FOR BIRTHING BABY FISH:
*Put a lot of Java Moss into the tank. Some fish stores will give to you free. If you are a customer, tell them you are trying to save babies. Alternatively or in addition, if you can't find enough moss, or don't want use moss; use a breeding mop or untreated plastic scrubbers (Dollar Store?). As always rinse well any new manufactured product to eliminate any possible residue left from the manufacturer. Then soak and agitate it-them in a pail of declorinated water or tank water. Do this before insertion in aquarium.
* I always run my new filters with declorinated water before I put them in the aquarium. Time and again, I have found detergent residue or other matter from the manufacturing process INSIDE the new filters.
**The babies usually sink downward after they pop out. The Mom has less chance to reach them through the mentioned barriers. Sometimes if a Mom fish is nervous or feels threatened, or for no reason, she will turn around and eat the babies.
*** As you probably know; feed the babies Hikara First Bites or liquid fry food. First Bites is less polluting to the water. Clean any left over food. Good water quality is extremely important when you have baby fish. Feed them small amounts often the first few months. The first month, 3-4 times a day.
**** FOR WHEN YOU ARE AWAY OR AT WORK; there are simple AUTOMATIC FISH FEEDER TIMERS that you can set for twice a day or digital ones that can be set for multiple times a day. They operate on double or triple A batteries and last a long time. Buy quality batteries for dependability.
Buy two, they are reasonably priced. One for the tank with the babies, one for the adults. Set the doling scoop to tiny amounts of the baby food. A little larger amounts of the normal food for the adults in a separate tank. Practice over a paper towel until you get the portions right
**** If using flake food, crush large flakes, as they can clog the feed tube. DO NOT place the automatic feeder near the filter or airstone. Splashing water drops or evaporating moisture can go up the tube causing the food to adhere to the sides of the tube, and sooner than later, causing a clog. If this happens, clean and dry the tube, (and the inside of the canister where you put the food) Filling the canister ½ full should be plenty. Don't pack the food. The feeder operates better when the food is loose and there is at least a little space for the food to tumble around. (A little like a washing machine) TEST THE FEEDER IN POSITION BEFORE YOU GO. Use it as the last or one of the last meals before you go to check for proper operation and positioning. Make sure the food is going into the tank rather than elsewhere. TEST IT WELL BEFORE YOU LEAVE, so you won't be rushed or forget.
**** These inexpensive feeders, $5-$12, at Walmart, EBay, Amazon, Chewy, Petco.,ect, have helped me raise fish fry of a number of different species, while away some weekends at my parents' helping with their chores. All the methods on this post has helped me save and raise baby fish. If you have any questions, I would be happy to help. To send a direct communication, if you wish, press the name/title box of the person you want to contact, at the beginning of the post or thread. Also maybe post on your thread in case I don't get the message right away so someone else might possibly help too. I will try to check in your thread to see how developments are transpiring and see if you have any questions.
****As far as BREEDING BOXES. Marineland makes a quality roomy breeder that hangs on the outside of tank. You attach an air pump to it and it draws water into the box. It works well and is fairly attractive. About $10-$15. Depending on size and where you get it. I have both the small and larger size. Don't forget to put in the out take gate so the babies can't get out. Flip over the gate , (small plastic perforated square) for two different screen width options. The water is drawn up into the box, circulates and exits as a trickle or drip into your msin tank. Make sure your aquarium water level is up and correct. If your water level is low or the air pump isn't strong enough, it won't draw up water.
****REMOVE THE MOTHER and the divider grate after she done having the babies no matter where she has them. As I said earlier she may eat them. (Nice, huh?- Glad my Mother isn't a guppy or a platy!) Usually they are all born within an hour or less, but I have (rarely) had a few babies born up to 24 hrs after the main delivery time, and the black, abdominal pregnancy circle is gone. Some egg laying species hatching time can be longer. If you want save the straggler babies, confine the Mother in another aerated container elsewhere with moss beneath her. And keep an eye on her.
****Keep the nursery clean, carefully suctioning with a length of airline tubing. Try to keep track of the babies and remove the dead ones promptly. They can quickly pollute the water.
**** After you decide to move the babies out of the breeder you can keep it running as a refugium additional drip filter if you want. Clean it and put in some with lava rocks, pool filter sand, matrix or bioballs ect. I do that with mine. But I installed a T and airline control valve in mine so I can control the flow and use the breeder as a nursery with a few biorocks for hiding as biofiltration.
****Since you are using your five gallon as a nursery, wrap some nylon stocking with a rubber band around filter intake tube to reduce suction and prevent babies from being sucked into your filter. Consider using 2 sponge filters instead for a short while and keep running your filter else where until they are stronger.
>>>Too strong of a filter current can kill the babies right off and hinder their development later.
****Consider keeping the tank floor bare (unless it's too late) at first for easier cleaning, reduction of harboring bad bacteria that kill baby fish and easier dead and live fry tracking. They don't have much of bio foot print (depending on many there at this stage. Put in a few lava rocks or bioballs and plants that can be easily moved. There should be beneficial bacteria on the tank walls and in the filter. You can add your substrate a little later when the babies are stronger.
Start cycling some gravel or whatever you are using now in your main tank in raised bowl(s) to help reduce some of the bad bacteria but to also to increase your nursery tank's bio filtering beneficial bacteria when you need it. Be prepared to lose some of the babies, as that is nature's way of culling out some of the not so strong ones. But with good parent ing it will be very rewarding when your little showboats start resembling their star quality mother.
****Test your water quality often and do your water changes gently with exact temperature matching. Anglo makes a good laser gun thermometer for $10 or less. It makes for quick and easy water changes and temperature checks. This type of thermometer is fun and handy for many things. Just point and press the trigger and instant digital temperature reading.
***** Congratulations and Happy Fish Parenting. --- Mont.
