What to do?

[LizStreithorst]

My pair whose kids went free swimming on the 1st have laid again.  I only have 30 or 40 free swimmers.  It was the pair's first success and most of them were eaten.  I've been raising the conductivity in their tank.  It's about 100 now.  Is the best thing to move the cone into a low conductivity tank and leave the free swimmers with the pair, or should I move the fry and lower the conductivity of the tank with the pair and leave the eggs with them.  My heart wants me to do the second option but my head tells me to do the first.

[Mugwump]

I'd just move the fry and leave the tanks alone...you can fool with the water next time, before they spawn....

[LizStreithorst]

Oh hell, now I'm really in a fix.  I decided to do otherwise.  Now I have to think about it.  I still have a couple hours to think before WC.  Mug, why should I do it your way?  It seems that moving the eggs into RO is the logical choice. 

[Mugwump]

You can do as you wish, but the eggs have been fertilized already, and have gelled , so it won't have any effect at all....the fry will be fine in almost any clean fresh water. My view, what's the point?..Lower TDS will help if they're in it when they spawn, the eggs will be more receptive to his fertilizing passes...just like Discus....What was your thought on raising the TDS's/conductivity to begin with...

[LizStreithorst]

RO produces a lot of waste.  I only use it in breeding tanks.  After free swimming I gradually switch to straight aged tap.

I'd always thought that moving eggs from hard water into soft didn't work until once I got a wild hair and tried it and it worked.  I think I just got lucky with those.  Your way seems more reasonable.

[Mugwump]

RO produces a lot of waste.  I only use it in breeding tanks.  After free swimming I gradually switch to straight aged tap.

I'd always thought that moving eggs from hard water into soft didn't work until once I got a wild hair and tried it and it worked.  I think I just got lucky with those.  Your way seems more reasonable.

But you said that you were raising the conductivity???...that's essentially raising the TDS too, right?...so your not moving from hard to soft.....but really making the water harder???...

[LizStreithorst]

Exactly.  I only switch to RO gradually when I put a pair in a breeding tank.  Once I get wigglers I start using aged tap.

Got the tanks ready.  Time to siphon out fry and give them a new home.  I have never siphoned fry and never thought I would

[Mugwump]

LOL...siphoning fry is a hoot, if they aren't too strong already.... ......as for the water, it can be changed any time as long as acclimated along the way...you're ok...I see the method of your madness now....

[LizStreithorst]

You were right about the eggs.  The milt couldn't penetrate the egg shell.  They were turning white this morning. 

I decided to net the fry.  I had to look hard to find them this morning.  They're in a tank that's way too big .  They're in a front corner far away from the tank light which is a "make do" light and on the other end of the tank.  I've always been a proponent of large water volume, but this is a bit extreme.  No matter.  I don't mind feeding a ton of BBS for maybe 40 tiny babies. 

[Mugwump]

You were right about the eggs.  The milt couldn't penetrate the egg shell.  They were turning white this morning. 

I decided to net the fry.  I had to look hard to find them this morning.  They're in a tank that's way too big .  They're in a front corner far away from the tank light which is a "make do" light and on the other end of the tank.  I've always been a proponent of large water volume, but this is a bit extreme.  No matter.  I don't mind feeding a ton of BBS for maybe 40 tiny babies.

LOL...is the tank bare bottom?....as for the white eggs, that could have been the male making haphazard runs over them....new guys get excited ya know....LOL...

[LizStreithorst]

Of course the tank is BB.  My roots are in Discus...as for the male, I watched.  He did a good job.  It has to be the water hardness.

[Mugwump]

Of course the tank is BB.  My roots are in Discus...as for the male, I watched.  He did a good job.  It has to be the water hardness.

okie dokie...