Babies!!!

[elvip]

Hi all,
Finally have got some free swimmers that attached to the parents last night - so happy!!!! :wave2 :wave2 :wave2.
I know that I can still quiet easily lose them at this stage - I believe it is not until they approx get to the 50c piece size that they are then relatively safe.

So I just have a few questions :?: :?: :
- how long/how old are the babies before they reach the 50c piece size?
- After introducing baby brine shrimp to them (at approx 1 week of age) - when can I start to introduce other foods, and what types of food?
- When should I seperate them from the parents?
- Should I worm them and treat for gill fluke (with Waterlife's Sterazin) as a general precaution -will they tolerate this treatment? Is so, when should I start this treatment?

Thanks and cheers
Elvip

[Merrilyn]

Well done :P

Congratulations on your first babies. Exciting isn't it.

Day 7 of free swimming is a good time to start introducing newly hatched baby brine shrimp. When they are around 3 weeks old, you can add finely crushed dry food as well. As they begin to grow, I add very finely grated beef heart mix and some chopped blood worms. If you can find frozen daphnia, that will be greedily accepted too.

Main thing to remember is that they have very tiny stomaches, and you want to aim to keep them full most of the time, so lots of small meals each day will be much better than three large feeds a day.

If the parents seem to be doing well, you can leave the babies with them for a month or more. If the parents start to get impatient with their fry, or if they are starting to look a bit ragged with the fry constantly feeding on them, then it's time to separate them.

Daily waterchanges are the secret to raising big healthy fry. You can't take any shortcuts there.

At this very early stage, I certainly wouldn't be adding anything to the water, definately no medications.

Earliest I would risk meds is around 6 weeks, and only then if you felt they were showing symptoms.

Ideally your parents should have been wormed and treated for gill flukes before they go into the spawning tank, so there is less chance of passing anything onto the fry.

Good luck with your babies. You've done well so far. :P

[scott bowler]

thats so cool its exciting first it well it exciting every time well done keep us up dated
scott

[elvip]

Thanks guys!
Thanks for all the info.
It is very exciting - I just hope they make it through!
Will post some pics when I can get them organised, and keep you posted.
Cheers
Elvira

[mistakes r crucial]

Which pair Elvira?
MAC

[elvip]

Hi MAC,
It is what SLS called a blue Leopard Spotted SS - light blue to white background with medium density red spotting - very nice looking fish :D
Unfortunately no luck with the web leopards yet - they had a spawn which only produced about 9 wrigglers - I don't expect these to survive :(
But I will hang in there, and I know I will eventually have some luck with them!
So far the babies are doing well - still attaching to the parents- they already seem to have doubled in size! It is such a cool sight! I haven't been able to count them all, but I'd say I have anywhere from 30-40 babies - just hope they all grow up to be big and strong!! :D
Have been using the Liquifry twice a day as a backup also (suggested from one of your posts MAC) - will probably only do this until the end of the week - they should be one week old then.
Keep your fingers & toes crossed for me!!

Have tried to get photos - but not much luck with the camera at the moment! Am finding it very hard to get close up shots of the babies. Will keep trying and post then if and when avail.

Cheers
Elvip