Fish grandma!

[junkspam03]

My cichlids spawned 4 weeks ago :headbang2
I stripped 2 females, and got 2 batches of fryeri fry!
Now I need help....I had 3 female fryeri and 1 male in a 40 gallon for breeding. So no hybrids, these are pure. The 2 females are fine, but hungry. I separated the 2 batches from each other, 30 fry in a pre-cycled 10 gallon, and the other 40 fry in a 20 gallon (also cycled by some guppies and mollies for 2 months...they went to my friend's 20 gallon)
My question is this...when they get bigger, how big do I need the next tank to be for growing them out?
I have another empty 20, another 40 juvie tank, the empty 40 breeder, and the 150 tank available. I already have the 4 adult fryeri back in the 150 with a pleco though. Will the 40 breeding tank be enough to grow them up a bit?
Also, anyone want some fryeri fry??? lol

[junkspam03]

I just posted pics of the fry and the male (father) in my photo album...not sure how to post the pics in this thread though. Anyone got suggestions yet? Thanks guys!

[junkspam03]

http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=279&pictureid=2042
RJ, Father of the fry. Will post pics of the females when they gain some weight back.

[junkspam03]

http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=279&pictureid=2043

First batch of 30 fry, still in a ten gallon. Wondering if I should remove the gravel in the future?

[packer43064]

They still look small, I would just put them in the 40. They look like they have a bit of room in the 10, the 40 would just be even better.

[junkspam03]

Thanks for the response. The 40 is still cycled and ready, but I'm wondering if I should remove the gravel? They seem to be doing great with the gravel in the 10. The younger batch of 40 is also doing great in the 20 (with gravel as well). I'll post more pics of them laters.

[packer43064]

I wouldn't remove the gravel. Fry are pretty much scavengers, do you ever not see fry trying find food at the bottom or on the side for algae. Their never like adults and will just chill to wait to be fed, their always looking for that lil flake that was underneath a rock, lol.

I have fry well, their maybe a 2 weeks old still tiny lil ones and their always looking in little crevices and on the sides of the rocks to find stuff.

I would just keep them plus when you end up puttng other fish in the 40 or whatever then you won't be too hapy having to buy more pebbles when u already had some. Just my opinion though.

[packer43064]

I wish fry had the coloring of their parents when their that little. Seeing 40 little quarter inch blue fry swiming around, that would just be sweet, lol.

[junkspam03]

OK, leaving the neon-blue gravel (my kid's idea of cool, not mine!). Yeah, I wish they were blue already, that would be awesome.

[junkspam03]

Here's the other batch in the 20 gallon. These are about a week younger, but they look bigger because I took a slightly better pic.

http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=279&pictureid=2140

[Pharaoh]

Cool

[Pharaoh]

A lot of people like to take the gravel out. It helps with keeping the tank cleaner, by being able to see and remove all of the waste. But it should be fine either way.

[junkspam03]

TY Pharoah. I haven't moved the fry into the 40 yet, just got back from my vacation to Montana. I'm happy to report all fish survived, including all 70 fry. But look what I found when I got home:


http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=279&pictureid=3165
The third female is holding! Better get moving these fry around....might remove the sand/gravel from the 40 first though.