I know clean water gives fry the best/fastest growth but does it matter if the fry are in lets say a 75 gallon and it takes longer for the water quality to get worse or a 20 gallon that you change 50% of the water every other day? BTW these tank sizes are made just so you can get my point. Ive heard that betta fry, they release a growth inhibiting hormone that stunts the growth of the other fry so thats why water changes are needed. Is that the same with cichlids too?
Why does clean water give the best growth?
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Cant speak to the point about hormones so I dont know if that is a key point to wc for cichlids. I would say a larger tank with fewer waterchanges would be my choice. Less activity would be less stressful on the fish and more room for the fry to spread out as they grow. I also have read that fish use the electrolytes in water for cellular respiration, so regular water changes help them stay healthy so cells can replicate and repair more readily. Assuming what I read was true I would imagine that would help them grow as well.
Besides room to grow and a less stresssful wc schedule I cant think of any other advantage to a larger tank with fewer wc though.
Besides room to grow and a less stresssful wc schedule I cant think of any other advantage to a larger tank with fewer wc though.
Is clean water the key or is it "new" water?
Lets say I had 2 fry tanks and one of them was a 100 gallon that got a 100% water change once a week while the 25 gallon got 100% change 4 times a week, which fry tank would get the best growth. I know you wouldnt do 100% water changes but just for mathematical purposes it makes things easier.
Lets say I had 2 fry tanks and one of them was a 100 gallon that got a 100% water change once a week while the 25 gallon got 100% change 4 times a week, which fry tank would get the best growth. I know you wouldnt do 100% water changes but just for mathematical purposes it makes things easier.
There is a little more too it than that.
I've done experiments on convict fry, And yes.
Cichlids produce growth inhibitor hormones as well.
As far as the 100gl x once a week vs the 25gl x 4 times a week.
The growth would be the same at first.
But the 100gl fry would grow more in the long run, Due to over crowding and poor conditions in the 25gl.
From my experience, You need a number of things together, To get maximum growth.
-Maintaining the right water conditions.
(regular water changes to keep ammonia, Nitrates, Hormones, And general waists in check)
-A balanced diet. Even my newborns get something different each meal. Rotating there diet.
(Microworms, Firstbites, Baby brine shrimp, Javamoss. And Spectra)
-Tempature ( I keep my tanks around 78 degrees)
-Room to grow, And exercise.
-Plenty of airflow
( I use airstones, Because normal air saturation is limited to the surface area and movement of the water in your tank.)
There are other things that would help, But this would be a good start.
Spike
100% water changes in fry tanks are not the out of the norm, it is well known that many pro breeders will change 100% of grow out tanks water per day to achieve maximum growth.
I try to do 25%-40% change per day on all tanks, which include fry tanks.
I have made it easy by putting 3-4 tanks of each bank of tanks on a single sump, and by opening 1 valve, water is sent straight to different parts of the garden from each bank.
I try to do 25%-40% change per day on all tanks, which include fry tanks.
I have made it easy by putting 3-4 tanks of each bank of tanks on a single sump, and by opening 1 valve, water is sent straight to different parts of the garden from each bank.
