Unexpected Green Terror Fry!

[Paragon]

Backstory: I received a 55 gallon tank with 2x Green Terrors, 3x Cories, and a giant, beaten-up goldfish about a month ago. The tank is nothing special: a billion plastic plants, some large decorative rocks, plastic crap, etc. (All of these came with the tank and I felt bad throwing them out). In other words, not really prime conditions for the terrors.

I noticed the smaller terror (4 in?) beating up the larger (6 in?) and becoming very brightly colored, but I assumed that was territorial and not mating. Wrong! This morning, I walked in to a cloud of fry. mg:

I've been setting up another tank, mostly sandstone, with some smallish white gravel, pvc pipes, etc. so I got some fry out and put them into the other tank. No luck! They all burrowed into the gravel. -_- I'm guessing that they'll get stuck in there and die.

I don't think I can move the adults. They're just too big and fast for me right now. I've heard that the adults will protect the fry. With only the cory, goldfish, and somehow a feeder guppy that's survived, I don't think they'll be eaten.

So, um, what the heck do I do now? Do I ignore the fry in the main tank until I can be sure they won't burrow into the gravel? Can I keep the filter running?:help:

 

[FSM]

put something over the intake of the filter (foam or other filter media) so they don't get sucked in. Crushed up flake food will probably be adequate for them, although not ideal.

 

[Paragon]

Just an update for now:

I've separated a bunch out into another tank and left some in the main tank. Most of the fry cloud has been eaten or vanished, but I have about 40 of various sizes. They're eating flakes and frozen brine shrimp.

 

[BOLTSFAN]

Sounds like you have a pleasant surprise and some work cut our for you. Just enjoy it some people try and try and never get the opportunity to experience the thrill of a huge brood of new fry welcome to FISHLAND!!
Jack

 

[Paragon]

As an update: The first spawn has 24 5 week old fish in a separate tank. They're about 3/4" long right now and growing well on a diet of frozen brine shrimp and flake food.

This weekend, the parents spawned AGAIN! They beat the hell out of the other fish in the tank, so it's just the parents and a few hundred fry. I'm not sure what I'm going to do with them, other than let them hang out in the tank. I might save a few but, then again, maybe not.