Fry keep on dying any suggestions

[Mike84pl]

i'm have been breeding bunch of difrent peacocks and haps for the last couple of months, but only about 5 fry survive out of the 50 that i origninally take out of the mother. i have setup 6 20 gallons tanks for the fry to be in. i keep them in a fry net for about a month then put them in the 20 gallon. the net stays in the 20 gallon. i have an aquaclear 20 on each tank plus air hooked up to the sponge fitlters. i do 20% water changes every two weeks. but only a very small hand full survie past 3 months. they just keep on dying. any suggestions ? this goes to all difrent peacocks and haps from difrent tanks. getting really aggitaed with this breeding setup.

thx,
mike

 

[BayArea_510]

do 40% water changes once a week at least

 

[thatfrontguy]

Have you tested the water in the tanks, what are the parameters? Ammonia level is probably high, and that is why you are getting a lot of die offs. With fry tanks you need to do water changes daily, not once a week. You feed fry more than a regular fish, they put off a lot of waste. Also what kind of air pump source do you have for your sponge filters, sponge filters work good with lots of air, the little air pumps you get at the store usually can not put of enough air to make the work at full potential.

 

[Industrial]

I was talking to an African cichlid breeder and he told me his peacocks and many Tanganyikan fry get 10-15% daily water changes as they are sensitive to poor water conditions as well as large water changes.

 

[romosoldier]

make sure your fry get enough food, especially in the first week-2 weeks, they need multiple feedings, i had that problem with my angels, didnt feed them enough and i had a very low survival rate. and even with water changes, getting your water tested would be good, i use prime every time i do my water changes for the water.

 

[TerrorC]

What temperature are you keeping the tank at? And how many fish per tank because you are prob having some ammonia problems. I also do 2 20% WC a week on any of my fry tanks.

 

[carriej]

Take them out of those nets for starters.. Those things are deathtraps.

They don't allow adequate water circulation and the fry basically poison themselves in their own wastes.

I understand -- fry are tiny, it can be scary moving them about. Go to the dollarstore and pick up some large clear storage containers (or whatever other color strikes your fancy). Place the fry in there with either a sponge filter or a box filter (I use box filters) . Do waterchanges atleast every other day and suck up all uneaten food with a turkey baster. I recommend live food for all fry, particularly something that wont rot up the water. Walterworms work well and they live for a few hours in the water. Once they get a little heftier you can start switching them over.

Cichlids are tough even as fry and there should be no problems raising them this way.

 

[still]

Get the water tested and do water changes a couple of times a week.

 

[Cybercyde]

Bit out of the norm for suggestions... Throw a ton of light on a 10/20g planted tank. When the plants and algea are established, I've dropped wrigglers in from a 5f difference with no acclimation with minimal losses. (Convicts, but if your temps match it should be excellent. Do make sure the pH is a match) The green water / biofilm on everything in the tank feeds the fry, with the plants keeping the water perfect. Spongefilters / fitting a sponge over the intake of a hob keep the fry safe.

I haven't raised Africans, but with SA's, it's worked out very well.