Is it possible to raise fry separate from parents?

[sammigold]

I have some eggs at the moment that I have had to separate from parents as they are in community tank and lost interest in looking after them...(they still seem to be fertilised) I was wondering what to do if they hatch and I am able to save fry... will they survive without a parent to feed off?

Is there a way that I can make it more likely they will survive...

[Merrilyn]

Ahhh Sammi. Yes it can be done, but it is a huge task with the fry needing to be fed every two hours with an egg yolk mixture smeared around the sides of the bowl they are kept in, and water changed after each feeding. The fry food is a mixture of hard boiled egg yolk and raw egg yolk mixed together, and smeared around a clean shallow bowl.

The mixture is allowed to dry for about 20 minutes, then the level of the water raised to cover the yolk. Fry are added at this time, using an eye dropper (don't try to net them) and allowed to feed on the sides of the bowl for about half an hour.

The level of the water is then lowered, and the bowl wiped with clean tissue. Replace 100% of the water in the fry bowl with clean aged water from the parent tank.

Repeat the procedure every 2 hours during the day, and allow the fry to rest in clean water overnight.

Your egg mixture will last for 3 days in the fridge, but ideally it should be made up fresh each day.

After 5 days of this type of feeding, gradually add some crushed baby brine shrimp to the egg mix. On day 7 add some newly hatched bbs to the bowl, and hopefully the fry will begin to eat them.

Continue feeding the egg and shrimp mixture till the fry are 10 days old, then you can change over to only bbs and discontinue the egg mix.

Watch the little bellies of the fry to make sure they are eating well.

It's a very difficult job, and losses will be high. It can be done in an ice cream container floated in a larger tank, to maintain the temperature of the water. A single airstone should be placed in the bowl releasing a gentle stream of tiny bubbles to prevent a scum forming on the surface of the water. It should not make any current in the bowl, or the fry will burn up all their energy trying to swim instead of growing.

Hope that helps.

Feel free to PM or ring me Sammi if you want more detailed help.

[sammigold]

Thank you so much for that information.... I really think that should be made into a sticky for anybody that finds themselves in this situation!!!!

[Merrilyn]

Good luck Sammi, it's not an easy task, but it has been done successfully by breeders.

Don't forget to wait till the fry are 24 hours free swimming before you start feeding. They will still be absorbing their egg sack before that, and won't eat.

If you decide to go ahead, keep a photo record Sammi, and we'll put it all together in an article.

Sorry I didn't have time to chat today when you rang. Unfortunately work has to come first sometimes LOL.

Feel free to give me a ring tonight if you've got questions.

[piranha-discus]

hi sam
lady red is right, i had done it too and it works but
awfull lot of time u gota spend with the fish, id rather
my time go fishing insted lol, but good luck,
cheers.ben

[sammigold]

Thanks guys... unfortunately didnt get to wrigglers It does seem like a lot to do but I think it would definitely be worth it.... imagine the achievement you would feel if successful....

PS>Merrilyn, I really just wanted to thank you personally for the time that you took to do that wonderful article for me... I appreciate the time and your amazing knowledge!!!! thanks again..

[Namn8r]

Look through some old TFH articles. Jack Wattley was legendary for breeding discus and especially for artificially raising the young

[DiscusWorld]

look you can do it we do all the time and raise about 200 fish a week
only have to feed twice a day and fry a better than on parents.
will i tell you the secret no i wont its my lifes work but the answer to your question is yes and well worth it if you can master it the information is out there but you need to experemnet with what the books say and the system you can build rais them in