Water Changes
Contents:
- Changing Water in Baby Tank
by Mike Downey <windwalker/uky.campus.mci.net> (Sat, 16 May 1998)
- Full vs clean
by "Darren J. Hanson" <djhanson/calweb.com> (Thu, 23 Apr 1998)
- Changing Water in Baby Tank
by "Darren J. Hanson" <djhanson/calweb.com> (Fri, 15 May 1998)
- tank size, fry growth, and water changes
by "alex pastor" <alexp/idirect.com> (Thu, 22 Apr 1999)
by Mike Downey <windwalker/uky.campus.mci.net>
Date: Sat, 16 May 1998
To: apisto/majordomo.pobox.com
Steph,
I use a method that you might try. If I take eggs or fry from the parents
I place them in a holding or catch cup. ( I have these 3 x 5" and 3.5 x 8"
) This I hang on the inside of the tank that they were in. I place an air
stone in this and keep them here for 3 to 5 days. This keeps the temp the
same and the water to exchange is at hand for a pour and dip exchange.
When they are ready for larger quarters I use the black plastic coffee
ground baskets from a 30 cup coffee maker. (( 1-800-367-0111 ). When you
order tell them you want filter baskets for there 30 cup percalator) They
are less than $2. I put a piece of styro in the center hole for floatation.
These allow some constant flow of water. Twice a day I gently lift the
basket almost out of the water and then let it settle to refill with fresh
tank water .
These make feeding very easy and confines the food to the fry area. Baby
brine shrimp are easily fed in here too. I use these very sucessfully with
my Pelvicachromis and Corydoras. The fry are always near the cleanest water
at the top of the tank and easy top observe. These will hold the smallest
fry from apistos and shell dwellers at about 5 days. The parents cannot
pinch the fry trying to pick them up like in nylon mesh. They also have
much smaller openings than the plastic grid baby holders.
I often put a small piece of Java moss in the basket to offer "hiding".
You can have multiple broods in the same tank and keep them separated in
their own baskets.
When the fry are ready for their own tank I slip a plastic bowl under the
basket and take it to the community 30 gal breeder fry tanks. These are
kept at the same pH and temp, etc. as the spawning tanks. I place the
basket in the tank and slip the bowl out leaving their water to slowly
exchanged with the tank water for 12 hours. I then just "dump" them out.
My fry tanks have a sponge filter for microbe food and 2 outside box
filters that run about 125 to 140 gph on each 30 gal tank. I use sand
substrate for both Pelvics and Corys. The uplift tubes I cover with course
sponge to protect fry.
Another thing I do is buy "quilt batting" at Wal-Mart and recover my
filter inserts for the outside filters. I remove the original poly cover
from the plastic frame with a razor knife and empty the carbon. I cut new
covers to fit and hold in place with 1/4" wide rubber bands. The inserts
for the Whisper 1, Penguin 125, and the Millenium 2000 range in price from
$2 each at the LFS to $9 for 24 Bio-Bags wholesale. I buy Poly-Fil 120"
x120" for about $5. Most filter inserts are 4 x 6" to about 5 x 8". Make
sure to buy poly and not cotton or wool batting. My wife makes quilts and
there is a huge amount of extra after she finishes!!! The cost savings is
great and the poly comes in different densities. I use the more dense on
one filter in each tank and the less dense on the other. You will learn how
often to change these with your feeding schedual and population densities.
I hope this will help you.
Mike
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by "Darren J. Hanson" <djhanson/calweb.com>
Date: Thu, 23 Apr 1998
To: apisto/majordomo.pobox.com
>How do you solve this problem? When fry will be big and smart enough to
>escape syphon by their own?
I have started using a sponge in the end of my Python tube while siphoning
tanks to do water changes. When putting the water back into the tank I put
one hand under the Python and let the water run off my hand and that way it
isn't splashing directly into the tank causing problems for the young fry.
As for the debris, I usually add a couple Ramshorn snails to the tank (I
don't have live plants) that eat the bottom stuff and leaves their
'droppings' which are harmless to the fish. If the tank really needs a clean
up job I use an airline hose and then just siphon the debris. Most fry are
smart enough to stay away from the tube. If they come too close, I move the
hose with a small quick jerk towards them and they think it is a predator
and they retreat. Other than that, it is difficult to clean a tank with a
lot of little fry in the tank. I use Hydro-sponges in my tanks and those are
easy enough to just take out and rinse and then put back into the tank.
Good luck.
Kaycy
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by "Darren J. Hanson" <djhanson/calweb.com>
Date: Fri, 15 May 1998
To: apisto/majordomo.pobox.com
I have found with a lot of my fry from many species, that some are more
susceptible to water quality than others. What I do is when I collect my
eggs (not on all my fish) I will already have a 10 gallon ready a week ahead
of time for them. I set it up with a sponge filter that has been
sitting/floating in another tank so as it doesn't dry out and then I add
fresh tap water. (Not on apistos though. I set them up with straight RO.)
After a week the fry are added to the new tank. I have not had any losses
this way. Sometimes I will set up a tank like this and put in a 'tumbler' to
hatch the eggs in so that the hatchlings won't have a 'shock' to their
system when I move them to another tank. (This method works well with my
angels and corys.) My apistos I usually leave with the parents as long as
they are good parents and are caring for the eggs and fry. I will try to do
a 10% water change when I notice eggs. I won't do another small water change
until the fry have been free swimming for about a week.
I don't know if this info will help you or not. Just my 2 cents worth.
Kaycy
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by "alex pastor" <alexp/idirect.com>
Date: Thu, 22 Apr 1999
To: <apisto/admin.listbox.com>
Relatively recently I read a response to a letter by Jack Whattley, He did
an experiment whereby he used a very small tank but lots of daily water
changes and a larger tank with fewer water changes. The fry in the smaller
tank grew faster than the ones in the bigger tank. So, there must be
something to the pheromone/hormone hypothesis. And I *won't* suggest this
as a post-graduate study project.....
G. Kadar
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