Breeder net fail??

[VioletThePurple]

So, I had several babies that were living in a breeder net for a couple weeks. Today after I had added a new fish, there's only one baby left in the net. Meaning the rest either escaped or died. But I didn't think they were small enough to fit through the holes for that to happen. I don't understand how they could get eaten through the net either due to their size compared to the holes. I choose breeder net over box because I heard that boxes build up ammonia and I wanted the fry to get the same filtration as the tank. I was also hoping that with the holes their poop wouldn't build up in the net. The poop didn't fall through so I started feeding them less. It could've been my fault if they died of starvation, but I didn't think I saw any bodies. I still have some babies free roaming in the tank. If the net babies starved, that's an easy mistake to fix, but if not I'm in trouble. I don't know what to do with the rest of the fry, if I should let it be survival of the fittest.

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

I've had livebearer fry that were small enough to escape the holes in the netting on a net breeder box. Usually it worked fine, but sometimes a female will have fry that are a bit smaller than is typical, especially if she has a big batch of fry. So escapees is possible.

How infrequently were you feeding them, if you suspect they starved to death?? Deciding to starve them because you don't want to clean up after them is pretty messed up. Better to leave them for the adults to eat them so they die fast, rather than contain them in a net and not feed them...

 

[VioletThePurple]

I've had livebearer fry that were small enough to escape the holes in the netting on a net breeder box. Usually it worked fine, but sometimes a female will have fry that are a bit smaller than is typical, especially if she has a big batch of fry. So, escapees are possible.

How infrequently were you feeding them, if you suspect they starved to death?? Deciding to starve them because you don't want to clean up after them is pretty messed up. Better to leave them for the adults to eat them so they die fast, rather than contain them in a net and not feed them...

I didn't mean that on purpose, more so I forgot and that I don't know how to clean it without bothering the fry. I didn't mean for it to be as cruel as it sounds, I genuinely did want to save them. I just fed them a few days ago.

 

[CaptainBarnicles]

Fry need feeding several times a day

 

[VioletThePurple]

Fry need feeding several times a day

I thought they needed feeding as much as any other fish, where overfeeding is worse than underfeeding. If I leave the fry, I have left free range I can't do that many feedings without the adults getting it all.

 

[CaptainBarnicles]

If you have them in a breeder net, you can feed them separately. Little and often

 

[VioletThePurple]

If you have them in a breeder net, you can feed them separately. Little and often

I know but the ones in my breeder net are gone so I'm not sure if I should put any more in there.

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

You can leave the fry with the adults. If you have plenty of plant matter for them to hide in, then most should make it, with only weak, slow/less healthy fry likely to be eaten by adults, so it's not always a bad thing. For most livebearers (don't know if you have guppies, mollies, platies or what) the fry are large enough to avoid being eaten by the time they're 2-3 weeks old anyway.

Feeding twice daily is fine for the adults and the fry.

 

[itiwhetu]

Lots of plants in the main tank and forget the net.

 

[VioletThePurple]

Lots of plants in the main tank and forget the net.

I do but even then, that's a risk considering that I won't be able to feed them properly when the adults hog the food. When my dad had guppies, he said a net worked fine for him. Plus, even with cover they don't stay hidden too well as I see them swim in the open.

 

[CaptainBarnicles]

I do but even then, that's a risk considering that I won't be able to feed them properly when the adults hog the food. When my dad had guppies, he said a net worked fine for him. Plus, even with cover they don't stay hidden too well as I see them swim in the open.

The idea is that they have somewhere to flee if they feel threatened

 

[itiwhetu]

They will get plenty of food don't worry about them

 

[VioletThePurple]

They will get plenty of food don't worry about them

I was just told they should be fed several times a day.

 

[CarissaT]

If they are loose in the tank there are lots of little microorganisms and food sources on the plants they will get. Trapped in a net they have no option but rely on manual feeding.

 

[emeraldking]

I was just told they should be fed several times a day.

If you want them to grow up faster, multiple times of feeding is in play. But as already mentioned before, it's not needed to feed them that often. in the tank itself are already enough nutrients like micro organisms and so. I also feed all fry just once a day and they do fine.