WHAT AM I??? I went fishing....

[bigbanker]

I pulled some plants out of my mixed community and found this itty bitty in the container I had placed the plants in:



It is that tiny black speck in the middle to the right of the light green plant in the picture. It looks like Mickey mouse with a tail.

In the tank I've got Australian rainbows, neon tetras, cherry barbs, gouramis, columbian tetras, redline sharks and two rehomed rasboras.

What in heavens name is this

 

[emerald76]

The tiny fish fry?

 

[bigbanker]

Yup! I had to grab a magnifying glass to confirm it was in fact a fish

 

[bigbanker]

Thoughts?

 

[alLexX]

i vote rainbows or cherrys. apparently cherrys are easy to breed,and my mom managed to breed her australian rainbows without trying

 

[bigbanker]

!!!! I think you are onto something... my female cherries have been quite "fat" the past couple of weeks. But I thought they were egg layers?

My only male rainbow HAS been on fantastic display lately and bothering one female. But fry THAT small?

BTW this fry was found amongst some floating plants at the top that I frequently swish about.

When I get home I shall do more research! Any more thoughts?

 

[jetajockey]

It could be any of those. The barbs, tetras and bows all spawn readily in aquaria. We just don't see fry often because they almost always get eaten. There's a huge window they have to survive through to make it past being snack size.

 

[bigbanker]

Alrighty....I've done some more research and I am leaning towards it being a cherry barb fry.

"Bug" as he/she/it has been named is now living in glade container with a few plants. His container will get daily water changes.

I was just commenting the other day that I had a shot glass with green water in it... Now I've got instant fry food! I've poured that into Bug's container. I'll update as he grows!

ps. He seems to have taken a poo since this picture was taken and now he just looks like two eye balls and not mickey mouse! LOL! This makes it even harder to find him!

 

[Fishguy1997]

Have you bought any new fish lately?
Or bought any plants out of a tank at your LFS or where ever you get your fish? Because if you bought fish lately the fry could have been netted with the other fish and but it the bag and Sent home with you without noticeing. Or if you bought live plants out of a tank the fry could've been in the plant and couldn't get out so when they put the plant in the bag with a little water the fry was able to get into the water and that's you got him.

 

[bigbanker]

@FishGuy

I wish!!! Sadly I've been unable to find more fish/plants that I want for this tank; therefore, no new purchases for it!

And update on Bug. He is s-l-o-w-l-y growing. We have now reached the point where if the container is sitting on the counter I can see him without sticking my nose in the water with a magnifying glass. My roommate (who has NO tanks) is totally entranced and excited by this as she almost threw Bug away.

 

[Tetra1990]

This is a great way to get her into the hobby!

 

[bigbanker]

This is a great way to get her into the hobby!

agreed!!! so far she loves my cray. and loves the idea of a reef tank.

 

[bigbanker]

I forgot to turn the AC off when I left and it was incredibly cold in her. Temps in all tanks dropped at least two degrees. Idk what the temp was in Bug's little container. He wasn't moving. I swapped some warmer water out for him. Not much response. Hopefully he will come around.

 

[Maxkolbe]

Hope he does ok, just be careful not to shock him by raising the temp too fast.

 

[bigbanker]

Thanks! I swapped a bit of the water and moved him outside. Its Considerably warmer out there

 

[emerald76]

Hope he unfreezes! You could try getting a small tank for $13 at petsmart that way you can have a thermometer and it'll be easier to monitor him
The tanks come with junk(IMO) undergravel filters and airstones plus teeny bulbs but this way you can monitor the temperature in the tank and also be able to maybe add a mini filter or heater

 

[Guppylove85]

sounds exciting, hope he is doing ok, nothing like taking care of a tiny baby fry.

 

[LyndaB]

ps. He seems to have taken a poo since this picture was taken

OMG, and how is it that you spotted his poo?

 

[bigbanker]

Lol because he would get a brown spot around the middle.

Unfortunately he did die this morning! It seems temp shock got the best of the little guy. My roommate was heartbroken.

She, a vet tech, then proclaimed he was too small to do an autopsy on

 

[emerald76]

Lol because he would get a brown spot around the middle.

Unfortunately he did die this morning! It seems temp shock got the best of the little guy. My roommate was heartbroken.

She, a vet tech, then proclaimed he was too small to do an autopsy on

I'm so sorry! I hope you find another little one to name Bug 2 or Bugaboo!( just my suggestions)