Question, problem (maybe blessing) baby fish???

MikeO

AC Members
Dec 7, 2004
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Pittsburgh, PA
www.mikeoconnor.net
I am not prepared for what I just saw today, this is very very odd. While I was looking at my Betta today, I saw some strange clear animal moving in the tank at the surface (might explain why the Betta was going crazy at the surface today)

When I looked allot closer they look like tadpoles, very very tiny ones, less then a millimeter long. I believe that maybe a few eggs have started to hatch, where did these eggs come from, well I think they were put in there from the 20 gallon tank by me with out knowing when I moved a large patch of java moss over (the 20 gallon tank has red eyed tetra, zebra danios, and corry cat fish) I have used a cup to catch as many of these things that I can (I am thinking I might have some fry) so far I have taken 6 out of the Betta tank and moved them to a temp 2.5 gallon tank (half full, all from water from the Betta tank, refilled the Betta tank)

I will be looking in the 20 gallon tank for some but I don't think that they would stand a chance in there, with all the high power filters and all the adult fish in there, but for now I have 6 new fish (I think)

My questions are 1) what do I need to do to take care of these fish, I have no idea how to raise fish from fry, I can keep fish from what I get from a pet store, but never have I knowingly done from birth to up 2) my community tank is a stocked to the limit, I was thinking of getting another 10 gallon tank for another Betta at home, would these 6 fish (what ever they might be, probably Red Eyed tetras since I have read that danios don't like to bread easily) in with the Betta. 3) How large will they need to be for me to start to feed them, how long will their yoke last? How much should I feed them, what should I feed them can I feed them brine shrimp, flakes, what can they eat when they are ready to eat.

Right now I don't have a filter in the tank with the fry, do I need one right now, and can I use a sponge filter when the time comes?

I would take a picture of the fry but they are way too small to be taken a picture off, the camera probably would not register them.

What have I missed what else should I think of
 
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Small baby fry will feed on infusoria...which are small microscopic little critters that are found on any plant. Most folks will use a lettuce leaf...put it in a bowl of water and let it sit a few days. You will see a cloudy film in the water which will be your infusoria. If you start up a batch now it should be ready when these little fry use up thier yolk sac...which usually takes about 2-3 days. If you have a good clump of java moss there may be enough living around that to keep them happy for awhile.

I go from the infusoria to baby brine shrimp when they're big enough to tackle em. After the brine shrimp you can purchase a very fine powder like fry food that you may be able to find at a LFS....

Just a bit of info to get you started Mike....good luck and have fun ! :)
 
Forgot to ask this before, how long will it be before I can move them to bigger tank just for them, I am going to pick up a new 10 gallon tank for them, but I don't want to move them before it is safe, the only reason I moved them out of the tank they were in first was because I did not want them to be eaten by the adult fish, and I have not used any new water at this point, just to be on the safe side.
 
The sooner you put a sponge filter in for them the better.....do you happen to have a seasoned one? If not, you could run one in an established tank for a while..bout a week at least..and just do daily water changes in the fry tank until you can get the sponge in. Make sure the change water is the same temp as what they are in.
 
Just to give an update on the baby fish, they seem to be doing well, I took 6 out, but now I can only see 5, I think maybe I have losted one, but they have tripled in size since I first saw them. I have put a sponge filter in, and been feeding fry food, my next question is when can I start with normal fish food, they are about 9 days old now. I have added a few snails to the fryes tank for now.

Also I put the fry in a 10 gallon tank, should I leave them in there when they grow up or should I put them back in the 20 gallon community tank? I am thinking of leaving them in the 10 gallon, since the 20 gallon is at the upper limit of fish. I think the fry might be red eyed tetras.
 
could they be corys? I've heard that they can breed pretty easily too!
 
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