Raising fry artificially

[lillyd]

Well I had a pair breed in my display tank and decided if the eggs hatched and they lasted until free swimming I would pull them and try and raise them my self. I figured they were just going to get eaten or lost in my display tank so what the heck. Today is day 4 of free swimming and they are in an enamel bowl on top of tank. I am feeding them newly hatched BBS 4 times a day and so far so good. Water changes about an hour after I have fed them. Water from parents tank. Can't really tell if they are growing or not, will just have to see how it goes

[ILLUSN]

If they,re still alive they're growing , by day 6 they should be noticbly orange from the brine shrimp, try and get them onto finly ground beefheart mix by 12 days free swimming, then you'll really see them start to grow.

how many casulaties have you had in the last 4 days?

[lillyd]

I have had 6 casualties in the last 4 days. 5 were this morning

[ILLUSN]

just keep up the feedings, my personal best to date is 18/100+ to the 50 cent coin size, it takes some practice.

[lillyd]

Damn lost 8 more this morning. With a few more not looking so great. Keep feeding them but not sure if they are eating or not. Oh well will keep going and see if anymore survive.

[ILLUSN]

have you got a light on above the bowl, a msall light bout 1.5w works best, if not cover the top with a black tea towel over the top of the bowl with just a small gap for light to come through.

the brineshrimp will concentrate in the little "puddle" of light and so will the fry, also keep your airation super low 1 bubble every 1.5-2 seconds is plenty.

[lillyd]

The air stone is on really low like you said but i have a desk lamp on next to the bowl. So I should put something over the bowl so that the light isn't too bright?

Cheers Jane

[ILLUSN]

what you want is a focused point of light in 1 spot only, that way the brineshrimp swim to the light and stay concentrated in 1 area, the fry also swimm to the light and stay in 1 are with the shrimp, the fry will only eat when they bump into a shrimp, they dont activly seek out food.

[lillyd]

ok i get it thankyou I will give it a go. If it doesn't work the parents have just laid a new batch of eggs before I was able to geth them their own tank so I will pull them as well and give it a go.