Raising Fry

[Boohoo]

Does anyone have a rough idea how long fry should be kept in a breeder net? I first saw these tiny little tadpole like things while doing a gravel vac about 3 weeks ago. Then I didn't see them again until last weekend and they have the shape of baby fish but still quite tiny. I managed to net 3 of them and currently have them in a breeder net. I know they will get eaten cause as soon as they poke out of the gravel the fish head straight for them. How big should they be before I let them free. I assumed they were platy babies but know I'm not so sure. Anyways other tankmates are platys, balloon mollys, white clouds, danios, pepper corys, blue rams, otos, betta, gold nugget pleco and ID sharks.Tank is 55g with quite a few plants, driftwood and rocks. Thanks in advance.

 

[johnnyxxl]

either until they are big enough to fend for themselves, or until you can put them in a seperate tank, if you want to ensure there survival I tend to let them fend for themselves if the tank is heavily planted with plenty of hiding places, and rockwork. most won't make it but those that do are stronger and tend to be healthier.

 

[MikeO]

I would say 2 maybe 3 weeks. I had the same thing happen, what I did was take out some water from the tank they were in into another tank, and used a cup to scoop them out and put them in a new tank. I took out 6, but I only have 5 of them now :'( That was May 26, they have grown since then to the size where I think they could go back with the parents, if it was not for the filters (I am sure they would get sucked up in to the filters) I have since moved them to theire own 10 gallon tank (they are zebra danios) I am thinking I should leave them there for now, I am thinking of saving up the money for a 55 tank (hope to have one by the end of the year) and will move all the fish from the 20 gallon and the new 10 gallon there if I do get that, but till then the babys will probably stay in the 10 galon tank.

 

[snakeskinner]

how big are the ID sharks? you know they get over 3 feet right? They will eat anything that they can fit in their mouth which includes every other fish you have once the sharks get big enough. The danio's and the betta would love to snack on platy fry given the chance and even the rams could go after them. the mollies and platies usually will ignore young unless they are hungry and the fry are right in their face. KYle