What to do with baby BN?

[abcdefghi]

My BN pleco's spawned a couple weeks ago, and while I eventually will try to sell any offspring they produce, out of this first batch of fry there was only one survivor.

He/she is probably almost 1/2" long now, and luckily I did not switch on my powerhead the other day, as have discovered that is where he likes to hang out!! Anyways, my dilemma is that since I probably will not sell this one (at least not yet) where do I grow him out some? I feel like there is not enough room to keep him in the 29G (1m/2f BN + 10 neons) and there is also not enough room to keep him in my 55G either (2 angels, 12 black neons, 13 peppered cories, 1 GBR, 1 BN pleco, 1 rubberlip pleco). The only place I could put him is in the 10G that I have which only has a betta and a snail.

I don't think I can keep him long term in there though, but would it be Ok to keep him in there until he is around 2-3" long? At that point I can either sell him a little easier, or use him at an LFS as an example of the fish that I can hopefully breed and supply them with.

[fishorama]

It would probably be ok for a while in the 10g if your betta doesn't bug him.

[slipgate]

Only solution I can see is to buy another tank. I'd go for over 100 gallons just to be on the safe side!

[BioHazard]

I imagine you could keep him in the 10 gallon to grow him out. :)

[RMC]

I don't see a problem keeping it in the 29

[WeedCali]

yeah the 26 seems fine. although when he gets a little bigger you could add him to the 55.

[H2Ogal]

Is that a regular powerhead (not one of the cage-like koralias)? If so, add a prefilter to the intake and a mesh screen on the outlet to prevent fish from swimming inside. Scary how they like to do that, huh?

Good luck with your BN baby. Hope to see pics soon.

[pinkertd]

Most definitely you have plenty of room in that 29G to grow him out. I use a 29G to grow out perhaps 60 or so, and their tankmates are a dozen or so baby sterbai. Lots of zucchini for the little one.

[abcdefghi]

Most definitely you have plenty of room in that 29G to grow him out. I use a 29G to grow out perhaps 60 or so, and their tankmates are a dozen or so baby sterbai. Lots of zucchini for the little one.

Even with the 3 adults in there?

I moved the baby last night into the 10G, but if I can grow out a batch in the 29G then do not need to stress so much about finding another tank to grow out any future fry. The parents are working on the same spot of wood again.

[pinkertd]

Yes, even with 3 adults in there.

[nc0gnet0]

So Pinkertd, how is the L-144's coming along, any new arrivals? I periodically check the for sle thread to see if you have any available.

[pinkertd]

My adults are on strike....have been since the last spawn in February. I'm just growing out some subadults to sell, just seeing bristles now on the males. Hopefully somebody will spawn soon! :~)

[nc0gnet0]

I currently have a Albino long fin pair that laid some eggs. Hard to tell how old the fry are, the male choose such a tight space to raise them. I periodically check with a dim flash light and have spotted a few fry, but 90% of the time his fins cover the entire opening. Its a community tank with the largest of the fish being a pair of molly's, followed by a small pair of Beta's (crown tail). Then it is several neons, von rio's and harlequin's followed by a bunch of cherry shrimp. I have several questions if you don't mind, that generally go with this thread.

Do you think removing the molly's and beta's might encourage him to allow the fry out?

Should I consider removing the fry to another tank? I have a cycled 29 gallon BB tank set-up for breeding Discus currently not in use. Or should I wait and then remove both the ABLF's to the breeding tank, and if so what are the chances they will produce another spawn? It's only a pair,not a trio.

What should I add to the discus breeding tank to convert it over too a pleco breeding tank? Other than a cave or two.

[abcdefghi]

Yes, even with 3 adults in there.

That is good to know, especially as I am expecting them to spawn again any day soon.

The one baby I have appears to be doing fine in the 10G with the Betta, but I also have hopefully found a free 29G (tank only, but better than nothing) that I can also figure out a use for.

[nc0gnet0]

One last question, with the baby's how long until you can tell if they are going to be longfin or not ( I understand even longfin parents have a certain percentage of short fin fry).

[abcdefghi]

Got home last night to another batch of eggs, I imagine by the weekend/early next week I should have wrigglers again.

[pinkertd]

One last question, with the baby's how long until you can tell if they are going to be longfin or not ( I understand even longfin parents have a certain percentage of short fin fry).

You can pretty much tell by the end of the first month.

[nc0gnet0]

Well,

Papa has let them out of the cave finally, he did this as soon as the platy's and beta's were removed from the tank. So far I can only count 5-6 of the cute little buggers, but there is a good possibility more of them can be hiding. Not sure how many a normal clutch is, I was thinking more along the lines of 30-40, but some probably fell prey.

[nc0gnet0]

Well,

Much to my suprise this morning when I turned the lights on I had no less than 21 fry on the front glass, so its looks like my original estimate was way off. :thm: I am now revising my estimate to perhaps 30 living fry.

How many is in a nomal batch?