Why are my fry dying????

[ruecole]

As you may remember, I've got a breeding pair of sparkling gouramis. So far they've spawned 5 times and every time I've rescued the resulting 50+ babies from the big tank and put them into my specially prepared 10g fry tank (complete with sponge filter and heater set at 80F). But, for some unexplained reason, at around the two week mark they start dying off and within 2-3 days I'm left with only a few stragglers.

Currently, I've got 4 eight-week-old fry, 2 five-week-old fry, and 2 or 3 two-week-old fry. :scry:

Anyone have any ideas why they might die off like that?

There's ample food in the tank. I feed them a home-made powdered food and I've watched them eating it. I've also seen them hunting some microscopic food (infusoria?) on the glass, plants, and floating breeder net (where the oldest gourami are now living after I watched them eating their newborn siblings! :shock:), etc. So I don't think they're starving.

The water parameters are good. Even when I forgot to do a weekly water change over the holidays, the nitrates were under 5 ppm. (Ammonia and nitrites were both 0, of course!)

The only thing I can think is the conditions aren't perfect for the development of their labyrinth organ, but I'm not sure how to make them any better. I've already got the water level lowered and have blocked off the open area at the back of the hood to create a nice humid environment.

Any thoughts?

Thanks!

Rue

[mitcore]

i was wondering if the water the were spawned in is different to what they are in now, have you tried adding the water from the tank they were spawned in to where they are now, it is quite possible that the good batrica is different in both tanks

just a thought

[Dave66]

As you may remember, I've got a breeding pair of sparkling gouramis. So far they've spawned 5 times and every time I've rescued the resulting 50+ babies from the big tank and put them into my specially prepared 10g fry tank (complete with sponge filter and heater set at 80F). But, for some unexplained reason, at around the two week mark they start dying off and within 2-3 days I'm left with only a few stragglers.

Currently, I've got 4 eight-week-old fry, 2 five-week-old fry, and 2 or 3 two-week-old fry. :scry:

Anyone have any ideas why they might die off like that?

There's ample food in the tank. I feed them a home-made powdered food and I've watched them eating it. I've also seen them hunting some microscopic food (infusoria?) on the glass, plants, and floating breeder net (where the oldest gourami are now living after I watched them eating their newborn siblings! :shock:), etc. So I don't think they're starving.

The water parameters are good. Even when I forgot to do a weekly water change over the holidays, the nitrates were under 5 ppm. (Ammonia and nitrites were both 0, of course!)

The only thing I can think is the conditions aren't perfect for the development of their labyrinth organ, but I'm not sure how to make them any better. I've already got the water level lowered and have blocked off the open area at the back of the hood to create a nice humid environment.

Any thoughts?

Thanks!

Rue

Rue,
You have to keep their bellies full (rounded) all the time; small meals every two hours during the day. I have a source for real green water rift with microorganisms like Euglena. Week to 10 days of that until they don't seem to eat as much, then microworms and rotifers (easy to culture). Be easy three weeks 'til they can easily manage BBS.
Green water, then microworms, then BBS = easy 70 percent yield.

Dave

[ruecole]

Thanks, Dave.

I guess I have to find out how to make green water and grow micro worms and BBS. :ezpi_wink1:

Rue

[squirt_12]

You might beable to find some micro worms at your LFS. I would do exactly what Dave said. Thats the best thing for them.
I believe that they don't get their labrynth organs until 5 weeks.

[Pr0eve]

what is BBS?

[dawguy]

Like they say small amounts of green water.Is it possible to add a valve to your air line to slow down the air bubbles.To much air can cause them to work harder swimming around. If this cant be done,I put divider across the top so the bubbles go on one side.The other side is calm.

Dawguy

thumbs2:

[dawguy]

When did you start the new tank?If I need a new tank I will set it up two weeks before the fry are added.I have two small tanks set up now for just that reason.When I remove the fry I take more water out of the tank where they came from then let the fry float in the new tank for half an hour.
This takes a while for them to settle in then I add green water and some freshly hatch shrimp.
Hope this helps

Dawguy
thumbs2:

[AABatteries]

Ahem!

Old Thread...

[ruecole]

Sadly all my baby gouramis died, save one that I managed to rear to adulthood. The parents eventually quit spawning and they've since died this last summer. :scry:

Rue

[Sarkazmo]

Sorry t' hear that. :(

Are you going to try again?

Sark

[ruecole]

Maybe one day. But not right now. I'd need another tank and I just don't have the space right now.

Rue