community tank breeding

[Nev]

Ok, so l've read on here and everywhere else that the chances of survival for free swimmers in a community tank are zero.

So what chances do these guys have? About 2 weeks old now and about 20 of them. Old enough to be taken away from Mum and Dad, just nowhere to take them to.

Sharing with 6 other discus, 16 corys, 15 cardinals, 4 bn and 6 L168's.

Dad
http://i1118.photobucket.com/albums/k608/Nevdenton/2012-01-13170603.jpg
Mum
http://i1118.photobucket.com/albums/k608/Nevdenton/2012-01-13171105.jpg

[swifto]

That's much better than mine are doing in a communal tank.

[iro11a]

Thats amazing. How did they find the parents in such a large tank?

[Nev]

They don't really find the parents coz they never leave them. They get shaken off one only when the other is beside it. Its pretty amazing watching them eating with the other fish with fry grazing on their sides.

For the record - l didn't start this thread to piss Mrs D off :)

[Merrilyn]

Wow :wave2

That's absolutely amazing Nev. I take my hat off to you.

Whatever you've been doing, just keep doing it. It obviously works!

Whatever you do, don't ever sell that pair. They have a very strong parenting instinct and that makes them worth their weight in gold.

[firthy13]

Congrats, that is amazing. Great looking fish also, what do you call that particular variety?

[Nev]

Only guessing on types, feel free to correct me if l'm wrong.
Dad is a leopard snake skin x wild, Mum is a blue turk x wild.

[Wendy]

Do you think the wild blood in them could be the reason their parenting instinct is so good? Interesting anyway.

Great job Nev...I hope they make it, that would be an awsome achievement.

[Nev]

Couple more pics from the phone. Won't v
be too long before they can't be eaten by their tank mates. These parents used to attack me when l was cleaning the other tank and their young were the size of 20c pieces. So am quietly confident the rest of the tank are in for a bruising.
http://i1118.photobucket.com/albums/k608/Nevdenton/2012-01-16142815.jpg

Home
http://i1118.photobucket.com/albums/k608/Nevdenton/2012-01-16142821.jpg

[iro11a]

I take my hat off you you nev this is fantastic mate!

[Exotic Aquatic]

AMAZING!

Well done Nev, your an absolute champoin... you deserve every success mate.

Well done

[Nev]

Cheers and thanks Adrian.
Couple of problems l've discovered, can't cull coz mum and dad defend too well and move them to hard to get to spots of the tank ( have one belly swimmer). Getting bbs to sink 2' and still arrive in some quantity.
They look.like little discus now.

[swampy1972]

Have you considered using a turkey baster to put the BBS into the tank? You can deliver it right to the fry without the others getting a look in.

[Mrs D]

Nev, I take my hat off to you. Loved the earlier comment. :) My pair seem to have lost theirs when they became free swimming. I managed to find 3 stuck to side of tank. This is still the best they have done though.

[Nev]

In the time it took to think they're ready for bbs they've progressed to shredded beefheart! Whatevers left by everyone else is good for them. Growing very quickly and showing lots of colour for such young fish.

http://i1118.photobucket.com/albums/k608/Nevdenton/2012-01-20145740.jpg

http://i1118.photobucket.com/albums/k608/Nevdenton/2012-01-20145906.jpg

[Mrs D]

OK, what am I doing wrong? Yours are just a bit older than mine, but mine still look like wrigglers! Mine would be 2 weeks now.

[Mrs D]

OK, what am I doing wrong? Yours are just a bit older than mine, but mine still look like wrigglers! Mine would be 2 weeks now.

[Hooked]

Hi Nev,

I've been thinking the same thing? I've been watching my fry (about a week old) thinking there's no way my fry are going to be as big as Nevs in another week. I'm wondering if I should be doing more? Could you tell me if the growth rate you are experiencing is above average? Could it be because they are in a community tank that there is a lot more nutrients floating around for them to feed on? I've just got live black worm in my bare tank for the parents to graze on, not they they eat much a present. That way I'm not having to vac all the time and disturb them, or risk sucking up the young ones. Im doing 10% daily changes too.

Great job by the way : )

Cheers

[Nev]

Not feeding any different to before, I'm thinking there's a lot more food for them to eat just floating around the tank and stuck to the plants. If anything I'm doing less water changes coz the're always in the way, so maybe lots more microscopic food in there.
Still constantly grazing on mum and dad as well.

[Nev]

Quick update and pic.
Have moved two pair from community tank into the grow out / breeding tank. And moved the juvies from there into the com tank.
So there's now four adults assorted cats and tetras - 30+ juvies and 16 fry.
All seem much happier as mum and dad cruise the tank with the kids.
http://i1118.photobucket.com/albums/k608/Nevdenton/2012-01-25122942.jpg

[Nev]

Well still in there!
I like this pic, so here it is - for what it's worth.

http://i1118.photobucket.com/albums/k608/Nevdenton/2012-02-10211344.jpg

[Hooked]

Hi Nev,

Top effort! Well done! How old are these guys now?

Cheers

[swampy1972]

Great stuff Kev. How many made it to this size?

[Nev]

Cheers guys,
About 6 weeks out and about 18.

[swifto]

good stuff nev

[Wendy]

Well done Nev!

[scoob]

Nice work Nev they are looking great, that shows they are excellent parents.