Bronze Cory Fry Deaths

[nic1]

My fry are now about 11 days old and since yesterday they have all been dying in batches.
I've got them (about20 left started with 40) in a plastic breeding box next to the filter outlet so there is a constant supply of fresh water, this goes over the surface rather than the bottom so the fry don't get pushed around.
I also have an air stone for aeration.

I feed them decapsulated brine shrimp eggs fry powder food (first bite) and grated algae wafers, I am not feeding bbs as I'm going on holiday tonight and it would be too much for the pet sitter to comprehend.

They are fed 3 times a day and their tank is symphoned an hour after, water from the main tank is poured into the fry tank daily, they aren't in a fry tank as I don't have the means for it.

I wasn't looking to breed corys but the animal lover in me couldn't let the eggs perish, now I wish I had rather than them suffer!

What am I doing wrong? My tank is mature and the other inhabitants are happy....
I'm inclined to let the rest of them go free in the tank as I'm not going to be here for the next ten days and I doubt the pet sitter will know what to do!

How does everyone else raise their cory fry, and what am I doing wrong?
Should I just set them free?
Thanks for any help.

 

[Lillefishy]

Is there any sand on the bottom of the breeder? Cory fry are very susceptible to infection from bacteria build up on the bottom, sand helps to prevent that.
Corys are not algae eaters so stop feeding it & carry on with the decaps eggs, you can also very finely crush catfish pellets such as tetra tabimin, mine love those.
Good luck, hope you don't lose any more

 

[nic1]

Hi, yes there is a fine layer of sand, a piece of bog wood with plants, like a mini aquarium.

I've crushed up catfish pellets for them also.... Some seem stronger than others, I just don't know! They just seem weak, I'm off to the pet shop to see if I can buy any other fry foods.

Poor things, thanks for replying.

 

[DoubleDutch]

Indeed no algaewafers (they need protein). Soak all food before feeding and "overfeed" so they'll find food easily. This also means daily waterchanges.
 
Lost my first batch completely en that happens more often. Don't know the reason.

 

[jelloz]

Yes, some fry ARE stronger than others.  Every batch has 1 or 2 fry that seem to be always looking for food.  These are the largest fry.
Other fry just sit on the bottom.  They are usually the smallest.

 

[nic1]

Hi,
Well I got back from holiday, I changed their diet before I left and got rid of the algae wafers I prepared a mixture of fry powder flakes, crushed catfish pellets and brine shrimp eggs,
I set ten of them free in the main tank and left ten in the floating trap...
When I got back from holiday there were only 4 left, 3 big ones and one small one, they survived by one feed a day from the pet sitter and no water changes, but their trap was right by the filter so new water was pushed through it every day.

Anyway, all the ones in the main tank seem to of disappeared and the 4 left are doing well, back to 3 feeds a day and fresh water.
This is a picture of the largest one and also the one who's always picking at the sand. The smallest one who's half the size of the larger one likes to pick at the plant in there! He's in the back ground,

Yes, some fry ARE stronger than others.  Every batch has 1 or 2 fry that seem to be always looking for food.  These are the largest fry.
Other fry just sit on the bottom.  They are usually the smallest.

 

[jelloz]

I have some aeneus fry that are a month old.  I am seeing what you are seeing.
 
There have been times that I have asked on the forum, "what percentage of your fry reach maturity".  I have never received an answer, from anyone.
 
Either people are embarrassed to say OR if they tell the truth, and it is a high percentage, there will be people here on the forum asking them for specifics.
 
I have had 90 times that my catfish have layed eggs.  I started with 14 and now I have about 70.  My percentage is low but I am improving.

 

[nic1]

Yeah- I'm always surprised that people have high survival rates, it also makes me feel like a failure!
Well 10% of mine have reached 3 1/2 weeks and I'm not ashamed to post it.
Hopefully no more die, it's been a week since the last death so I guess I'm a step out of the woods.
I would love to see your bronze fry also, just for comparison