Mystery Fry Id And How To Care For

[Sayuri]

When I was cleaning out my tank today I noticed this tiny little guy swimming up by the surface.

It's about 4-5mm long, has a greyish tint and darker black patches to it. I'm only used to platy fry but this guy looks a strange shape, a very thin, needle like tail end (not sure of the proper word for this!) on the back of an almost ball shaped body! Best sketch I can do as he's so small, not sure if it will be any help:

Picture

In the tank I have Platy, Neon Dwarf Rainbowfish, Ember Tetra and Dwarf Chain Loach. I also added a new plant yesterday which came from a plant only display tank but may complicate matters!

Also, how do I care for a fry this small? At the moment I have him floating in a plastic tupperware inside my platy fry tank, but he's far too small to go in with them and could easy get out of breeding traps. I have put some tiny specks of flake in with him as well as some Cabomba and small marimo balls in case he can find some suitable sized food to nibble off these!

Thanks for any help, I really want to know what this guy grows into so hope I can raise him okay!

Edited to add: The ember tetra have only been in the tank since last Saturday so unsure if they would have had enough time to make fry!

 

[Jonty]

Rainbowfish fry are about 4mm when hatched, and swim to the surface after a couple of days. Rainbowfish also only lay about 30 eggs, so 1 surviving wouldn't be too surprising. Chain Loaches haven't bred in captivity. Could it be a deformed Platy? The picture looks like Cory fry, but they stay at the bottom. For now, I'd put it in a tub of water with a heater, and either a sponge filter or 75% a day w/c. Feed it on BBS or Liquifry if you can, however Liquifry can foul water quickly so do w/c.

 

[Sayuri]

Thanks, I'll get down to the LFS tomorrow and pick up some Liquifry and a small heater. Do you think it will be okay in a 30 litre tub?

Don't think it could be a deformed platy as I haven't had any drops for the last two weeks and is just so tiny compared to even the platy fry that drop half developed. The shape of him is just so strange though!

OH will be pleased if it's a Rainbowfish as they are really his so he won't protest too much to me setting up another tank for it !

 

[fett999]

To be honest the drawing kinda looks like the fry my swordtail dropped at the weekend. Sounds about the right size too.

 

[Sayuri]

Thanks for the reply!

I've googled cory and swordtail fry and have to say it's body shape looks just like the cory fry! It's seriously tiny compared to the newborn platy fry too.

I wonder if I have a colony of Corys squatting in my tanks