Hatching Killiefish, Need Some Help Please.

[BigC]

Ok. The reason they are saying to use the Java Moss is purely to try and create an infusoria culture or some kind of food source for these fry.
Its all pretty much a hit and miss affair. You dont need any more Peat Moss either.

You will need a primary food source..this is a priority....must be smaller than artemia.

In simple terms.
Take 2 small plastic marg tubs (well cleaned, no detergent residue)
Fill to about 40mm in each.
Float and secure in a main tank
place your eggs and peat within one of these containers when they are ready to hatch
Once hatched transfer fry to clean container and begin feeding straight away (paramoecium/ infusoria)
Keep rearing tub clean with no uneaten food left...waterchange a % daily (small amounts)

Get a microworm culture...and as they grow they will need larger livefood
anything else..lol
Regards
C

 

[KillieLover]

Ok. The reason they are saying to use the Java Moss is purely to try and create an infusoria culture or some kind of food source for these fry.
Its all pretty much a hit and miss affair. You dont need any more Peat Moss either.

You will need a primary food source..this is a priority....must be smaller than artemia.

In simple terms.
Take 2 small plastic marg tubs (well cleaned, no detergent residue)
Fill to about 40mm in each.
Float and secure in a main tank
place your eggs and peat within one of these containers when they are ready to hatch
Once hatched transfer fry to clean container and begin feeding straight away (paramoecium/ infusoria)
Keep rearing tub clean with no uneaten food left...waterchange a % daily (small amounts)

Get a microworm culture...and as they grow they will need larger livefood
anything else..lol
Regards
C

Oh, okay that clears up the question of the moss.

Are you saying the microworms would be a "larger livefood", and in "larger" do you mean larger than BBS?
Just one more question for now.... Should I start hatching them on the 18th "Validity date"? Or should I wait longer, their so small, I'm not sure if I'll be able to tell when their "eyed-up".

Thanks ever so much!

 

[BigC]

Are you saying the microworms would be a "larger livefood", and in "larger" do you mean larger than BBS?

Slightly or of similar size use both as first foods.......moving on to Grindalworm and larger foods

Should I start hatching them on the 18th "Validity date"?

This is temp related...but is a good guide, you can wet them on that date if you have your foods in place

their so small, I'm not sure if I'll be able to tell when their "eyed-up

Use a small hand held lens


Regards
C

 

[KillieLover]

Okay thanks, I'll look into getting other food then. I need to get some more BBS too, so I might as well get some other types at the same time.

Anyone have any suggestions for where to get microworms, BBS, etc. cheap?

 

[BigC]

Your local aquarist club or ask at your local aquarist shop...they surely will have the contacts
Regards
C

 

[KillieLover]

Haha I don't think there is a local aquarist club in Great Falls MT. So I'll try the pet shops. Thanks.

 

[BigC]

Join the AKA or contact Fish Wizards
[email protected] and enquire.
Regards
C

 

[KillieLover]

Okay everyone, now for an update!

I bought a microworm culture on eBay, and started growing them. I've fed some to my Bettas, but haven't seen them eating them, maybe they are too small for them? Anyways...I have had those going great for about a week (I can see them climbing up the sides of the cont. and wiggling). I have also succeeded in grossing out everyone one in the family with them. LoL.

So today I started a fresh batch of Baby Brine Shrimp in my Toms hatchery thing, (previous tries with old eggs failed). That's set up now and I'll have to wait until tomorrow to see how it goes.

I also put my Ranchovii Killifish eggs and the peat into a hatching tub today and I'm waiting for them to hatch now.

I have a question...in re-reading the replies to my earlier questions, I noticed BigC suggests feeding the Killies microworms and B.B.S., and then moving onto something bigger. Should I feed the Killies twice a day, once with M.W. in the morning and then in the evening with B.B.S. and if so, for how long before changing to a new food? And once I switch to a bigger food, should I ever give them microworms or B.B.S. again?

Sorry for all the questions, I just want to get this right. I'll post again when I have more news.

I appreciate everyone's time!

Thank you.

 

[KillieLover]

How many hours before I start seeing the Killiefish? It's been about 5 and I think I see some wiggling on the bottom, but it's hard to tell (even using a magnifying glass) because with the Microworms everything is moving in there! What do they look like and approx. how big will they be? I know MissMarie posted that photo, but it's hard to tell how big that fish actually is.

Thanks.

 

[MisssMarie]

They're like half a grain of rice, I recommend using a flashlight as well. It tends to help!

 

[BigC]

Remember...newly hatched Nothobranchius rachovii will need smaller foods such as paramiecium or infusoria

I noticed BigC suggests feeding the Killies microworms and B.B.S., and then moving onto something bigger. Should I feed the Killies twice a day, once with M.W. in the morning and then in the evening with B.B.S.

[font="Verdana][color="#222222"]Yes.... small feeds and often and remember to clean any uneaten food from the rearing tubs.
[/color][/font]

and if so, for how long before changing to a new food? And once I switch to a bigger food, should I ever give them microworms or B.B.S. again?

You will be able to tell when the time is right to move up with your feeding sizes.
The next food up would be Grindalworm...again another easy nematode to culture in the home followed later by Whiteworm and all the other livefoods that you would usually associate with feeding adult fish.
Once moving onto grindalworm I would normally drop the microworm and continue feeding BBS with Grindal for a little time then drop the BBS if you want.
I find even adult killifish will take a feeding of BBS readily throughout their life.


I hope that clears up some more of your queries.
Regards
C

 

[KillieLover]

Thank you both for the answers. Here's an update on what I've done now:

Before going to bed, I noticed the water in the small tub I had the Killie eggs in, had turned pretty cold (instead of 82 degrees like when I took it out of the aquarium). So I carefully poured the Killie mixture (peat moss, eggs, and Microworms) into two smaller containers and set those inside of my aquarium, where they're floating on top of the water now.

I peaked in there briefly this morning and didn't see anything swimming around. Still just wiggling movements on the bottom of the cont. So if the fry are so small, how do you suck only them up in a baster and transport them to a raising tray? I looked last night with a flashlight and a magnifying glass, and it was really hard to tell if I was seeing fish or just the peat moving because of the Microworms!

Uh oh, I thought BigC that you meant Microworms would be their first food. So I haven't gotten any infusoria or anything else besides M.W. and B.B.S. ready... what do I do now? Should I go to a pet store or somewhere and get some Liqua Fry?

Sorry for my ignorance, thanks for your help.

 

[Biulu]

You did well in letting the containers float on top of you aquarium water.
I would not move them to a raising container until they are big enough... What you can do is get yourself some java moss and put that into the container. These mostly contain enough infusoria to keep them going for at least a little while.

 

[KillieLover]

You did well in letting the containers float on top of you aquarium water.
I would not move them to a raising container until they are big enough... What you can do is get yourself some java moss and put that into the container. These mostly contain enough infusoria to keep them going for at least a little while.

I don't have any Java moss, just a little X-mas moss that I bought over the internet and added to my aquarium about 3 days ago. It froze in the mail and I put the bag it was in, on a heating pad until it thawed out, then added it to my tank. It still has quite a lot of brown on it, but there is some green too and it appears to be doing alright (not getting any worse). Should I put that in the containers of Killiefish? It's sort of clumped together so it sunk when I put it into tank. Plus since I haven't definitely seen any hatched fry, should I wait until I spot some before putting in the X-mas moss?

Should I start a batch of infusoria right away?

Thanks for replying, I appreciate your help!

 

[Biulu]

If you can start a batch of infusoria, all the better. I read that an aquarist in Calgary went to the biology department of a local university and got himself a paramecium culture. These are very common to get (or go to a biological supply company) and easy to maintain. He only needed some yeast and wheat grains to keep it going.