GBR Fry Losses

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2ManyHobbies

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Dec 8, 2002
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Hi gang, it has been a while since I posted. I am hoping someone can help me out.

I recently acquired two pairs of stunning German Blue Rams. So far each pair has laid eggs twice. In addition I have a pair of wild GBR that I recently acquired that have also layed eggs once. Very nice to have productive pairs!

The problem is keeping the fry alive. I am quite able to hatch them out and get them to the free swimming stage. I am using fish holder boxes on the side of the tank with a water filter to slowly circulate the water from the hanging box to the 40 gallon bare bottom breeding tank. Similar water movement as a UGF. I have been using vinegar eels, first bites, and recently microworms to get them to eat. I also shut off the water flow and add a fair amount of food to increase the likelyhood that they will eat. Nothing obsessive though. I also tried BBS but they really did not pay attention to them- it appears they are too big. I have lost MANY fry and have become discourage. The good part is that for now I still have a supply of new eggs every 2 weeks or so. The fry typically hang out around the edge of the tank as opposed to free swimming.

My conditions:

R/O water- TDS around 50
pH around 5.5
Temp 82
Lots of java moss inside hanging boxes and breeder tanks.
25% water changes every few days.

Any suggestions? I have talked with other ram breeders in my local aquarium society- I have made strides but need to get to the finish. I think if I can make it to a month I will be moving in the right direction. Any experienced ram breeders out there? I just hate loosing 90+% of the fry.

Thanks-
 
before you try breeding any more, set up a few cultures of infusoria. it seems to be the only thing that the fry will eat because it is very small. you should have more luck with that. bbs is fine after a week or so when the fry get bigger.

the ph is low but it is okay b/c the parents are breeding and the eggs are hatching out. i wouldn't fiddle with it in any way.
 
Frozen bbs or live? Most fry will not eat frozen. I have raised apisto babies on LIVE bbs from day one. Infusoria contained naturally in java moss is apparently enough to get them to the size where they can eat the bbs.

Live bbs is a PITA and there is a bit of a learning curve. I mix up saltwater in gallon jugs. Fill a pint glass 2/3 full. add 1/2 cap (about a 1/2 teaspoon) shrimp eggs. Use a length of airhose with a length of INFLEXIBLE tubing at the end to airate the water. Set the glass next to a light source. After 36hours unplug airhose and let sit for 5min. use the same airhose to siphon out the brineshrimp (they will gather toward the bottom). Avoid sucking up the debris that is actually ON the bottom. I immediately rinse out the hatching glass and start a new batch. Pour the desired ammount of bbs through a bbs net and feed to fish. I usually get two feedings per hatch. As a consequence i only feed three times every two days. Optimal growth? No, but they do grow. To feed more often you would have to have two hatching containers. My goal is simplicity, so I just stick with one.
 
What are your nitrates? They need to get kept below 5 in the beginning.

Why are they in a box on the side of the tank? I wrote up how I hatch/breed mine, it is on my Aquarium page. I have a feeling its either your nitrates or the filtering system isn't working as you envisioned.

Get a nice seeded sponge filter, use a smaller tank to keep them in for the first couple of months then net them and move them to the breeder tank for the final grow out. If it is the netting that has you worried - it worried me when I first started - then put your small tank into your breeder and eventually you can pour them out into it.

You need to watch the bottom of the tank to make sure you aren't over feeding. Also, I've never fed them live bbs from the start. I usually hatch them in RO - with added electrolytes. As they are getting ready to lift off and swim (about day 3? of the wiggler stage) I add a bunch of hornwort, java moss, etc and thats when I put in a seeded sponge filter. I feed them microworms after they are free swimming, they also will find infusoria in the moss/hornwort. I start live bbs within 2-3 days and make sure they are all eating it before I discontinue the microworms.

In the beginning I only have 4g's water in my 10g tank. So, I just clean up the bottom of the tank a bit at night and add more water, this dilutes the nitrates but keeps the infusoria populations up. After they are all eating the bbs, I do about 20% water change every night. As they get older I add more and more water until the 10g is filled. By this time they are a couple of months old and ready to get moved into their final grow out tank.

Live food triggers the eating. Hope all this helps,
Cathy
http://www.cathygeier.com
 
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