A. Cacatuoides Fry - Questions

[bizfromqc]

I now have about 30 free swimming fry that are 2 weeks old. They are in a 20 gallon tank with the mother and 3 otos. The male has been removed and put in another tank as soon as I saw free swimmers.

So my questions are the following:

1) Will the female want to spawn/breed again even if no males are present in the tank?
2) Since the male is gone from the tank, can I leave the fry with the female and if so, for how long?
3) If I do need to remove the fry to a grow-out tank, what the easiest way to accomplish that.

Ideally I'd like to remove the fry and put them in their own tank so that I can re-introduce the male to the female and get them to pair off again. But I'll only do that if its safe for the fry to be transfered over (I've heard of cases where a lot of fry die out because of stress from the move)

Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions.

 

[Mike Wise]

In my experience female apistos will not drive off her fry if she cannot breed. I have left females with fry until the young fish are almost sexible. It really depends on the female. Still, I think that 2 week old fish are too young to move unless absolutely necessary. The guidance of the female is important in the growth of the young. More young usually survive and grow faster if a female is in the tank to guide them. The easiest way to remove small fry is with a large siphon hose after the lights have been off for a while.

 

[bizfromqc]

An answer from the man himself, great!
I'll leave the fry with the female until they're old enough to be on their own.

In your experience, at what age is it safe to safely remove from (and put in their own tank)?

Thanks

 

[wethumbs]

Since I spawn my cacatuoides in group, it is much easier to remove the adults than try to catch 500 fry in the tank. You can leave one female with the fry and avoid fights between females.

 

[Mike Wise]

I tend to be lazy. My fry usually stay with their mother for about 6 - 8 weeks. By that time they are large enough to net without damage. I trap the last pesky (too smart for their own good) juveniles with a fish trap.

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

My fry usually stay with their mother for about 6 - 8 weeks. By that time they are large enough to net without damage.

I do this as well. I keep extremely weedy, complex tanks which aids fry survival but makes capture problematic.

cheers Darrel

 

[bizfromqc]

I have the female, fry (I estimate between 30-40, 2 week old) and 3 otos in my 20G high right now, here's what it looks like.