What day do babies start to hitch?

[sugartooth]

I have day 4 babies and was wondering if they continue to live when I should expect them to hitch?
They are Reidi born last Wednesday morning.
Also, does anyone have a picture of a full belly baby? I can't tell if they are eating or not.
I bought a silk plant that looks like very thin sticks for them to hitch and would like to know if that would be sufficient. My macro is the fat caulepera and I don't think they could wrap their tails around it.
Thanks!

 

[sugartooth]

Guess it may not matter, only 10 strong swimmers left. The rest are kind of floating near the top, can't seem to keep them off the top, even with the circulation....
I bought a breeder net to stretch across the top to keep them getting to the surface.

 

[ReefNutPA]

Reidi fry won't hitch for weeks, unfortunately.

Tom

 

[sugartooth]

Ahh, thanks for the info....I guess I will just do my best with these guys

 

[sugartooth]

Should I not put anything in with them until then? Or should I have something in the bowl jus in case?

 

[ReefNutPA]

With my Kuda fry, which also don't hitch for quite awhile, I didn't put anything in the nursery for the first few weeks. Less to clean/sterilize that way.

It wont' hurt anything if you feel more comfortable putting something in the bowl - just make sure it isn't a plastic plant or something constructed too tightly that floating fry could get trapped in it an not be able to get free.

Tom

 

[sugartooth]

Thanks Tom, unfortunately, I only have 4 good looking babies left. All the rest are congregated at the top, still alive, but I don't anticipate that they can recover.

 

[JennyL]

Hi Sugartooth,
These are not easy fry to raise even for the most experienced.

As Tom mentioned, they will go through a pelagic stage of 2-3 weeks.

The ones that are laying on their sides at the top of the water have most likely already injested air and are unable to eat or swim and will not survive.

These small fry need to be in a nursery with an airline placed to keep the water moving in a circular motion to keep them in gentle motion and off the top of the water.

Good luck.

 

[sugartooth]

Thanks JennyL, I had them in the nursery bowl since day 2, and kept tuning the airline flow so they don't get banged around. Maybe those that are at the top now were weak to begin with?
Thanks for your input, it does put me at ease a little knowing they are not easy.
I think I have a plan for the next brood for better success rate.
I hope these 4 will continue to do well....

 

[sugartooth]

Okay, an update.

It is day 8, and I have 9 that are alive and in the water column, the rest are floating and twitch every now and then.
Should I force the floaters in the middle and keep them there? Would that force out the air?

Also, at what point do I feed bbs?

 

[ReefNutPA]

My baby Kuda, which also ate rotifers, couldn't eat the bbs until I believe the end of the 2nd week/beginning of the 3rd week. And even then some of them just couldn't eat them. All you can do is add a VERY SMALL amount of bbs to see if the fry are big enough yet to snick the bbs. Watch carefully. If they can eat it without a problem, you can stop the rotifers.

As far as the floaters, IMO, sometimes it's best to concentrate only on those that are in good shape and have the best chance of survival. Once the babies ingest air, 99% of the time they are goners. I know it's a hard thing to do, but IMO, you'd have the most success concentrating all your time and effort on the 9 that are swimming in the water column.

Tom

 

[sugartooth]

Thanks Tom, I will try your suggestion.