Sprockett
New member
I finally got one past the morph stage, just one but it's a start. I have a second hatch at two days and only 1 death so far. It's a learning process for sure. Here's my current method:
1. I have found that for new hatch's I really like 5 gallon tanks, they are small enough to easily clean. Have enough water to make changes easy and give us room where we have very little. I vacuum them out nightly to keep them clean.
2. 3 days before fry hatch, we setup a tank, add rot's and get them going. I'm looking for a fairly dense rot count before I even get the fry in. Then when they go from their egg sack to rots there is plenty of food.
3. I have found the hard way that I need to leave them in the 5 gallon as long as is possible. Moving them too early stresses them and you get losses. I'm thinking 3 weeks or so.
4. Move them out to a 10 gallon grow out, with a rock, a pvc corner and a small cleaner crew. I've also been playing with an air powered floss filter.
Other things I've learned, no need to cover the sides. It makes no difference, 10 watt 50/50 bulbs seem to work perfect to keep fry from running to the bottom and sides. Co-habitation (fry and rots in the same tank) makes like easy for working stiffs
A piece of paper under the light (sitting on the egg crate), really helps (along with the the new light) in keeping them off the glass. Greening the water helps too...
So far so good, but here is my next question: I have one at 14 days, I'm feeding him tons of BBS, rots and trying flake. How do I wean him (and when) over to frozen brine, and how. He's growing like crazy, his tank is teaming with BBS, so if I add frozen he will just ignore them. I'm in unknown territory now, I need to convert him so I can get him switched and growing out...
HELP!!!
Thanks
-Paul-
1. I have found that for new hatch's I really like 5 gallon tanks, they are small enough to easily clean. Have enough water to make changes easy and give us room where we have very little. I vacuum them out nightly to keep them clean.
2. 3 days before fry hatch, we setup a tank, add rot's and get them going. I'm looking for a fairly dense rot count before I even get the fry in. Then when they go from their egg sack to rots there is plenty of food.
3. I have found the hard way that I need to leave them in the 5 gallon as long as is possible. Moving them too early stresses them and you get losses. I'm thinking 3 weeks or so.
4. Move them out to a 10 gallon grow out, with a rock, a pvc corner and a small cleaner crew. I've also been playing with an air powered floss filter.
Other things I've learned, no need to cover the sides. It makes no difference, 10 watt 50/50 bulbs seem to work perfect to keep fry from running to the bottom and sides. Co-habitation (fry and rots in the same tank) makes like easy for working stiffs
A piece of paper under the light (sitting on the egg crate), really helps (along with the the new light) in keeping them off the glass. Greening the water helps too...
So far so good, but here is my next question: I have one at 14 days, I'm feeding him tons of BBS, rots and trying flake. How do I wean him (and when) over to frozen brine, and how. He's growing like crazy, his tank is teaming with BBS, so if I add frozen he will just ignore them. I'm in unknown territory now, I need to convert him so I can get him switched and growing out...
HELP!!!
Thanks
-Paul-
