Breeding tips

[vanalisa]

I lost the 3 Rainbow Furcatas fry. I dont know what happened. There may be more eggs in the main tank but I don't know what to do. Last time I was happy I got three, had them in a little set up with sponge filter. but like I mentioned, I lost them.

Is an air stone or sponge filter better in a tank with eggs, and hopefully fry? Do they need to be warm?

I want to take the whole mass of plants and move them into another tank to raise.
Last time I just plucked the eggs out, it seemed to work because I got the fry,...
I have some plants I can put in with the fish after I take the bunch of plants to another set up.

The fry liked the first Bites and seemed fine. Maybe there wasn't enough circulation.

 

[Retired Viking]

Sorry about your fry, I lost 2 out of my 3 fry but the one is now a young adult in my tetra thank. So do not give up hope.

 

[Colin_T]

The eggs are fine with just an airstone circulating water. However, the fry need clean water and this is achieved using an established biological filter (air operated sponge filter is best).

If the water quality deteriorates, they die.
If there are sudden fluctuations in temperature or water chemistry, they die. So they do need a heater and a filter just like the adults do.

How often were you feeding them?
Did you see the food in their bellies? Their stomachs usually go the colour of whatever food they eat.

Some people move plants from the breeding tank into a hatching tank, then put more plants in the breeding tank. Other people pick the eggs.

The biggest killer of fish fry is poor water quality and starvation.

 

[The Lumpfish Guy]

The biggest killer of fish fry is poor water quality and starvation.

Inbreeding depression is also a factor, if these individuals are highly related then there could be a high level of mortality due to inbreeding depression such as documented in Zebrafish (Mrakovčič & Haley., 1979). Or in Convict cichlids (Winemiller & Taylor., 1982)


Mrakovčič, M., & Haley, L. E. (1979). Inbreeding depression in the Zebra fish Brachydanio rerio (Hamilton Buchanan). Journal of Fish Biology, 15(3), 323-327.
Winemiller, K. O., & Taylor, D. H. (1982). Inbreeding depression in the convict cichlid, Cichlasoma nigrofasciatum (Baird and Girard). Journal of Fish Biology, 21(4), 399-402.