JD babies!

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ComplicateMe86

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Feb 10, 2009
61
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Michigan
So I've been waiting and waiting for my dempseys to finally breed. Turns out, they were one step ahead of me. I woke up yesterday to find about 200 or so wigglers in a pit in my 55 gallon. They are now free swimming today, which is absolutely awesome to see. This is the first time I've actually had free swimming baby fish. Any advice for a newby? I've made sure to put foam over the filter intake so the babies don't get sucked up. Should I add a sponge filter? I heard that the babies will eat some of the particles that are sucked to it. Once the babies are big enough, what are the types of food I should be feeding them? Also, is anybody looking to buy baby dempseys? I certainly have a bunch of them! ;)
 
congrats on your babies! first off let me tell you about my first experience with jd fry. after about a week of free swimming i notice less and less babies.... mom and dad were eating them! didnt realize what was going on till all babies had been devoured. so keep close eye on them! if parents seem to be eating them remove them to a smaller tank by themselves. covering your intake is also a good idea. after asking lots of questions on another site ive gotten advice to feed them hikari first bites. its a very powdery food that they can fit into their mouths. my second batch just started free swimming today so trying this out myself. hope this helps some. im a newby to this myself. im sure someone else will come along with some more expert like advice. good luck!
 
Thanks! Also, anybody know if I should worry that the mom is moving the babies around by putting them in her mouth and then spitting them out?
 
With one spawn that I had (which didn't turn out well...) mommy fish did move her wigglers around a few times.

My suggestion is to separate them if you can.
 
oh yeah forgot yours were free swimming already. still is normal to relocate the strays. they are usually very protective and great parents. is also normal for first couple of batches to get eaten as parents are new and not sure what they are doing. some parents do just fine though. all u can really do is keep an eye out and hope for the best. babies definatly need to be removed when 1/2 inch. or they will become prey. i plan on moving mine even earlier due to them being eaten at 1/4 inch. have another tank ready for them asap just in case.
 
congradulations... wow....
 
Thanks for all the messages. Here are some pics of the babies and the parents. Mom was being a little shy. Sorry for the crappy camera.

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beautiful pair! one other suggestion is, the gravel. may need to switch to very small grade gravel or sand next time as the babies will wiggle under the larger gravel looking for food and may get stuck!
 
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