# I have fry! What now?



## Kezzab (25 Mar 2018)

I've been getting a bit frustrated with the tank and was doing a clean this evening, saw some detritus blowing about, looked closer and it's actually fry! 

They are Anomalochromis Thomasi and the parents seem to be doing a good job keeping the rest of the tank inhabitants away. I have 5 adults in the tank and these 2 have been a pair for ages, but til now I've never seen eggs or fry.

There must be 30 to 40 fry, about 3mm long.

I'm assuming that as the tank is over a year old and quite wild that there will be microorganisms for them to feed on, but i guess they'll need more food soon. What's best option for feeding (i don't have time, space etc to start culturing stuff)? And any other tips?

To be honest i surprised they got this far in a tank with 20 voracious tetras!


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## Angus (25 Mar 2018)

You could try repashy powders if you don't want to culture baby brine shrimp it is an option but not a guarenteed alternative, there are studies going on at the moment in US colleges about feasibility of food substitutes due to price increases in brine shrimp eggs for ornamental fish breeding farms, i know some are in combination with segrest farms.


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## alto (26 Mar 2018)

Live foods are always best as they "foul" less BUT this is also assuming suitable fry raising tank which is not your situation (especially with 20 voracious tetras - I suspect unless you're able to remove these, you're unlikely to have any fry surviving to adult)

You can just crumble any pellet foods you already have & try to squirt this into areas of deep plant cover, the fine foods should stick to moss etc & remain available for fry, many larger fish won't bother with the tiny particles

Golden Pearls have been around for awhile
Decapsulated Brine Shrimp eggs also work quite well  

With fry, you really want to maintain optimum water quality (especially in terms of of bacteria) to prevent (permanent) damage to fry devolpment (angel fish with stunted, bent fins are the classic example), always pay attention to substrate level during water changes


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## Kezzab (26 Mar 2018)

hi, i suspect you are right about their survival chances. The parents will have to be on top of their game! Their territory is quite well placed to defend, so maybe a few might make it. I'll try crumbling some pellets.

Just really nice to see the behavior.


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## Konsa (26 Mar 2018)

Hi
U can try mixing the crushed food in a little tank water and syringe it in the fry area.It is pain to feed fine powder foods concentrated 
Regards Konsa


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## Angus (26 Mar 2018)

Konsa said:


> Hi
> U can try mixing the crushed food in a little tank water and syringe it in the fry area.It is pain to feed fine powder foods concentrated
> Regards Konsa


This is a lot cleaner than the dusting method.


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## Edvet (26 Mar 2018)

Liquifry for now and get some frozen food , bosmiden an cyclops
Vinegar eels and grindal worms can be cultured, but need some time to get started, freshly hatched brineshrimp can be fastest ( air pump, salt, bottle and eggs is all you need and you will have food in 48 hours)


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## Edvet (26 Mar 2018)

Oh and grats on the fry


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## Diddymen (26 Mar 2018)

I've been feeding my dwarf rainbow liquifry and home grown infuroria/green water .....but they are in a separate tank where I bred them, but as already mentioned, syringing the food locally should help.

I've now moved to baby brine shrimp which has accelerated their growth


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## Angus (26 Mar 2018)

Diddymen said:


> home grown infuroria/green water


 Out of curiousity, what is your cultivation method? Cheers.


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## Kezzab (26 Mar 2018)

I've purchased some liquifry, we'll see how it goes. The fry survived the night without being eaten, so that's a bonus!


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## Diddymen (26 Mar 2018)

Angus said:


> Out of curiousity, what is your cultivation method? Cheers.



some lettuce leafs in a large coffee jar with tank water, and leave it on the windowsill for 2-3 weeks occasionally shaking it


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## Angus (26 Mar 2018)

Diddymen said:


> some lettuce leafs in a large coffee jar with tank water, and leave it on the windowsill for 2-3 weeks occasionally shaking it


Same but i use spinach leaves, i just gently tilt the bottle over 360 two times rather than shaking though.


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## dw1305 (27 Mar 2018)

Hi all,
You need to feed something that wriggles, along with the non-live food, cichlid fry need a trigger (movement) to elicit the feeding response, once they are primed and ready they will have a go at decapsulated brine shrimp etc.

You could try squeezing out a filter sponge, that is usually a good source of rotifers, I like some moss as well. Details are in <"Green Pekoe Pond"> and linked threads.

cheers Darrel


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## Kezzab (27 Mar 2018)

Thanks, ill give that a try. There's moss in the tank, ill shift some into their territory.
k


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## bridgey_c (8 Apr 2018)

Excellent kezzab.

How are your fry getting on?


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## Daneland (10 May 2018)

I have fry too. My A.cacatuoides  have some free swimmers. The mother fiercely defends them and their territory but I am afraid there are too many predators in the tank, 7  red nose tetras, 4 SAEs, a few guppies.
I try to spray micro worm, filter mulm whereI see the mother and started hatching brine shrimps . The fry seemed to me large, dont know maybe it has been a few days and I've just noticed.


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## Daneland (11 May 2018)




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## Daneland (14 May 2018)

Daneland said:


>




I cant see any fry today. The mother is still bright yellow and mostly hiding in heavily planted area. I am afraid they are all gone.


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