Filter Current

**simplykayla76** · 07-11-2012, 03:43 PM

I have recently transferred 3 Platy fry into a 5 gallon aquarium. They are roughly between 3/8th - 1/2 inches long. When I had them in the net breeder in my 10 gallon it was pretty easy to feed them. But now they are in the five gallon I am not sure what to do.

The filter current was too strong and it was not adjustable. So I put a DYI baffle on the filter which slowed down the current but still seems strong to me. I could be just worrying to much.

I had been feeding them First Bites by Hikari. Would crushed flakes float longer so as they try to swim in the current they can eat?

**escamosa** · 07-11-2012, 09:01 PM

The way I used to feed my Swordtail fry, was to grab some toothpicks, and the best quality flake food that I could get my hands on. I guess you could use the first bites too though. What I did was crush the food up so that it was like a powder. Then I got the toothpicks and wet them. I rolled each wet toothpick in the food, then left them to dry. Once the food dries on the toothpick you'll be surprised how long it lasts floating on the water in your tank. The fry can just pick it off of the toothpick when they get hungry!

**simplykayla76** · 07-11-2012, 09:04 PM

Originally Posted by escamosa

The way I used to feed my Swordtail fry, was to grab some toothpicks, and the best quality flake food that I could get my hands on. I guess you could use the first bites too though. What I did was crush the food up so that it was like a powder. Then I got the toothpicks and wet them. I rolled each wet toothpick in the food, then left them to dry. Once the food dries on the toothpick you'll be surprised how long it lasts floating on the water in your tank. The fry can just pick it off of the toothpick when they get hungry!

Thanks! That is a great idea! I am going to try it.

**escamosa** · 07-12-2012, 07:49 AM

You're welcome! Good luck!

**simplykayla76** · 07-14-2012, 01:33 AM

i am such a retard..lol Today it hit me ...turn off the filter when feeding the fry :)

**ldoerr** · 07-14-2012, 04:36 AM

I have found a good food for all but the tiniest platy fry is the NLS small fish formula food that is .5mm. My fry love it. I just bought first bites food even though I have had lots of batches of fry.

I normally leave the babies in the main tank for 1 week in with the adults after I first notice them. This seems to give them a good head start since I have lots of dinse plants in the tank. When they are a week I transfer them to a plastic food storage container that holds 8 cups of water (I put 6 cups in). They live in this tub for another week or two. If they are big enough (which they should be) I feed them the NLS once or twice a day. Once they get a little bit bigger they get transfered to a 2.5g tank. They stay in the 2.5g tank until they are ready to go to the pet store or a new home. They eat the NLS pelits until they get to be 3/4 of an inch long. Then I ween them onto lightly crushed flakes and feed them that for 1 week. Then they go to new homes/pet store. I normally get 3-8 babies out of the tank every month. I only have 1 female livebearer. My goal is not to save every baby, but the babies that I do save I want to have a good life.