What do you do to make fries attach?

[trucdan]

Hi all,
I have free swimming now but look like they don't attach to the parrents. I removed the filter, just add a airstone. I also remove some water and keep only 1" above the fish. What should I do to help the fries to find their parrents. Fries are every where in the tank now.

thanks a lot.

trucdan

[Gnome]

Probably turn off all bright lights and get some dimly lit light on one side of the tank (the one that the parents ussualy hang out), what's the strain of your discus? Put dark back ground, that's all I can think off, btw I'm not expert, just to test my new Signature Pic...not bad huh ^_^'..gut luk.
Gnome

[larry lob]

Trucdan,

I have found that bright light and vibrations stop fry attaching (vibration being filters too high and airstones to strong)

i don't think volume of water is the issue (look at the volume of water in thier natural enviroment. The parents may also be to blame in that they are either too young or they have a low slime coat thus not being an attraction as a food source.

Low lights, low vibration and stay away from meds that kill slime coat.

You should find things will work out.

some suggest lowering the water level (but i think it makes no diffrence).
JMO

Larry

[trucdan]

The pairs are a pigeon blood female and a Leopard SS male.
Is it a must for the light off?

td

[Dennis_Hardenburge]

Reread Larry's post, he is right on.
Yes if you are using the aquarium hood light it will scatter the fry, if you need to use it put foil under about 3/4 of it.
It is also possible if this is a young pair it might just be a weak spawn.
good luck
Dennis

[gary1218]

Many people also lower the water level in the tank. They leave in just enough so that the adults can still swim upright.

GARY

[trucdan]

hi all,
I don't mean to offend any one here, but I found something different. I kept the hood light off for the whole day, no attachement. The fries are not even swimming close to the parrents. I only have a dim light outside the tank. I just turned the hood light on and all the fries swim to the parents immediately. More fries swim around the male than the female. I guess because the male is darker. At this point, no firm attach yet but most of the fries are around the parrents. I think I will take my chance--leave the light on tonight.

I just have a question: How do you siphon the bottom of the tank without sucking out any fries? It's kinda dirty. Oh, one more thing, if the fries attach succesful tonight, what will be the good time to start hatching brine shrimp?

Where are you Cary? The male is one of the fish I got from you :D.

td

[larry lob]

Trucdan,

Syphoning is something i always have trouble with while the babies are under a week old.

I use a hose from the RO unit i think they are 2mm, syphon caustiously into a WHITE bucket, grab the muck on the bottom, then use a difrent white bucket to grab the rest of the water from the top layers which is easy to avoid the babies, then from the muck bucket i check to find babies and return them with a pippet. it takes time and some stiring to find them all but you should have no problems locating and returning the unafected babies.

I give them BBS from 4th day and don't worry too much as to giving them alot, over the next few days i keep introducing it till you can clearly see them attack the food. i then leave them with parents till i see the parents shape up for a new spawn (about 14 - 16 days ).

HTH good luck

Larry

P.S i find my babies don't LOOK like they have attached till the second yday free.

[trucdan]

Do you call this as "Fries Attach"?

[trucdan]

The Fries are moving around the parents. They sometimes swim away and come back. I am not sure if it is a true attachment?

look's like it to me...they should look like they're pecking at the parents...

[trucdan]

Here is the female. Bought it at 2" from Sunrise Tropical.

[trucdan]

Here comes the male, a Leopard SS bought from Cary Strong.

[trucdan]

Sorry, here it is.

[trucdan]

I just put the sponge filter back and raise the water level up. What eslse should I do? Do I need to add formalin on certain days? When should I remove the babies? Removing the babies will depend on dates or on sizes? What is the ideal size for the baby's tank? Sorry for many questions but this is my first time :D.

JimmyL, where are you? Please come here and take a look and tell me what should I do next. Thanks a lot.

Thank you ALL for your help.

td

[trucdan]

Larry,
I tried your siphon method tonight and it works very well. Thanks a lot for your tip :D. I hope I can have some baby discus this time.

td

[larry lob]

Trucdan,

I used to lose babies from syphoning or decide not to syphon the bottom but since doing it that way i have no trouble.

As to medication i don't put anything at all in. MY beleif is that the immune system needs to build natrualy, if your water is perfect then you will have no problems, i ALWAYs and ONLY medicate as needed due to problems.

as to removing the babies the parents will let you know when to move them, IME around 2 weeks. I use 30 gallon tanks for upto 90 babies upto 1.5 inch.

What to do next? do nothing, change your water, feed and sit back, start giving them babies brine shrimp from day 4 free swimming but only a little just to get them used to eating it, by about day 7 make the bbs thier stable suplement diet.

HTH

Larry

[trucdan]

Hi Larry,
I heard some people mentioned to use formalin or maroxy to prevent gill flukes for the babies. Do I need to do this at certain time?

Is it OK to use tap water for water change? I used RO water for the breeding pair. When I added the water last night, I used tap water.

It's really a joy sitting back and watching the little ones swimming around the parrents.

td

Trucdan: Calm down!!! Take a deep breath. Your fry has fully attached. Congratulations. Nothing to worry about. Let the parents do their work. The Leopard will turn dark to-morrow. It takes a few biting from the fry to stimulate the slime coat production. You are just fine. Celebrate with your family by taking your kids to MacDonald's and buy a few more tanks. One for each of your kid and let them look after the fry.
Keep Ph between 5.5-6.5. Slime coat will decrease if out of range. Fry will drop like "fries" if Ph drop below 5.5. The acid will start burning off the fins. Keep it low if you want deformed unicorn discus. Add tap water to bring it up.
Don't worry about Fluke. Fluke don't attack fry the first 2 weeks with parents.
That's a good hatch. Both parents are feeding the fry. They gonna be healthy and grow rapidly. put the sponge back to morrow and start increasing the water level. Keep us posted of the development. Just follow Larry's suggestions. you will be fine.
Do you want to see what's the fry will look like? I have the same combination not too long ago. I'll post a pic for you after I down size it.
Jimmy.

Truc: Here they are. This is a golden leopard.

Another one like his Mom. pattern will develope later.

[trucdan]

Nice photos and nice fish Jimmy.
Ha ha ha, I really like your suggestion about getting a tank for each of my kids. However, they're too small now. One is almost 3 and the younger is only 3 months. But my 3 years old daughter can tells if it is a discus or an arowana or Lou Han (flower horn). She is even better than my wife :).

So the slime coat just likes human milk? Moms need babies to suck their breasts a few days before they can make more milk? Got it.

Thanks a lot Jimmy. I really learn a lot from you. The biggest lesson that I have learned from you and others in this board is "Be Patient".

I will keep you guys posted.

td

[trucdan]

Here is the update of my babies. They are 18 days old. Got seperate from parrents on day 10th. Have been in their own tank (a 5 gallons one) for 8 days. Healthy so far. Sorry for not be able to tank a clear photo.

[trucdan]

Another one !!!

[trucdan]

oops. Too small. Here it is again.

[trucdan]

I took the photos before WC. Trust me, I change about 100-200% water every day. They grow so fast.

[trucdan]

This the first successful spawning. The pairs always eat the eggs after 24-48 hours. This spawn is about after 10 or 11 times. I can't count the fries since they're moving too fast. Estimate about over 200 fries. Not too bad for the first time and for a discus newbie like me, don't you think ;D ;D ;D .

Thanks a lot for all of your help, Especially JimmyL 8) .

trucdan

[Carol_Roberts]

:thumbsup: Good for you. With that many fry you will need a bigger tank soon. Are they PB or a PB cross?

[grrrr8guy]

Hi folks

Hey Larry do you use a wand with your ro tube , I use air line tubing shoved on to hard plastic tubing.

I made a wand about 3 inches higher than my 25 gallon tanks.

you can control the wand very easily and get out of the way of fry that swim toward it.

The air line tubing just hangs off and sits in the bottm of the bucket.

Turns out I didnt need it much for angels.

I will use it again for discus though.


grrr8guy

[trucdan]

Hi Carol,
the female is a PG and the male is a leopard SS.

td

[Gnome]

Trucdan 100-200%? lol

[trucdan]

Since I feed them alot and I can't seperate 100% brine shrimp egg shells, the water gets cloudy quickly. I do WC about twice a day. The tank is only 5 gallons so it's not a big deal.

td

[Gnome]

Since I feed them alot and I can't seperate 100% brine shrimp egg shells, the water gets cloudy quickly. I do WC about twice a day. The tank is only 5 gallons so it's not a big deal.

td


Trucdan, it is really funny how you stressed the massive wc by 200% lol ;D
but that's a good thing you do a massive/large wc cause it will affect on the rapid growth, check this out, a conversation w/ the master, congratz w/ the babies
http://www.xs4all.nl/~fvdhart/masters2002/chat/jack.htm
Gnome.

[trucdan]

Gnome,
Thanks for the link. I really like Jack's answer about discus medication. Low pH and garlic is all he uses. I will try to practice this technique. Great tips.

td