Zebra Danio Fry - assistance please

[enid_b]

Hi, first post so go easy.

Ok i just moved my fish from the 10g into the cycled 30g tank this afternoon. The move went well, and everyone seemed happy. My Danios were the first ones in there. 4 females and 2 males.

I nip out to play football for an hour, and when i got home, i looked in the tank and some tiny movement in the corner caught my eye. They were on the back wall of the tank in the still water below the filter outlet.

Anyhow, i try and focus on it, and it looks like 3 tiny eyelashes. So i think that i have got some Danio fry. Its hard to see as the lights are off but i then notice some stuck to the front wall of the tank.

i counted 17 in total. anyhow, i grabbed my phone to find out what i should do with them, i dont have a breeding trap or anything else like that at the moment. i wasnt expecting babies.

by the time i got organised, my swordtail is slowing picking them off like sweets (bare in mind they have not been fed all day).

i managed to get 2 fry out of the tank, and put them in the now empty 10g tank (which i had left on to maintain the cycle whilst i decide what to do)

question is, what should i do now?

im assuming i will need to get some fry food in the morning, but any other tips you can give me whilst im away browsing the forums would be appreciated.

thanks.

 

[jetajockey]

They really need to be in a tank by themselves. as far as feeding them goes, if the tank is well established there is probably a good bit of stuff for them to munch on. You could try powdering fish food, or growing green water algae. They will take several months to get large enough to where they won't get eaten by the other fish in the tank.

That's why people rarely see egglayer fry in community tanks, the fish breed just as much as guppies do but the fry are so tiny that they usually get eaten.

 

[enid_b]

thanks for the quick reply there. since my post ive been reading all about it, how to remove fry/eggs etc.

im off to the lfs tomorrow anyhow so i will prob get a breeding net or similar just in case.

i think i was just more surprised than anything else, then felt a little guilty as they were quickly consumed. its natures way of course, but i do wish i could have done more to help them.

cheers

 

[enid_b]

Update: just checked it again and saw another 10 or so on the side of the tank. Vacuumed them out and they are safely in the 10g.

I know it's rather mundane and a common occurrence to many people, but it's my first batch of fry and I'm going to enjoy it. I'm just glad I didn't close down the 10g (that's the sort of thing I would normally do.)

Time will tell!

 

[enid_b]

Same story again tonight. As soon as the lights go off, more fry appear. Was much more prepared today and vacuumed them all to safety.