Fry Emergency

[blueboy1]

Right so basically I have a 40l fry tank with about 35 small livebearer fry and I have a nerite snail and a plec along with 3 cherry shrimp in and my problem is I have to search through my gravel with a torch to see if any dead fry as I have Dorset pea gravel of similar size to fish and it's hard to notice them and if I don't notice them they begin to rot and ammonia goes up now I thought the other tank mates would eat dead fry but it doesn't seem that way, what can I add to the tank to remove the dead fish?? I can take the nerite snail and place it in my 200l tank with the others but can't move the shrimp as my other fish would eat them and I was thinking I could add assassin snails but would they do the job ad would they affect other fish or shrimp?
Thanks a million in advance

 

[PrincessKiara]

Just remove the substrate I never put any in fry tanks, except perhaps super fine sand, for that very reason...

 

[Lillefishy]

Why not just change the gravel to sand then you'd see any dead fry easier.

 

[blueboy1]

I don't have sand and it's only a part time fry tank hence there is gravel in it, ideally just like to add something like assassin snails but would try do the job wothout attacking shrimp or plec?

 

[Lillefishy]

Assassins will eat dead fry but one fry would last them for days so wouldn't solve the problem, they'll also take small shrimp, really is best just to take out the gravel

 

[PrincessKiara]

Take out the gravel and stash it in another tank if you're worried about it drying out or getting dirty or something Then put it back in as soon as the fry are big enough not to go through it.

 

[Lunar Jetman]

If the fry are so small that you can't see them in the gravel I really don't think you need to worry about ammonia levels rising. And if it really bothers you that much just carry out some regular water changes.

On another note, why have you got a Plec in a 40l tank?

 

[blueboy1]

It's a baby one from my last batch I sold them all but this one and it's part ofthe part time clean up crew and as soon as it's bigger it will be moved into the 200l tank it's not even a couple of inches yet thanks for advice, any I see I take out but I can gaurantee I won't spot them all but shrimp and nerite so far ok but might add a assassin and take out nerite?