Maintenance schedule for pair w/fries?

[gillyweed]

The title said it all! What's your maintenance schedule for pair w/fries?

I have some fries at 1 week old & the tank wall started to look slimy w/ algea! I want to scrub down the wall but was afraid to disturb the family!

What are you experts procedure?

[discus_nw]

Doing daily water changes ought to have your discus used to the process and should not affect their behavior while they have fry. Perhaps if they are a young pair, they may spook. I change ~40% with or without fry each day as a general rule. :)

[gillyweed]

discus_nw,

40% w/c? I thought I'm going to change less than 30%!!! Denny from the other board told me to do normal w/c. Well, I'll go ahead & do it this evening!

Thanks for your advice.

gw

[jeep]

Here's some info that John Nicholson posted some time back. I hope he doesn't mind me re-posting this:

It varies a little but here is my basic process. I had a set of fry hatch out on Tuesday. That night I changed about 20% of the water from an r/o mix to aerated tap water. The next morning I do that again. On Wednesday evening I changed about 30%. This morning I had to be at work early so no water changes. Tonight I will change about 30% and then drop the water level down to about half of the tank. The fry should free swim tonight sometime. Once they get good attachment I will bring the water level up to about the 75% level. 12 hours later I will fill the tank. Next water change will be about 40%. I will then start the changes twice a day. Stepping it up to the 50% level. I don't do a lot of water changes when I have eggs. I just siphon the tank to keep it clean. You cannot start making the water harder until after they have hatched or you will kill the eggs.

[Carol_Roberts]

Fry are sensitive to pH and temp changes. I do 2 or 3 smaller (15 -20%) water changes per day at that age. I like to vacuum up the leftover bbs 2 or 3 times per day anyway.

[gillyweed]

That sounds like what I should follow! I didn't do any w/c for a week since the free-swimming stage! :-[

Thanks Jeep, John & Carol! I'll do that this evening!!!!!! :)

gw

[gillyweed]

I changed about 30% water with half the tank scrubbed down. Muddy a little & the fish family took it with a little nervous (or was I?) Then this morning, I've checked them up. They're all fine. And the water clear up nicely.

I even feed them some bbs before heading out.

Thanks all for your good advices.

gw