Kribensis Fry Separating Question

[BriannesFishFam]

Hi all,

I have a breeding project in a 75 gallon tank, Kribensis and Cherry Barbs. Now I know the cherry barbs won't breed in there but we are taking a pair out today. This may be confusing but I'll sort of list it below

75g Tank with 12 Kribs and 8 Kribensis

Over a lot of months fighting and die offs led to 2 pairs of kribs and 4 extra males, and 6 cherry barbs (5 males to 1 female)

Moved 1 pair of Nigerian Reds to a 20 H to breed, Other pair still in there

That pair has had 2 small batches of babies before, first time they ate them, second time they started eating them so we moved the babies to a net breeder box and the babies got stuck and none survived. Most don't like doing Kribs for profit but I'd like to try and spawn almost every fish. This is the third spawn, huge (50+) babies, they have survived a few days but now a lot disappear. We are sucking the babies out of the tank with airline hose (because of gentle flow) and a small bucket. We are doing this because I want to try and save the babies. 

 

My big question here is what do they babies eat. They are going on one of those hang on the side breeder boxes that are all plastic and have a gentle bubble flow, continuously  circulating water throughout.I know that the parents take them throughout the tank and let them eat detritus and microorganisms, the parents also take any bits of food and crush them to a fine dust for the babies. So would small vinegar eels work? Or maybe Walter/Banana worms? Or would they be large enough for microworms? I have them all

[mountaintoppufferkeeper]

My first live is vinegar eels mostly because I have them handy. I also will use a mortar and pestle to grind my regular adult food to the appropriate fry food size.  For a breeder box method on kribs id try vinegar eels, the fine dry foods, and a small piece of driftwood or some mulm in the breeder box for the microscopic critters / food source benefit. I would try fine foods and whatever you have for small live and see what they take. Id guess live baby brine might encourage a bit more feeding with the movement whenever they get big enough for it. 

I generally loose some fry early along the way occasionally all and chalk that up to unavoidable loss from some sort of internal genetic issue. I generally do not want those to remain in my fish anyway.

For cichlid I usually leave them with the parents for a week or two minimim if the parents are exhibiting any level of care. One portion of my crenicichla regani fry were left with the parents for 2 weeks  the rest 58 days. The group left for 58 days were bigger, more outgoing, and much better feeders for all foods. I would consider leaving at least some with the parents whenever thats an option because I can not sunstitute for that 24/7 care,forst foods, behavioral examples, and sense of security the fry recieve from the parents. 

 

Edited July 18, 2021 by mountaintoppufferkeeper

[BriannesFishFam]

On 7/18/2021 at 6:53 PM, mountaintoppufferkeeper said:

My first live is vinegar eels mostly because I have them handy. I also will use a mortar and pestle to grind my regular adult food to the appropriate fry food size.  For a breeder box method on kribs id try vinegar eels, the fine dry foods, and a small piece of driftwood or some mulm in the breeder box for the microscopic critters / food source benefit. I would try fine foods and whatever you have for small live and see what they take. Id guess live baby brine might encourage a bit more feeding with the movement whenever they get big enough for it. 

I generally loose some fry early along the way occasionally all and chalk that up to unavoidable loss from some sort of internal genetic issue. I generally do not want those to remain in my fish anyway.

For cichlid I usually leave them with the parents for a week or two minimim if the parents are exhibiting any level of care. One portion of my crenicichla regani fry were left with the parents for 2 weeks  the rest 58 days. The group left for 58 days were bigger, more outgoing, and much better feeders for all foods. I would consider leaving at least some with the parents whenever thats an option because I can not sunstitute for that 24/7 care,forst foods, behavioral examples, and sense of security the fry recieve from the parents. 

 

Thank you so much!