didnt like it, maybe I didnt have it ground up small enough. I've also heard quite a few people say they feed their fry cooked egg yoke, but I tried this as well and the babies didnt really seem interested and all it did was cloud the water. You just have to find something small enough to fit in their tiny mouths!
If you have a plant you could give them they may feel safer if they have something to hide in. They could also pick food particles from a plant if you cant get anything else to feed them right now. I imagine they will be fine until monday, they're stronger than they look!
Congrats and good luck
I ended up just buying a plain 5.5 gallon glass tank for them. All I put in it was a sponge filter and some java moss (and eventually a tank divider to make room for more babies!). I use a peice of regular airline tubing to vaccuum the bottom, it takes a little longer but it works just as well and theres less chance of sucking up a baby in it.
I tried that liquid fry stuff for my babies but they were not very fond of it and I found that it sunk to the bottom quite quickly and my guppies prefer to eat at the surface. Not to mention that liquid fry stuff cost me $6 at my lfs :\
I found that my babies love First Bites by Hikari, and it was only $2 something! It is like a powder. I use a small peice of airline tubing (I heard using a toothpick is better) and get the tip of it wet and shake it off, then touch the tip to the food and the food will stick to it, then I touch it to the surface of the water. If you do it carefully most of the food will spread out on the surface, or you can stick it under the surface and it will slowly sink. The babies swarm to it and hog it down.
You can make your own baby food by mashing some flake food into a powder in a ziplock bag or something. I tried it but my babies didnt like it, maybe I didnt have it ground up small enough. I've also heard quite a few people say they feed their fry cooked egg yoke, but I tried this as well and the babies didnt really seem interested and all it did was cloud the water. You just have to find something small enough to fit in their tiny mouths!
If you have a plant you could give them they may feel safer if they have something to hide in. They could also pick food particles from a plant if you cant get anything else to feed them right now. I imagine they will be fine until monday, they're stronger than they look!
Congrats and good luck
G
Guest
Guest
I heartily agree with this advice. they will feel safer, and there are likely some micro-organisms living on the plants that they can eat now.
Never bred dannios, but this same type thing happened to me (twice) with my white clouds (similar breeding style) and I saved quite a few fry. From 4 original adults I now have 20-25 fish, almost all adult size now. I give much credit to the live plants in the tank, harboring tiny creatures for the fry to eat.
Thanks for your advice, guys! I'll try to be imaginative with the food, as you suggested I can probably offer them some kind of a plant, too. I don't have java moss yet, despite my efforts to find it, tho. I would be so excited if even a few of the fry would survive and grow up .
I can probably offer them some kind of a plant, too. I don't have java moss yet, despite my efforts to find it, tho. I would be so excited if even a few of the fry would survive and grow up .
