Hatching eggs in a breeder box?

[Grey]

I'm new to raising killifish and decided to try from eggs. I've got everything I need: a planted tank filled with aged water, a sponge filter, heater, patience, brine shrimp eggs, daphnia and other critter cultures, plenty of extra java moss and the likes but the one thing I am unsure of is what to hatch the eggs in.

I have a clear plastic breeder box designed for pregnant livebearers; it has two removable grates inside that allow fry to move away from the parent fish and hide so they aren't devoured. It is placed in an aquarium and floats gently on the surface of the water before settling against one side of the aquarium.

I wanted to use this breeder box to hatch my killifish eggs in as it seemed like the ideal "containment facility"; it allows the temperatures of the water to stay constant while allowing a very gentle flow of water through the box thus preventing stagnation. My concern now is the side panels; they have slots in them to allow water to flow through the box - I'm concerned the killifish fry may escape through these slots and into the main aquarium before they are ready. I'm not sure if killifish fry are smaller than, say, platy or guppy fry (which is what the box is designed for) so I'm not really sure if this is a good idea.

I'm also concerned because the instructions I've read time after time regarding hatching and the endless amounts of research I have done recommends a tiny container to begin with. The breeder box is a marvellous contraption and I would prefer to hatch the killifish eggs in stable conditions. I truly feel the box would be my best bet for hatching but am wondering what you all think of it.

Should I use a small container separated completely from the main aquarium or is the breeder box safe to use for hatching? I'd float some java moss in the box to allow hiding places, as well.

Thank you for your time.

[redbullbill]

I just got done hatching killifish eggs.I got 40 fry out of 60 eggs.It was the second attempt.

So to answer some of your questions the box would not work.The fry when they hatch are very tiny depending on what kind you have,They are half the size of a new born guppy when they hatch.

The trick to hatching them is simple.Take a small plastic butter dish with a lid put an 1" of unheated tank water in it.Dump the eggs with the peat into the dish put the lid on it and shake it for a minute or two.Remove lid and check in 30 mintues for fry.If not shake it again and leave sit over night.

Also they don't need a heater it shortens there life span.

[Grey]

Thank you very much for the help, that's good to know.

[Grey]

I apologize for the double-post. Would seem I didn't edit my previous post in time.

I wanted to add that I added the heater in an attempt to keep temperatures stable, if it is not nessecary then I will remove it but having watched this aquarium over the course of a few weeks without a heater I've noticed how low the temperatures can dip in the evening.

The species of eggs I'll be hatching are Nothobranchius Guentheri, it would seem I did not add this to my main post. I'm being a bit forgetful right now so I am sorry.