Apisto Fry Removal

[Hassles]

I have a single pair of Cacutouidies (German) double reds that spawned about a month ago. The fry are doing swimmingly ('cuse the pun) and some have now quadrupled in size. They're housed in a 50 litre water column (60cm x 30cm x 30cm tank) with duel sponge filters and gravel substrate. My question is at what point can I safely remove the fry (to grow out elsewhere) before the stocking density is deeded too great for the filters biological capacity.

thanks

[Rod]

Commercial breeders remove eggs and hatch away from parents.....so anytime you want to remove fry and raise them separately would work.

The larger the body of water the better for raising fry.....alternately lots of water changes....surface area is more important than water volume

You could probably raise the fry to saleable size in that tank.....but desirably you would need to do daily water changes to maintain optimum water quality.....so a larger tanks would allow less water changes.

Air driven sponge filters are a great media for bacteria and work very efficiently because of a relatively low water flow.

[Hassles]

I removed the (very unhappy) male due to the incessant harassment of the female. He was left alone for e few days in another similarly prepared tank and didn't appear to be improving. I since removed he female and their cave housing them with the male (fingers crossed) and while she is no longer harrassing him he is still very lifeless but eats. The fry are fine, 1 alpha fry has emerged. I ain't concerned about the fry which are doing well, I am just concerned about the welbeing of the male - any advice ?

Thanks