Tank Set Up for Fry

[Ceez]

If you're doing it for money purposes down the road simple and easy is the best. Less obstructions in the tank, bare bottom, high filtration etc..trying to catch fish in a tank that has tons of plants, rocks and whatever else can be infuriating and if you do go with tons of plants more than likely you'll be uprooting them to get them out of the way to catch fish you want to take out.

If this is just a casual venture scape the tank to your liking and adjust on the fly as you determine what works well for you.

One thing to keep in mind is bioload. I know a lot of breeders who have crashed tanks after fish grow into a bigger size (not adults mind you) and lost entire tanks full of fish. The bigger the tank the better. Sometimes life can throw curveballs and that day you had scheduled for maintenance suddenly becomes a day or two later and now you have a mess on your hands, it can happen that fast.

More frequent water changes, feeding well and live foods are all keys to success for robust colorful healthy fish. Fry do well with high quality water and quality food.

Talk to breeders of the fish you plan to breed yourself. Find out what their methods are, water parameters, food, lighting, mops, plants, caves, temps, m/f ratio etc etc and give yourself a baseline to work from. Most importantly, be patient because none of us can exactly replicate what someone else is doing. Your water may be the same TDS as mine but my chemical makeup is different.

Good luck and have fun

 

[FishyD]

If you're doing it for money purposes down the road simple and easy is the best. Less obstructions in the tank, bare bottom, high filtration etc..trying to catch fish in a tank that has tons of plants, rocks and whatever else can be infuriating and if you do go with tons of plants more than likely you'll be uprooting them to get them out of the way to catch fish you want to take out.

If this is just a casual venture scape the tank to your liking and adjust on the fly as you determine what works well for you.

One thing to keep in mind is bioload. I know a lot of breeders who have crashed tanks after fish grow into a bigger size (not adults mind you) and lost entire tanks full of fish. The bigger the tank the better. Sometimes life can throw curveballs and that day you had scheduled for maintenance suddenly becomes a day or two later and now you have a mess on your hands, it can happen that fast.

More frequent water changes, feeding well and live foods are all keys to success for robust colorful healthy fish. Fry do well with high quality water and quality food.

Talk to breeders of the fish you plan to breed yourself. Find out what their methods are, water parameters, food, lighting, mops, plants, caves, temps, m/f ratio etc etc and give yourself a baseline to work from. Most importantly, be patient because none of us can exactly replicate what someone else is doing. Your water may be the same TDS as mine but my chemical makeup is different.

Good luck and have fun

It definitely happens fast. You might put 100 fry in a 10G and all is well, for a minute. With proper feeding fry will 10X in size in just a couple weeks.

 

[Oldspartan]

I raised show quality guppies and nicer varieties. I was able to sell many of them, but livebearers can overwhelm you quick as you soon learn how to save them all. I don't like all male fish tanks, but I sure understand why people do it. Anyway, just keep it fun. Your strategy will evolve over time. You are supposed to be in charge.

In this case Linda is in charge. My charge is keeping her under a touch of control.

 

[Oldspartan]

Too many ornaments in that tank will make it harder to keep clean.

Yes. We currently just remove them every third water change and vacuum.

 

[Oldspartan]

If you're doing it for money purposes down the road simple and easy is the best. Less obstructions in the tank, bare bottom, high filtration etc..trying to catch fish in a tank that has tons of plants, rocks and whatever else can be infuriating and if you do go with tons of plants more than likely you'll be uprooting them to get them out of the way to catch fish you want to take out.

If this is just a casual venture scape the tank to your liking and adjust on the fly as you determine what works well for you.

One thing to keep in mind is bioload. I know a lot of breeders who have crashed tanks after fish grow into a bigger size (not adults mind you) and lost entire tanks full of fish. The bigger the tank the better. Sometimes life can throw curveballs and that day you had scheduled for maintenance suddenly becomes a day or two later and now you have a mess on your hands, it can happen that fast.

More frequent water changes, feeding well and live foods are all keys to success for robust colorful healthy fish. Fry do well with high quality water and quality food.

Talk to breeders of the fish you plan to breed yourself. Find out what their methods are, water parameters, food, lighting, mops, plants, caves, temps, m/f ratio etc etc and give yourself a baseline to work from. Most importantly, be patient because none of us can exactly replicate what someone else is doing. Your water may be the same TDS as mine but my chemical makeup is different.

Good luck and have fun

Will not be any money involved. My loan experience with turning hobby to gig was with wood working. Built a silverware cabinet for in-laws. One of their friends wanted one and offered to pay. Being young and poor I jumped. The work came out fine and they were pleased, but, the whole project turned hobby to job and it was a couple years before I felt like doing wood again.

This particular part of the keeping is all Linda although I will happily participate for her. It is casual but she will take it seriously. My hope is the raising of fry is a temporary affliction.

 

[Oldspartan]

Thanks to all. I will be taking advantage of the suggestions.

 

[MaloK]

If you want to go the live bearer way,

Create a very large environment with lots of hiding place for frys and lots of places for adults to wander around.

And. Let nature take it's course.

I mean you are doing this for pleasure, It's not an enterprise.

 

[FishyD]

Will not be any money involved. My loan experience with turning hobby to gig was with wood working. Built a silverware cabinet for in-laws. One of their friends wanted one and offered to pay. Being young and poor I jumped. The work came out fine and they were pleased, but, the whole project turned hobby to job and it was a couple years before I felt like doing wood again.

This particular part of the keeping is all Linda although I will happily participate for her. It is casual but she will take it seriously. My hope is the raising of fry is a temporary affliction.

Yeah it's tough to turn a bobby into a business, and have it truly remain a hobby. I have sold some nicer livebearers and plants. Paid for some hobby expenses, but you really have to scale up to make much money after you factor in all costs honestly.

 

[FishyD]

If you want to go the live bearer way,

Create a very large environment with lots of hiding place for frys and lots of places for adults to wander around.

And. Let nature take it's course.

I mean you are doing this for pleasure, It's not an enterprise.

Even this will populate a full species colony soon enough if you only put a pair or two in a tank alone. It takes a lot of predators to keep livebearers from going forth and multiplying.

 

[MaloK]

No, a species only tank will regulate on it's own. It might look crowded but everyone will be happy.

They predates on their own and the babies survival rates regresses as adults instates their "payload"

I have been able to witness completely self regulated guppy tanks running for more than 16 years. without removal or additions.

And we never had a tank overflow because the fishes took too much place

 

[FishyD]

No, a species only tank will regulate on it's own. It might look crowded but everyone will be happy.

They predates on their own and the babies survival rates regresses as adults instates their "payload"

I have been able to witness completely self regulated guppy tanks running for more than 16 years. without removal or additions.

And we never had a tank overflow because the fishes took too much place

I wasn't actually trying to correct you. I have had some livebearer species tanks load themselves up pretty good. Just a general comment.

 

[Oldspartan]

Linda’s intent is to breed two specific editions of Molly, Gold Lyretail and Black for the future 90. The parents will removed when fry are born.

 

[MaloK]

The only disposition I had when breeding something, is a way to relocate. Without it. It seems counter nature to do that.

At some point I felt like giving burden. So I stopped. And let nature take it's course.

Culling... Implies even more dispositions.

And Honestly... I love Mutts... They are the... Best.

 

[Oldspartan]

The only disposition I had when breeding something, is a way to relocate. Without it. It seems counter nature to do that.

At some point I felt like giving burden. So I stopped. And let nature take it's course.

Culling... Implies even more dispositions.

And Honestly... I love Mutts... They are the... Best.

So far she has found homes. I can foresee a future problem though. She also sees it but is not yet ready to deal with it.

 

[FishyD]

Linda’s intent is to breed two specific editions of Molly, Gold Lyretail and Black for the future 90. The parents will removed when fry are born.

That's a fun way to do it. More often than not fish born in your tanks and water will be about as hardy as it gets. It becomes a true burden when we try to save everything, live-bearers in particular. Anyway I enjoy picking out which offspring characteristics I raise next. Outdoor ponds are a fun project as well. Throw in a few parents you like with some plants, harvest the surprise in early fall. Unfortunately that is also when I find out I have 100+ fish in a 30G tub pond. And that's how I ended up with too many aquariums some years back.