Pulling GBR fry ?’s

[Atitagain]

this pair of German blue rams that I have had for 3+ months, have another group of fry. (Side note: is it group, shoal, batch, spawned…?) first one I was not ready for and second I wasn’t ready enough for. 

I’ve added mopani wood piece, IAL, let some algae grow, Java moss, and created more little hiding spots. The fry have been free swimming for 3-4 days now and papa is taking good care. It’s wild seeing him dart 1/2 way across tank, snatch a fry in his mouth, then bring it back to the “safe” area he has them huddled in, and spit 2-3 babies out!!! Lighting quick as well!  I’ve got a exterior hanging flow through breeder box up and running on the tank with some floating plant and will add Java moss when ready to transfer.

I’ve read different opinions but don’t want to leave them with papa to long. I’ve read around 2-3 weeks could be in jeopardy of the parents cannibalizing the fry to prepare for the next spawn? Agree? This is a 20G high with only the parents in the tank.

im thinking of pulling them into the breeder box in a couple days?

 

[Fish Folk]

A. MAZ. ING!!!

I’ve never gotten as far. Bravo! Ever considered pulling the Parents / leaving the fry? 

[B1gJ4k3]

I've kept mine in for a max of about three weeks then moved them with a turkey baster. Even at that point, everyone was still getting along, I just wanted to move them to a separate growout tank. The one exception was when the parent spawned again while the babies were in there and the males got pretty territorial and was chasing the last generation of babies around.

One thing to keep in mind, though, at least in my experience, so take that with as big a grain of salt as you like, is that even with feeding micro foods and having a well-established tank with lots of infusoria for them to eat, with the parents taking care of them, you're still going to lose a substantial portion of the spawn. That first few days is the hardest to get through in terms of survival rate whether the parents raise them or you pull them and raise them yourself. I've found that the ones who can survive on the micro organisms in the tank long enough to get onto BBS are the ones that will survive. The rest just won't. I've never seen the parents eat them. I think it was just a matter of them not being able to find enough food. I've hatched 5 or 6 spawns at this point and usually end up with about a 10% survival rate when just the parents raise them. I have an even worse record try to raise the spawn myself, though...

I've also found that even small changes to the tank made while the parents are raising the fry will cause them to eat the babies as well. If I throw another plant in or rearrange the hardscape, they panic and eat their fry. Water changes can be hit or miss.

Unfortunately at the moment, both my breeding pairs have decided that they hate each other, but if I ever am able to get another spawn, my plan is to leave them in with the parents with 2-3 weeks without changing anything in the tank, then move the parents to a separate tank and leave the babies to growout.

[Atitagain]

On 4/12/2022 at 11:26 AM, Fish Folk said:

A. MAZ. ING!!!

I’ve never gotten as far. Bravo! Ever considered pulling the Parents / leaving the fry? 

Thanks so much, I am absolutely in love with these! The colors, behavior, breeding, I’m thinking of making major changes in my 125G with a huge colony these rams as the main species. 
you mean never gotten this far because you pull fertilized eggs or pull parents or both?

I have considered pulling parents, but I’m thinking 1st on long term priorities list is keeping breeding pair comfortable so they will continue to spawn until I need/ want to slow them down? More moving more stress.

[Atitagain]

On 4/12/2022 at 12:35 PM, B1gJ4k3 said:

I've hatched 5 or 6 spawns at this point and usually end up with about a 10% survival rate when just the parents raise them. I have an even worse record try to raise the spawn myself, though...

As of now I believe I’m at about 50% of original hatch. 

 

On 4/12/2022 at 12:35 PM, B1gJ4k3 said:

I've also found that even small changes to the tank made while the parents are raising the fry will cause them to eat the babies as well. If I throw another plant in or rearrange the hardscape, they panic and eat their fry. Water changes can be hit or m

Glad I’m not just being paranoid I’ve been really carful not to disturb anything.

sorry to hear you pairs are being difficult. My second pair is in a big tank not really spawning yet that I can see.