Slow angel fry growth

[Beetlebug515]

So I'm trying to figure out why my angel fry are growing so slowly. They are about 10 weeks old, and most of them are pea size, not including fins. From what I've read they should be almost sellable by now. The tank they are in is very heavily planted, so I always read zero nitrates, and they are getting baby brine shrimp 3x per day with water changes every Saturday of about 60 percent. Anything I'm doing wrong?

 

[tlindsey]

So I'm trying to figure out why my angel fry are growing so slowly. They are about 10 weeks old, and most of them are pea size, not including fins. From what I've read they should be almost sellable by now. The tank they are in is very heavily planted, so I always read zero nitrates, and they are getting baby brine shrimp 3x per day with water changes every Saturday of about 60 percent. Anything I'm doing wrong?

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I personally would feed them a good brand of crushed pellet, and maybe bigger wc's.

 

[Woefulrelic]

Frequent food access and nutritious foods. I'm not sure how healthy brine shrimp are, but I'd imagine a protein heavy diet would be ideal.

 

[Beetlebug515]

I personally would feed them a good brand of crushed pellet, and maybe bigger wc's.

Brine shrimp is their staple, they also get Hikari first bites and NLS flakes. As far as water changes go, the water in the tank is better quality than the water from my tap. My tap usually has about .5 ppm ammonia in it. I can up the amount of flakes and pellet they get. And aren't brine shrimp what most people use for fish fry? Maybe I got the wrong impression.

 

[tlindsey]

Baby Brine shrimp is nutritional the day of hatching. After 1week when fry is free swimming I start them on crushed fry food, and crushed pellet.

 

[Woefulrelic]

Brine shrimp is their staple, they also get Hikari first bites and NLS flakes. As far as water changes go, the water in the tank is better quality than the water from my tap. My tap usually has about .5 ppm ammonia in it. I can up the amount of flakes and pellet they get. And aren't brine shrimp what most people use for fish fry? Maybe I got the wrong impression.

BBS are used because they are easy for small fry to eat, I think their nutritional value is sub optimal for fry beyond the smallest stage. Dry pellets will usually be more nutritious because of the low water %.

 

[tlindsey]

BBS are used because they are easy for small fry to eat, I think their nutritional value is sub optimal for fry beyond the smallest stage. Dry pellets will usually be more nutritious because of the low water %.

Thanks for the better explanation.

 

[Beetlebug515]

I understand. I'll push more towards pellets and flakes. My planted tank has pressurized co2 and is dosed with ferts. Do you guys think this could also be having an effect on them?

 

[tlindsey]

I understand. I'll push more towards pellets and flakes. My planted tank has pressurized co2 and is dosed with ferts. Do you guys think this could also be having an effect on them?

Tbh I don't know.

 

[Woefulrelic]

I understand. I'll push more towards pellets and flakes. My planted tank has pressurized co2 and is dosed with ferts. Do you guys think this could also be having an effect on them?

I can't be sure, I know co2 creates artificial ph swings or something to that effect. I'd test the TDS in there just for giggles. I don't think dosing would cause problems, especially if you're premixing dry ferts in water. peathenster would be who I'd consult for breeding stuff.