Baby Boesemanis!

[Mikaila31]

I just got back from a 10 day vacation and this morning i noticed around 10 fry swimming in my quarintine tank. I think they are baby boesemanis since i had a male and female in the tank, then i i took out the male before i left on vacation. The mother is still in the quaritine tank with her babies she is about 2" long. the babies are only __ that long. I going to be moving the mother to a empty 20 gal. so she dosn't eat her babies. But what should i feed them the only thing i have that i think they might eat is frozen daphania. any suggestions on the best way to care for these little guys?

 

[Waterloo Kid]

You could try to find a shop that sells frozen baby brine shrimp. If not (rather rare to find) try frozen cyclops. Failing that use flake food ground really fine. Feed a little bit three times daily. Make sure you don't pollute the water with too much food. Make small 10% water changes every other day or so, making sure that you match water parameters as closely as possible. Ideally you need to start a baby brine shrimp hatchery. All you need is eggs, salt, a 1 litre bottle and an air pump. Instructions are all over the net.

WK

 

[BigC]

I have bred M. boesmani on many occaisions in the past. Here follows my experience of rearing the fry sucessfully. The fry are small and should be offered infusoria for the first couple of days alternatively boil an egg and place the yellow yolk in a cotton hankerchief dip this in the water and gently squeeze, please dont over do this as it can quickly foul the tank. (better to use a seperate tank for rearing, 12x8x8 bare bottomed tank)after a few days they should be able to consume newly hatched brineshrimp and microworms coupled with very finely ground flake. Water changes are absolutly essential for growth. Small water changes are advised but perform these often 2-3 times per week, syphoning off any uneaten food from the bottom of the tank. Feeding of the fry should be offered in the same manner "little and often". Due to work commitments I fed mine in the morning, tea time and again around 10 o'clock in the evening.
The key word is cleanliness when rearing these. A little bit of salt (cooking) added to the parent tank with the pH kept in the range of 8.0 - 8.5 and you will see the colours really stand out. A thing I have noticed with rearing these stunning fish is that the fry tend to grow in spurts if you like. They are very slow growing and you will think that you are getting nowhere then one day you will see a marked increase in growth why I don't know. Keep them well fed especially with newly hached brineshrimp, you will see when they have been eating this because their little stomach's will be orange in colour.
I hope this was of some help to you.
Regards
BigC

 

[Parin]

I have bred M. boesmani on many occaisions in the past. Here follows my experience of rearing the fry sucessfully. The fry are small and should be offered infusoria for the first couple of days alternatively boil an egg and place the yellow yolk in a cotton hankerchief dip this in the water and gently squeeze, please dont over do this as it can quickly foul the tank. (better to use a seperate tank for rearing, 12x8x8 bare bottomed tank)after a few days they should be able to consume newly hatched brineshrimp and microworms coupled with very finely ground flake. Water changes are absolutly essential for growth. Small water changes are advised but perform these often 2-3 times per week, syphoning off any uneaten food from the bottom of the tank. Feeding of the fry should be offered in the same manner "little and often". Due to work commitments I fed mine in the morning, tea time and again around 10 o'clock in the evening.
The key word is cleanliness when rearing these. A little bit of salt (cooking) added to the parent tank with the pH kept in the range of 8.0 - 8.5 and you will see the colours really stand out. A thing I have noticed with rearing these stunning fish is that the fry tend to grow in spurts if you like. They are very slow growing and you will think that you are getting nowhere then one day you will see a marked increase in growth why I don't know. Keep them well fed especially with newly hached brineshrimp, you will see when they have been eating this because their little stomach's will be orange in colour.
I hope this was of some help to you.
Regards
BigC

Nothing more to add to that. Excellent advise.