Pleco Fry On Yolk Sac

[dylema]

Well what an exciting day for me and the fishes. I have been watching my Bristle nose carefully guarding his eggs but today while doing a little water change I saw my pesky neon eating a little pleco fry . I was not quick enough and the yolk sac was gone, I tried to push the half dead pleco back to his dad but it was not to be and he was finished off by the neon. When I was done with the water change I sat and watched and thought about moving the neon to another tank. To my surprise and intrest a little wiggler attached to its yolk sac was stuck just inside the cave I quickly got the camera and managed to get a couple of shots (sorry for the grainy quality).

So as I was busy being excited and worried, the little thing wiggled out and was carried up to the surface by the current. Seizing the oppertunity a danio raced over and went for it, luckily he missed and the pleco got swept to the ground. I watched and hoped but new it would probably end in tragedy, right on cue the danio found his snack but he missed again allowing another danio to swallow poor tiny mr yolky in one gulp . Well that was it mr and mrs danio were evicted, but while I was moving them a little platy was having dinner frieking, out I tipped the fighter out of his breeder net (temperary home) and turned the net over the pleco cave in the hope of saving some. We will see, I think they just need about a week to get past the bite size and up to the fun size when they will have a better chance of escaping the perilous situation. Now I know why only 4 or 5 of the first clutch survived.

Wish them luck for me.

 

[~T~]

Wow sorry bout that, I was really worried about mine but nothing has bothered them.They keep escaping from the breeding trap too.

 

[andyw823]

All the best with the fry, never seen a new born one before

 

[dylema]

quick update; it seems I have lost a few during the night as I can't see too many wigglers in the cave. There were some gaps around the bottom of the net and I discovered that the small platies could get in, and I am sure the wigglers could get out. My wife suggested I try a plastic bottle so I fashioned a 2lt one to fit snugly over the pipe/cave and it digs into the gravel, I poked heaps of tiny holes for water flow. It looks good and I can see in better, its probably a little bigger than the net too. We will see how it goes.

As I was watching with the moon lights on last night I spotted a new platy fry too. I was sure he would be eaten especially with the fighter loose in the tank. Sure enough before my eyes he was gulped up by a platy. I can't be too upset about it, its natural selection, survival of the fittest and all that. I did see one or two alive today (platy fry that is) so I guess they are the fittest.

Will try for more pics when the plecos start free swimming.

 

[lilfishie]

Good luck with them

 

[dylema]

Thanks guys, but it is not looking good for this clutch . I think I was too late getting the bottle over the cave and I can only see a wriggler every now and then so I think that only a few have survived to this point and they haven't finished their yolks yet so chances are slim of getting any maturing. I think now I have the pleco breeder trap sorted I will just try for next time and get the bottle over the cave when I see eggs. Dad is still in the cave wiggling his fins so maybe there are some late developing eggs in there (I hope).

 

[AlexAndCarmen]

Sorry to hear that. The fry are so cute. Good luck and hopefully you'll find some more fry, hidding away somewhere. I removed oto eggs from our tank because I knew the angels would love their "live food" if I didn't, and I found some fry in our main community tank yesterday!!! I distracted the angels and ram long enough to remove the wrigglers. And a few weeks ago we found a panda cory fry in our Eheim filter canister. So when they're really tiny, some make a get away and you find them when you least expect it. As you said, survival of the fittest.

Keep well, Carmen

 

[dylema]

Well the only chance now is if some have found a hiding place under a rock or something. But I can't find any.

And a few weeks ago we found a panda cory fry in our Eheim filter canister

I found platy fry in my canister a while back so I put foam over the pipe but after that I didn't think to look carefully in the water before I tipped it out when cleaning. unfortunatly there was a big pleco fry and I couldn't catch him before he went down the drain . Now I routinely check the water and look really carefully before I tip any out.