Sunfish spawned! What do i do?

[Fishyboi4]

I didn't know when it happened but it happened. Yesterday I went to feed my 3 peacock bass that is housed with a lapradei bichir and channel catfish in a 180 gallon tank I noticed that my sunfish was super aggressive towards my channel catfish who is twice its size, when it came close to the sunfish. After observing the sunfish I kept noticing it looking down consistently towards the gravel/sand. Then after closer look I reliezed the fry, which looked like mold or fungus growing on my gravel. My sunfish spawned and the frys are now already little tadpol like hanging out and jumping from gravel to gravel. My question is, should i remove the fry asap or wait a few days later until they are free swimming? Does the sunfish eat their own fry? I have a spare 40 gallon that I can move the fry to and feed them brine shrimps if needed.

 

[tlindsey]

I didn't know when it happened but it happened. Yesterday I went to feed my 3 peacock bass that is housed with a lapradei bichir and channel catfish in a 180 gallon tank I noticed that my sunfish was super aggressive towards my channel catfish who is twice its size, when it came close to the sunfish. After observing the sunfish I kept noticing it looking down consistently towards the gravel/sand. Then after closer look I reliezed the fry, which looked like mold or fungus growing on my gravel. My sunfish spawned and the frys are now already little tadpol like hanging out and jumping from gravel to gravel. My question is, should i remove the fry asap or wait a few days later until they are free swimming? Does the sunfish eat their own fry? I have a spare 40 gallon that I can move the fry to and feed them brine shrimps if needed.

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You could move them to the 40 gallon I suggest using a hose not a net. I've read the behavior of Sunfish is like the Cichlid.

 

[Deadeye]

They are going to do a good job at taking care of them, but yes you can move them if you want.

 

[Fishyboi4]

Should I move just the fry only or with the dad sunfish who guarding them?

 

[Deadeye]

If you are confident you can care for the fry, move just them. If you move the parent it is possible he will eat them out of stress.

 

[Bizdaddy]

Remove some to grow out and leave some for the fish to guard as he naturally would.

 

[fishguy1978]

Syphon them off into a bucket such that the water swirls like a whirl pool. Will be less likely to injure the fry this way. Leave the parents behind. BBS or micro worms for live food. Crushed up flake food works just fine.

 

[Fishyboi4]

Thanks so much for the help and support guys. I siphon some of them straight into my 40g. There were a total of 3 spawn nest, I siphoned two nest and I left one nest in the main tank for him to guard. That way I can see if there is a difference in results. Afterwards I immediately threw a cube of brine shrimps in the 40g.

 

[tlindsey]

Thanks so much for the help and support guys. I siphon some of them straight into my 40g. There were a total of 3 spawn nest, I siphoned two nest and I left one nest in the main tank for him to guard. That way I can see if there is a difference in results. Afterwards I immediately threw a cube of brine shrimps in the 40g.

If they are wriggler's don't feed until they absorb their egg sac. Once free swimming then crush up food you would feed the parents. Also wouldn't feed adult frozen brine shrimp that's to large for them to eat. Live 1 day hatched baby brine shrimp is one of the best nutritional food for tiny fry.

 

[Fishyboi4]

How often should I feed the fry brine shrimp?