Pygmaeus Fry

[pinkertd]

Todd these guys are too small yet for microworms. I've discussed breeding them with one of the leading rare cory breeders in the US and he says I'm doing everything right, it's just very hard to keep them alive. I will say that at this point I'm suspecting they don't take well to any water changes. They spawn all the time and you can't see the fry in the tank since they slip down between the gravel most of the time. Water changes can be deadly to newly hatched fry. I lost the first two batches of plecos to water changes within the first week of hatching. But with plecos you know you have young, you can see them. And they're not hatching different days of the week every week. Take now for instance, I have fry that hatched out last week over a period of a couple of days, so I probably shouldn't do a water change. But in 3-4 more days, I'll have more hatched fry. And you can't gravel vac. It is very hard for me to keep a dirty tank. But that's what I may have to do. Slowly, one item by one item, i'm tweaking things.

 

[toddnbecka]

Ah, I didn't realize they were quite so small from the pics. You could perhaps try adding some java moss to the tank. A bit of that lying loosely on or above the substrate would increase the micro critter habitat/population, and a good load of duckweed would help with water quality between changes.
Personally, I'm not bothered by neglecting water changes for weeks at a time if necessary (and sometimes when it isn't... LOL.) Strange as it may seem, a dirty tank (within reason, that is) is actually better for tiny fry. Siphoning the gravel would also remove a significant source of food for bottom-dwelling fish fry. Even my wee chanchito fry spend some time grazing from the sand substrate.
In any case, it's always a trial-and-error process when learning how to spawn and raise a new species. I think you're doing quite well so far, and actually getting better survival rates than would be found in nature. Not every fry will be strong and healthy to start with.

 

[pam916]

Could you use a bare bottomed tank? A bare bottomed tank and a seasoned sponge filter might help. You would be able to see the fry better and they would not slip down in the substrate. The fry eat all kinds of microbes off the sponge filter. I would hold off on the water changes.

 

[pinkertd]

As much as I hate the sight of a bare-bottom tank, I may have to go that route and place plants in pots for the cories to put their eggs. I've got thick taiwan moss and subwassertang in there for the fry. They can definitely find enough to eat to get started to the size you see in the picture. What you see in the picture is probably 10 times bigger than their immediate hatch size. This morning I spotted two of them moving between the gravel. For comparison, the head of the fry is still smaller than an albino cory egg! About 6 weeks ago I did switch the tank from a 20H to a 20L. It seems the tiny fry had trouble getting to the surface in the 20H, too far to go. So I've solved that problem. In the past I've added a lot of microworms but not with success so this time I'm adding the first bites crushed down even smaller to really make a powder. I've also recently thrown in my smallest baby bristlenose to help suck up food debris off the bottom. While he may accidentally suck in an egg or two off the glass, he's a bit heavy to get to the underside of the delicate plant leaves I have in there for the cories so most eggs are safe. Otos on the other hand can more easily suck the tiny leaves so I've already been there, done that, removed oto! I was actually wondering about glazing a rock with an egg mixture and adding it to the tank. Does anyone think that will help and know how I should do it?

 

[msjinkzd]

Deb, I remembered reading this in an old post by inkyjenn:

2) Grind your favourite fish food to bits. You can add any kind of fish food and even ground, dried vegetables. Separate an egg white from the yolk. Mix the egg white and fish food. Paint the resulting mixture on a flat rock or driftwood. Let it dry rock hard. Place it in the tank. The dry egg white will only dissolve very slowly in water. Your happy loricariids will eat away since this mimics their "natural" foods.

you can also use method 2 for feeding pleco fry. the egg white gives them some extra protein

this method neglects to mention to be a little frugal with the fish food and maybe to try using a mortar and pestle to grind up the food into a powder. dont leave it in chunks

 

[pinkertd]

Thanks Rach!! Seems easy enough. I'm excited that a couple of the fry can be seen swimming from place to place along the bottom and onto a few of the lower plant leaves. I would like to think that they are still strong and it's not just because I'm home sticking my face into the glass a lot!

 

[inkyjenn]

teeny fish are like crack! i swear this is true! so addicting!

at least the side effect of mts isnt too bad

 

[cam191919]

i hope to see some little guys like that soon, congrats!!

 

[jpappy789]

congrats deb! little buggers are too cute!

 

[toddnbecka]

Have you tried researching betta fry raising techniques? They're tiny wee buggers as well, and you may be able to find some suitable-sized golden pearls that the cory fry would eat. No clue if the air-breathing requirements of betta fry would have any significance regarding cory fry, but they both take air from the surface.
Never tried to raise betta or cory fry personally, but thought there may be some similarity between the two...