Any DIY solutions for Fry cover?

[hdsportyguy]

my 2 cents

I personally don't like the traps a whole lot but that has been my experience. I've done the breeder grass and that helps a bit. here's a cheap way as well.. Take a clay pot and break it up. I put pieces with the curved side up that are big enough for the fry, but difficult for the parents to get to. Between the combo of the plants and the pots I get a pretty good survival rate. I breed mollies platties and guppies for food for my cichlids, and though just starting out is going pretty good so far....

 

[manna]

Take a clay pot and break it up. I put pieces with the curved side up that are big enough for the fry, but difficult for the parents to get to.

I like that idea. I'll have to jot a mental note about that one. You just have to be sure to use it with tank mates that aren't determined enough to move the peices around to get to the fry, but it's certainly a good idea. Thanks.

 

[poysen]

I personally don't like the traps a whole lot but that has been my experience. I've done the breeder grass and that helps a bit. here's a cheap way as well.. Take a clay pot and break it up. I put pieces with the curved side up that are big enough for the fry, but difficult for the parents to get to. Between the combo of the plants and the pots I get a pretty good survival rate. I breed mollies platties and guppies for food for my cichlids, and though just starting out is going pretty good so far....

That's a nice idea. I've heard of doing that to protect ghost shrimp from bigger fish too, though my shrimp have no fears, I doubt a platty or guppy would be able to eat them.. especially that huge one we have, lol. But I also doubt that the guppies or platties would be that gung ho on trying to move the pieces to get to any fry as well. I still might get a large plant and lie it along the gravel providing some nooks and crannies to hide in that the adults should not be able to wriggle through, since my husband thought that was a better option for the same price as the trap (though he doesn't really know anything about fishkeeping.. this is my project, lol.) But might also look for a small terra cotta/clay pot today while doing some birthday shopping for my son. Thanks all for your great suggestions.

BTW it appears they have not dropped yet as they still have those big bellies, so we might get this set in time for them.

By the way, would I need to boil the terra cotta/clay pieces before adding to my tank, or are they just fine to add in with a little rinse to remove any debris from being broken?

 

[poysen]

Well, I wasn't able to find empty clay pots at Walmart aparently they think people don't need to plant in the Fall and Winter as they are 'summer' items. Anyway, I did find 2 small 1.5 inch cactuses in tiny clay pots and bought those. I'm wondering if I can't just flip that pot over and leave it upside down and the fry and swim through the drainage hole in the bottom? I'm positive that the adults cannot get to them that way.. and I doubt they'd try to knock the whole pot over, would they?

I also found a 4 inch floating plant on Amazon that I'm going to order for some top cover. I think between that and my existing plant cover we should be okay.