My First Discus Fry

[Matt]

This is this pairs second spawning, first was in the community tank and fry were eaten once free swimming. They spawned for the second time in the community tank Wednesday 25th July, and I transferred the parents and fry to their own 600x450x450mm tank on Monday 30th July, 11 days old and so far so good. I am attempting to hatch brine shrimp and feeding liquifry.

How long do you leave the parents with the fry normally?

Cheers,
Matt

[samir]

congratulations on your spawn, your pair must be pretty good to have gotten them to attach after just a couple of attempts. fry can be kept as long as the parents dont start snapping at them or show signs of weakening. if the parents start to look a bit under the weather or get irritated with the fry, remove parents immediately. the average time I guess would be two weeks.
Unfortunately in your case the fry will start dying off after you remove the parents. Next time treat them for flukes first.

[Matt]

Why will the fry die off after I remove the parents? :(

Does every Discus have flukes unless treated?

What treatment do you recommend?


Cheers,
Matt

[haiming gu]

This is this pairs second spawning, first was in the community tank and fry were eaten once free swimming. They spawned for the second time in the community tank Wednesday 25th July, and I transferred the parents and fry to their own 600x450x450mm tank on Monday 30th July, 11 days old and so far so good. I am attempting to hatch brine shrimp and feeding liquifry.

How long do you leave the parents with the fry normally?

Cheers,
Matt
congratulations on your spawn, normally fry leave them parents is 1 week or 10 days, then you hatch brine shrimp breeding fry. remove fry parents to large tank ,according to my experience is good fry need everyday change water every time 50% or 70% water good lucky

[samir]

some of them are already looking a bit dark and they're pigeon blood.

[Matt]

So because
some of them are already looking a bit dark and they're pigeon blood. they will die when I remove the parents??

Can you please elaborate as I am new to Discus breeding.

Thanks

[scott bowler]

well done matt hope it works out mate.

[ILLUSN]

once the babbies reach a certian size they can get infected with gill flukes, this will kill of most of your spawn if you didn't treat mum and dad before you put them into the spawning tank.

[Zbiljc]

I allways had fry with parents more than a month

[samir]

keep some fluke tabs handy.

[Matt]

Thanks everyone for your replys. Shall I try and treat both the parents and fry now, or shall I wait and see? What is the best drug to treat them with? Is it praziquantel? I have some Cure Ex which I have used on my adult discus before "treats ecto and endoparasites of all genera and species i.e. flukes...". Does anyone know if it is safe for fry?

Sorry for all the questions, I really don't want to lose my babies!
Thanks,
Matt

[ILLUSN]

I've found prazi rough on fry, i think you'll be better just waiting, you might be lucky.

[samir]

don't worry too much about them, imo if they are already turning dark they will give you a ton of problems. discus spawn every week so you will have a lot of chances to get some practice.
next time clean the parents. a uv steriliser in the fry tank is a very good idea. prazi will be fine but treat on day 1, 4 and 7. dont worry about killing them, 1 tab per 20 litres will be fine. change water regularly and also test for ammonia.
wait till they are eating well then move the parents. give the tank a clean and treat them.

[Matt]

Thanks everyone for your help.

Discus have now been free swimming for two weeks and are still with the parents, I have been doing twice daily 50-70% water changes, rinsing one of my two sponge filters each day and scrubbing the walls and bottom with a scrubbing brush every few days. I have been feeding Baby Brine Shrimp, finely chopped Discus Tucker and crushed Colourbits morning, lunch and night.

I am starting to lose 1-2 babies a day. They sit on the bottom of the tank, breathing heavily and then I find them dead in the morning. I have lost five so far with another sitting on the tank floor this morning. I tried a 2 minute salt dip on one of the sick fry last night using 6 teaspoons of Epsom Salts per litre but this morning found it floating upside down.

Does this sound like gill flukes or some other problem?
It only affects one baby at a time. Ph 7.4, temp 30c and water changes done straight from the tap (same temp and PH as tank) using Aquaplus Water Conditioner.

I haven't been that careful with the Brine Shrimp and a few eggs have ended up in the tank on a few occassions. I am waiting on some Droncit (Prazi) tabs being sent to me which should arrive today and I also have half a bottle of Masterpet Cure Ex on hand. I can get some Liquid Prazi but not until after this weekend.

Updated pics attached:

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y232/i_lovebeer/IMG_2108.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y232/i_lovebeer/IMG_2109.jpg



Thanks,
Matt

[Matt]

Been home at lunch, no Prazi tabs yet :? I have isolated todays affected fry in a 1 litre container floating in the tank and have added 3 drops of Cure Ex (recommended dose) to see if it does anything.

I am trying to get hold of a microscope as well as I am hooked on Discus breeding now :D , even with all the water changes :lol: .

Cheers,
Matt

[scott bowler]

i have to say matt they are looking awesome well done good work with them .

[Matt]

Thanks Scott. Hopefully I can stop them dying soon! Wish the Prazi Tabs would arrive!

[samir]

The fry are looking fantastic. keep up the water changes. looks like you will get some very good fry from that batch. treat for three days with prazi day 1,4 and 7. btw a salt bath does not involve epsom salt.
its also time to start them on beefheart mix. you need to blend it very fine. about half a teaspoon per day will probably suffice. an internal uv after the prazi treatment will also help prevent more fry deaths.
good luck, I think you have done an excellent job so far.

[Matt]

Thanks Samir, i started them on finely chopped frozen beefheart mix 2 days ago and they are now greedily taking it - which is a relief as hatching and feeding BBS is a pain in the backside :lol: .

I am still waiting on the Prazi to arrive, it better be in the mailbox tonight. We cant buy it from the shops here and it is a mission to get hold of. If it doesn't turn up I will have to beg the local vet for some.

Yes I have checked the website that recommended a salt dip, it said to use plain salt not epsom salts :oops: . I will definitely be investing in a UV Steriliser.

Thanks for all your help.

Cheers,
Matt

[scott bowler]

hey matt how are they going mate ?.
still growing i hope , all the best mate

[Matt]

Hi Scott,
I managed to get hold of some Prazi Tabs and did the 7th day dose 2 days ago, the fry deaths have now stopped :D and they are growing well. I have about 40 left most of them around 20mm. I removed the parents on Monday as the mother was attacking my hand when I tried to clean the tank :shock: she would wait until my hand was just above the waters surface and then leap at it :lol: . They are now back in my Discus community tank and the male is currently guarding eggs from spawning yesterday with another Marlboro Orange Discus :roll:

I am doing 60% water changes twice a day and feeding chopped frozen beefheart mix, chopped frozen bloodworms, spirulina flake and tetra colourbits 4 times a day. I will move them to a 250 litre grow out tank in about a weeks time, just have to do some rearanging of fish and furniture first.

Cheers,
Matt

[haiming gu]

hi matt the discus already another spawned ?

[Matt]

Hi haiming gu,
Not the original pair, but the male from the breeding pair and another female spawned when I put the pair back in the community tank with 7 other Discus.

Cheers,
Matt