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Fry care while on trip

mantisfan101

Member
Messages
52
I’m leaving for a trip in a few days but all my apistogramma have spawned and have 3-5 day old fry. The problem is I’m going to be gone for 5 days and I won’t be able to feed them during that duration. What should I do, I’m really freaking out right mow and there’s no way i can cancel the trip or move the date.
 

Mike Wise

Moderator
Staff member
5 Year Member
Messages
11,201
Location
Denver, Colorado, U.S.A.
There really is not much you can do. If the tanks are heavily planted or have large clumps of Java Moss there is a possibility that some of the fry will survive. If you lose them your adults will breed again.
 

mantisfan101

Member
Messages
52
Ah, I was hoping that it wouldn’t come to that. Could I try heavily fattening them up before leaving? Or would it be better to “practice fast” them i.e. not feeding them as much so that they’ll get used to not eating as much for longer intervals. Also, my panduro have fry that are still in the wiggler stage, is there a chance that they’d eat them? And is there any way I could try setting up a timed feeder that’d drop some bbs into the tanks?
 

CyberCoyote

Member
Messages
33
Location
CT, USA
Not sure how to keep bbs in a feeder (freeze dried?) I don't have an auto feeder, but my fry did well on the Hikari First Bites. It's a very fine dry 'powder' food. Not sure if it would work with the timer or not but might be worth an experiment before you go.
 

aqua man

New Member
Messages
4
I’m leaving for a trip in a few days but all my apistogramma have spawned and have 3-5 day old fry. The problem is I’m going to be gone for 5 days and I won’t be able to feed them during that duration. What should I do, I’m really freaking out right mow and there’s no way i can cancel the trip or move the date.
Not sure how to keep bbs in a feeder (freeze dried?) I don't have an auto feeder, but my fry did well on the Hikari First Bites. It's a very fine dry 'powder' food. Not sure if it would work with the timer or not but might be worth an experiment before you go.
A lump of Repashy usually works for a few days.There are also timed feeders available, also tablets designed to dissolve slowly.Then there are micro worms that can last for a while in the substrate.Java moss does contain food for the fry . You can ask someone to come in to just feed with measured food you have set asside.This can be dangerous if you don't measure the food for them.There many more ideas for care of fry while away.Or you can do nothing and waite for the next spawn.Enjoy your vacation and don't worry. Most aquarists have gone through this and survived.[Ha!]
 

aqua man

New Member
Messages
4
I’m leaving for a trip in a few days but all my apistogramma have spawned and have 3-5 day old fry. The problem is I’m going to be gone for 5 days and I won’t be able to feed them during that duration. What should I do, I’m really freaking out right mow and there’s no way i can cancel the trip or move the date.
Not sure how to keep bbs in a feeder (freeze dried?) I don't have an auto feeder, but my fry did well on the Hikari First Bites. It's a very fine dry 'powder' food. Not sure if it would work with the timer or not but might be worth an experiment before you go.
A lump of Repashy usually works for a few days.There are also timed feeders available, also tablets designed to dissolve slowly.Then there are micro worms that can last for a while in the substrate.Java moss does contain food for the fry . You can ask someone to come in to just feed with measured food you have set asside.This can be dangerous if you don't measure the food for them.There many more ideas for care of fry while away.Or you can do nothing and waite for the next spawn.I've been keeping and breeding tropical fish for over 70 years and have seen and heard so much but keep learing thanks to organizations such as this. Enjoy your vacation and don't worry. Most aquarists have gone through this and survived.[Ha!]
 
Last edited:

Fish Folk

New Member
Messages
23
The assistance of a trustworthy friend is really the best way in my opinion. I'm kind of jealous you've got Apisto fry! Ours have spawned twice with no fry. If you hatch live baby brine shrimp -- really quite easy to do -- they probably can survive for 3 days or more in a 1-liter+ sized container. We use a ml. medicine syringe, add a short airline, and draw out BBS in small quantities to feed fry. If you've got a friend you trust to stop by your place morning and evening, maybe offer to pay them something for the help. We showed a 10-yr old kid how to feed ours, and everything went fine.
 

mantisfan101

Member
Messages
52
The assistance of a trustworthy friend is really the best way in my opinion. I'm kind of jealous you've got Apisto fry! Ours have spawned twice with no fry. If you hatch live baby brine shrimp -- really quite easy to do -- they probably can survive for 3 days or more in a 1-liter+ sized container. We use a ml. medicine syringe, add a short airline, and draw out BBS in small quantities to feed fry. If you've got a friend you trust to stop by your place morning and evening, maybe offer to pay them something for the help. We showed a 10-yr old kid how to feed ours, and everything went fine.
Good idea and no one near my house knows how to care for or feed the fish. I think I might try something so that it slowly releases bbs little by little daily or try dumping in some micro worms.
 

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