Number of Fry Tanks?

[Filsby]

Hi all,

So I am interested in pairing up my RD male and female. Not in the immediate future, but definitely within the coming months.

I was just curious what everyone's experience/recommendations were in terms of size and number of grow out tanks for the fry. I currently have 3 x 35 gallons as well as multiple 10 gallons and 5 gallons for potential growout. I want to be ready before I pair them up, just in case it is successful.

I have included pictures of my beauties below

 

[Aquatic Aggression]

That female is hot stuff.
5 gallon tanks = totally worthless for growing out anything. It will stunt them almost immediately.
10 gallon tanks = same story as the 5 gallons
35 gallons = up to an inch or so but not many at that size.

For the last few years I have been spawning in 75 gallon tanks and leaving the fry in there while removing the parents, it's so much easier. I leave the mother with the fry usually until they are coming to feed and she can no longer pen them up.
For grow out of a large group of small fry the bigger the water volume the better. The benefits are more space to spread and evade aggression, more room to grow, and more water is easier to keep parameters stable. Things can go wrong in something like a 5 or ten gallon fast. With the constant feeding fry require waste builds up quickly.

 

[fisheatfish]

I like using a 5 gal tank as soon as I know the eggs have been fertilized. I remove the plate with the eggs and place it upright against the side of the glass with a heater & spongefilter...barebottom. Once wigglers fall off plate, remove plate and with such a small tank, easy water changes...and there will be many. When the fry are very small or with only a few surviving, a small tank makes a lot of sense.

Once overcrowding occur, the bigger the tank, the better.

 

[Filsby]

Thanks!

I kind of figured I would need more/bigger tanks so I've been keeping my eye out on kijiji/craigslist.

How many 75's etc. would you recommend for a growout of one batch of fry?

 

[ucantkillme89]

Fry can overload the tanks filtration quick. My 40 gallon wasn't enough when I was raising my Red Texas. I had over 50, once they got to 2 inches it was mayhem. They just eat, poop, and fight all day lolololololol

 

[Aquatic Aggression]

It's all about knowing how many fry you want to put time into growing out. I usually cull lightly until they hit about 2" then cull more aggressively until I'm down to a manageable number. I keep about 15-20 to grow out but after you see what your pair throws for offspring you may feel comfortable distributing 1" fry so you aren't culling so many. Don't immediately cull for size (you may end up with no females!) but pick traits you want each time you cull. Body and fin shape, pearls, color, vigor and health are examples of traits you might want to consider when sorting your fry for grow out. You are going to see alot of these traits in your fry at 1.5" or so. Go with the obvious winners and eliminate the rest, reducing your numbers and focusing on only the top quality fry will save you alot of headaches.