Hatching Killiefish, Need Some Help Please.

[KillieLover]

TBH (to be honest) in your case (infusoria aside) I see no real need for snails.
Do your homework and get a micro food culture going that suits your needs and stick with it.
Look toward biological supply companies and hobbists for your source cultures.
After that you can maintain these with a little care indefinately
Regards
C

I've researched infusoria on other sites and found a person who put snails in the jars with their infusoria said the snails helped it along. But since I put some algae water from my Betta tank, in the jars with the lettuce, maybe I don't need any snails in there.

By what I've researched, I'll probably get a couple for my Betta tank after the fry are free swimming. So they can help maintain waste and produce infusoria for the fry.

I set up 4 mason jars with lettuce and algae water from my Betta tank, (I squeezed a sponge filter that was covered in algae in there to). And I put the jars in a light place, out of direct sunlight. I didn't cover them, but I was wondering can I put some polyester fiber fill, or cheesecloth on the tops so I can keep anything else out?

Thanks a lot for the help everyone!

 

[Biulu]

I have a friend in Montreal that breeds killies. He is also a member of the AKA. I'll ask him what he raises his fry on. But as I told you before (and Colin also mentioned it) get a paramecium culture (I checked my spelling and that is what it comes up with in Canadian english ) from an university or a biological supply company and you are all set.

 

[MisssMarie]

About the snail with a betta question, I found they get along great with good old mystery snails! I have 2 in with my betta, and they make good buds

 

[KillieLover]

I have a friend in Montreal that breeds killies. He is also a member of the AKA. I'll ask him what he raises his fry on. But as I told you before (and Colin also mentioned it) get a paramecium culture (I checked my spelling and that is what it comes up with in Canadian english ) from an university or a biological supply company and you are all set.

Okay, thank you. I'd appreciate it if you would ask your friend.

If I have the infusoria (which is a type of paramecium culture right?) Do I also need to get paramecium culture too? I already started some infursoria as I believe that would be easier, than tracking down some paramecium culture. I'm planning to start my Killies (and Betta fry) on infusoria, then alternate feeding them microworms and B.B.S. Does that sound like a good idea?

Thanks for the help.

 

[Biulu]

Paramecium is a kind of infusoria. The advantage of starting with such a culture is that it is much more concentrated and will yield many more infusoria than if you do it in a kind of DIY way. Your 'infusoria' water the you are planning on doing it will contain much less infusoria than if you have a paramecium culture.

And yes, the order is right: first the infusoria, and then the bbs and microworms. Regarding your bettas: I think you can start immediately with bbs and microworms as these fry are larger. Better save your infusoria for your killies...

 

[KillieLover]

Paramecium is a kind of infusoria. The advantage of starting with such a culture is that it is much more concentrated and will yield many more infusoria than if you do it in a kind of DIY way. Your 'infusoria' water the you are planning on doing it will contain much less infusoria than if you have a paramecium culture.

And yes, the order is right: first the infusoria, and then the bbs and microworms. Regarding your bettas: I think you can start immediately with bbs and microworms as these fry are larger. Better save your infusoria for your killies...

Ah, okay thanks for that info. I'll probably add a snail to the Betta tank once I have fry in there and let it produce any infusoria for the fry, and then just feed them on M.W. and B.B.S. And I'll keep the infusoria I'm growing in the jars for the Killies. Still no sign of any of them today. I think I'll have to dry out the eggs again and try again in a few weeks. At least by then I should have the food sorted out.

 

[KillieLover]

Paramecium is a kind of infusoria. The advantage of starting with such a culture is that it is much more concentrated and will yield many more infusoria than if you do it in a kind of DIY way. Your 'infusoria' water the you are planning on doing it will contain much less infusoria than if you have a paramecium culture.

And yes, the order is right: first the infusoria, and then the bbs and microworms. Regarding your bettas: I think you can start immediately with bbs and microworms as these fry are larger. Better save your infusoria for your killies...

Ah, okay thanks for that info. I'll probably add a snail to the Betta tank once I have fry in there and let it produce any infusoria for the fry, and then just feed them on M.W. and B.B.S. And I'll keep the infusoria I'm growing in the jars for the Killies. Still no sign of any of them today. I think I'll have to dry out the eggs again and try again in a few weeks. At least by then I should have the food sorted out.

Wooh!!! I just spotted 1 Killifish fry! Haha it's SOOOO tiny! I added the X-mass moss to the hatching trays yesterday...so what do I do now. Should I move any fry I see into a new cont. and put the moss in there? Or should I leave them in the hatching trays (which now have decomposing microworms)? Will the fry be able to feed off any infusoria in the X-mass moss for a few days till I have infuoria (with my lettuce in the jars) ready? Or should I use something else?

P.S. Here's a photo of my approx. 30 gallon tank that has 1 Betta in it for now, and will be my Killies home after they are big enough. I'll try to get a pic of the fry later.

Oh, that's a pic of the tank right after adding those plants, I now have a Java fern in there and some X-mass moss. I'm planning to get some drift wood to put in there and maybe some more moss.

 

[BigC]

If it were me I would move half the water with the fry and the moss to a new clean tub then top up the egg tub and add just a tiny amount of water to the new fry tub.
If it were me.......
Regards
C

 

[KillieLover]

Thanks Colin, since you've had experience hatching these, I'll take your advice and do that. I really don't expect that one fry to live, but I'm gonna try!

 

[Biulu]

The moss should have at least enough food for 1 fry, so don't worry! If the water parameters are good, it has a very good chance to survive....

 

[KillieLover]

The moss should have at least enough food for 1 fry, so don't worry! If the water parameters are good, it has a very good chance to survive....

Okay good. I just spent quite a few minutes looking over the 2 hatching containers (after removing the 1 fry) and couldn't spot any more. I think I'll let them go at least until tomorrow in case any more hatch, then I'll dry out the peat...which brings me to another question...what's the best way to go about drying out the peat and eggs? Should I pour the contents of the hatching cont. through a very small holed net I have? And then pat it dry on a paper towel, or what?

Thanks again for the help everyone!

 

[Biulu]

I asked my friend in Montreal and he doesn't using anything smaller than bbs for killies. Apparently his species don't need it.

 

[MisssMarie]

To dry mine I pour it onto a coffee filter then pat it dry on paper towels

 

[KillieLover]

Okay thanks Builu and MissMarie!

 

[KillieLover]

Well, so far so good with my first Killifish fry. He's still alive! I've been doing some small water changes in his little container and I added some more moss yesterday. So far I haven't put any Microworms in with him, and he's 4 days old today. When should I start feeding him that...and how long should I keep him on Infusoria? My jars with the lettuce are looking a little cloudy, so I'm waiting for them to clear now, before adding any of that to my Killies container.

1) When do Killifish fry start eating Microworms?
2) When are they ready to eat Baby Brine Shrimp?

I'm sorry if I'm asking any questions that I've already gotten answers to, I'm trying to remember everything you've all told me!