I've a pregnant Glo-fish, she laid eggs and err.. now what?

[jpappy789]

:jaw: Feel lucky they are danios, and get a filter. heaters are not really necessary for danios, but here are some basic steps:

1: get a filter.
2: Run the filter in the tank, it should help get rid of the ammonia. (cycling)

NEVER clean 100% of the tank at once. Leave the filter, or save a bit of water to keep the bacteria running.

3:change 50% of the water weekly.

That's all you really need ATM. As soon as possible though, get a 5 or up gallon tank. From my experience, danios will do fine in a group of 4 in a 5 gallon. What's optimal though is a 10 gallon with dense plants.

IME even a 10 gallon is too small. These are very hyperactive fish.

And a filter will not simply "get rid of" ammonia per se...it may house the bacteria that consume ammonia and produce nitrite as waste.

Anyways...Kaiidera, welcome to AC! I suggest reading this thread to get an idea on what it takes to get a cycled tank. It is probably the most important step you can take in setting up an aquarium.

 

[Kaiidera]

Alright. So I'm trying to sum up everything here:

*5 gallon tank (That'll be a hard sell on my parents, any more and I might as well quit fish)
*Several fish (4?)
*Filter
*Heater - though not necessary
*Plants


I'm not sure how to take care of real plants in a tank, I know that sounds silly, but do you just kinda.. plop them down in the gravel? The filter... err, to clean the water, or to make the bubbles? I get the two confused...


Thank you so much ^_^

 

[jpappy789]

-Go with as big of tank you can
-There are some fairly easy plants that do not require much care- java fern and java moss are a couple of examples
-The filter will help to clean the tank of debris and also will house the majority of your bacteria colony

 

[BettaFishMommy]

NEVER clean 100% of the tank at once. Leave the filter, or save a bit of water to keep the bacteria running.

the bacteria do not live in the water, they attach to surfaces in the filter and to a lesser degree, in the tank (substrate, decor). this is why fishkeepers strive for a porous material to put in the filter, more surface for the bacteria to live on.

on that note, never rinse your filter media in plain tapwater. use water removed from the tank during a water change or if in a pinch and have no waste water, you can use tapwater treated with dechlorinator. chlorine kills the beneficial bacteria.

 

[Kaiidera]

This morning, there was this clear film... I guess, on the surface of the water, and when I went to feed her the food got stuck in it, though I poked it in (sounds so weird). And I'm thinking maybe the things I saw yesterday were just air bubbles. It'd make more sense if they were since people said the real eggs were too small to really see. Don't know what it means, the film part.

 

[Reframer]

Kaiidera, take it from the very experienced people here that you will need for sure at least a 10 gallon tank for those fish you already have. A 10 gallon does not cost much at a place like walmart. They are very active fish and this is like keeping a kitten in a closet for her whole life.
If you don't know about how to cycle your tank, then you really need to take the time to read up on it. It is very important.
You could always take them back to the store and get a nice Betta for your tank, but it would still need a filter and heater. Anyhow, I hope you figure it out.

 

[MTiffany]

Not to get too technical, but being an egg-layer, your fish wasn't pregnant, it was gravid (if it was, I see that there's some question as to whether or not the fish actually laid eggs). Difference being - pregnant = fertilized egg developing inside body leading to live birth - gravid = unfertilized eggs developing inside body leading to egg-laying when eggs are mature, eggs fertilized outside body by male (milt is fish semen).

If the eggs weren't fertilized by a male, then nothing will happen to the eggs other than rotting.

Just an FYI, GloFish are genetically modified animals, and as such, they are protected by patent. If the fish breed successfully, you cannot legally sell the resulting fry (offspring). You can give them away as gifts, but only the patent holder (in this case, Yorktown Technologies, L.P.) may profit (barring licensing agreements with retailers like from where you bought them). Rumor is that after hatching GloFish are exposed to chemicals which leave them sterile. But that is just a rumor, I've not been able to find anything to support that particular urban legend.

 

[jpappy789]

This morning, there was this clear film... I guess, on the surface of the water, and when I went to feed her the food got stuck in it, though I poked it in (sounds so weird). And I'm thinking maybe the things I saw yesterday were just air bubbles. It'd make more sense if they were since people said the real eggs were too small to really see. Don't know what it means, the film part.

Its just a protein build up, harmless but unsightly. Some surface agitation will take care of it though.

 

[VivaLaVics]

You should try to get your parents going for a 10 gallon! It's still a small tank (So you can keep it on a dresser, night stand, or sturdy desk), but you can do SO much with it! I have a 10 gallon "planted" tank with Anubis and java moss- they dont require much effort other than keeping the lights on the same length everyday so they are a GREAT beginner plant! I have (5) tetras, (1) beta, and shrimp in the 10 gallon w/ plants! No heater, just a filter and bubble-maker (the device that creates the air flow outside the tank is called an Aerator it pushes air through a small tube that goes into the tank and connects to an airstone, when the air is pushed into the airstone, it comes out as bubbles).

I think that film is from your water being stagnant. It can happen- you just need something to move the water around. A filter or aerator is a good idea to fix that. You do need a filter- you can get an inexpensive tetra whisper filter (They have pink filter cartirges you need to change once a month) for the small tank you have currently, or go for a Hang On Back (HOB) filter when you purchase a 10 gallon!

IMO (In My Opinnion) the tank size you have now is too small even for a Beta... I wont keep a betta in anything smaller than a 10 gallon, and the tanks smaller than that I just keep my over-flowing shrimp population in.

Sell your parents on the idea! Let them know you are just being responsible to your purchase of the glofish and want to experience creating an ideal environment. Learning how to cylce a tank and the bacteria and all the balancing that goes with it is a great expereince, and if you do some research by reading the thread mentioned earlier I think they'll be OK with you keeping a 10 gallon because you will be responsible about the maintenance!

Sorry about the ramble, great to see you looking for the right type of information! There a lot of people here who will give you great advice!

Welcome to AC! =D

-Viva

 

[AquatiCreations]

I agree, It's great to see that you're on here, it shows that you have dedication towards the hobby, if your parents give you argument, show them this thread, how you've sought advice and how much of an interest you have in the hobby. Wal*Mart sells a 10g Aqueon(I believe) Kit, It includes the tank, heater,filter,and lighting(along with some other goodies) for 30-40$ I believe. Get pea gravel, or play sand as a substrate since you're on a tight budget, a large bag will give you what you need to work with and, only cost 2-3$. Definately learn about cycling, once you have an understanding of the nitrogen cycle, you will need a test kit to determine your water's quality.. but in the mean-time your LFS(I don't know if wal*mart will) should be more than happy to test your water.

I wish you the best of luck!