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Thread: Can't keep the babies alive

  1. #1
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    bradley benham

    Default Can't keep the babies alive

    First, I'm artificially raising the young because momma likes eating them. Hatching eggs doesn't seem to be an issue, but I can't get the babies to take any food, and they wither and die over the course of a week. Have tried several times (4) now, with different food and same result. They just seem to get weaker, eventually sit on the bottom and become more sedate and finally die. Until now, I've resisted feeding Live BBS due to the hassle but am finding I probably have no alternative? Tried hard-boiling an egg and putting a tiny bit of it half-crumbled near them, so some of it is suspended in water and some sits on bottom.. Most, if not all ignore it entirely. I have tried frozen BBS to no avail. Tried instant baby brine to no avail (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1).
    Tried raising babies in 10 gal tank with plenty of aeration, 84 deg, change water about 20% twice a day. Have tried using a custom 'pan' on the surface of my 100 gal tank with a setup that allows fresh water from the main tank to constantly flow through the pan, with a fine mesh at the other end where it leaves the pan.. seemed ideal.. babies all die.
    I've come to the conclusion that I just suck at this. Thinking that maybe all the alternative food advertising is just worthless and I've just gotta get on the live bbs bandwagon. What do you guys think?

  2. #2
    Registered Member RickMay1's Avatar
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    Default Re: Can't keep the babies alive

    Have you researched how to raise Discus fry? It sounds like you're trying methods for other types of cichlids, but not discus methods. The normal method for discus is to use a pan with egg yoke paste around the water line. You only need to do this for a few days then you can feed them baby brine but you got to mimic the slime coat that fry feed on for atlest a few days.

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    Administrator jeep's Avatar
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    Default Re: Can't keep the babies alive

    I've never done it myself, but here's an interesting thread... http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showth...ring-made-easy

    On page 2, John Nicholson has a good post on his methods...

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    Default Re: Can't keep the babies alive

    Yes, been researching this site exclusively, and not looking at cichlids, but different people say different things. Some say you can raise free swimmers immediately on bbs. Others say egg mixture while others say they never used egg. Yhere seem to be a lot of ideas on what a good egg mixture is. My pan/tank setup to raise them in the 100 gal tank is pretty good and as good as what the link above shows.. my problem is feeding I'm sure. I guess I need to find a 'good' formulation for how to make that egg mixture. I guess it has to be special so that you can actually have it stick to the pan because plain egg yoke won't. Is powdered egg much preferable? Any good recommendation on what to mix with it to get the right consistency? Sorry for 50 questions.. just really feeling the pain now that my 4th batch has slowly succumbed.

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    Default Re: Can't keep the babies alive

    I never had much luck myself raising them artificially. It is more work than I want to undertake. A breeder/friend in my area would cover large round airstones with a raw egg and BBS paste and place in freezer. In theory dropping the food covered airstone in the small filter baskets, the fry are attracted to the airstone, being a dark object, the fry would gather and feed. He made it look easy, and had great luck, I never tried that method, as I prefer the parents to raise the fry...Bill

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    Default Re: Can't keep the babies alive

    After reading that post again, I would say I have a shoe-box setup if that helps. Very much like that anyway. I am confused about this part of his post however:
    "5. On the first day of free swimming I feed egg powder. I take a very small pinch and grind it between my fingers. A little goes a long way. I have the aeration adjusted so it is very slow. A small bubble every couple of seconds will work. Too much aeration will cause the egg powder to emulsify in the water. If that happens it will kill all of your babies."

    My question is how can you grind egg powder between your fingers without having it emulsify in the water?
    I am also wondering what aspect of this kills the babies? Do they choke on it, like smoke in the air, or is it more that it fouls and spoils in the water which kills them? Wondering if it's just safer to make some egg paste and smear it on the edge like you said if the alternative is going to kill them all.

  7. #7
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    Default Re: Can't keep the babies alive

    Quote Originally Posted by William Palumbo View Post
    I never had much luck myself raising them artificially. It is more work than I want to undertake. A breeder/friend in my area would cover large round airstones with a raw egg and BBS paste and place in freezer. In theory dropping the food covered airstone in the small filter baskets, the fry are attracted to the airstone, being a dark object, the fry would gather and feed. He made it look easy, and had great luck, I never tried that method, as I prefer the parents to raise the fry...Bill
    I'd like to see a picture of that . I wish I could raise mine with the parents, but momma killed about 15 batches now, and while daddy lasts maybe a week or 10 days, he eventually drives them all into a corner and then ignores them so they starve. It's weird. The raw egg / bbs paste seems like a good idea for paste.. I'll try that.

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    Default Re: Can't keep the babies alive

    A week is plenty of time to separate from Dad. Odds are much higher to raise them alone on BBS...Bill

  9. #9
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    Default Re: Can't keep the babies alive

    I regularly raise artificially, if you have trouble with the yolk sticking to the pan
    try using some Metamucil. I stick the yolk
    on for about 12 hours. See my formula
    on Mondodiscus.com look for US Breeders.

    Cliff

  10. #10
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    Default Re: Can't keep the babies alive

    Quote Originally Posted by CliffsDiscus View Post
    See my formula
    on Mondodiscus.com look for US Breeders.

    Cliff
    Ugh.. its all in spanish.. can't find my way to anything there.

    Ok, my friend google found it when I put in all the keywords .

    http://www.mondodiscus.com/2007/11/f...y-cliff-young/
    Last edited by bbenham; 01-01-2019 at 11:21 PM.

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