Freeswimmers attaching to sponge filter

[Discoholic]

I have a group of freeswimmers that are attached to the sponge filter. My question is: should I remove the sponge filter now and hope that the parents don't get to upset and eat the fry? Or do I leave the filter and hope that they attach to the parents? The parents are very attentive and anytime one of the fry wanders off, they blow it back onto the filter. I am worried that the fry will starve if they don't attach to the parents.

[William Palumbo]

If the parents MOVED them there...leave them. IF they went free swimming, and all swam on the sponge filter...take it out, and put an airstone in it, or try turning it WAY down. The parents usually move the fry several times before they go free swimming...Bill

[Discoholic]

Thanks Bill! I removed the sponge and the fry promptly attached to the parents. I'll know better than to leave the sponge in next time.

[William Palumbo]

Glad to hear!...I know how frustrating it can to helplessly watch fry starve to death. Congrats on the spawn...Bill

[ShinShin]

Maybe next time turn the air down really low on the filter. The fry may have been attracted to the vibration of the filter because it may have been stronger than the parents'. There are plenty of microorganisms like rotifers and such that the fry can eat off a filter as well. I've had fry eat for a day or more from a foam filter and the silicone in the same corner before the parents finally attracted them.

Mat

[kpotter2]

Put white Pantie hose on the sponge filters. I have done this and It works very well. You can do this any time and I did it after I moved the sponge filter from tank,because the fry did the same in my pairs tank. I removed Filter then added white pantie hose and put it back in. Also put it as high as you can in the tank.


Hope this help you next time and you will not have to even worrie about tank crashing.
Later,
Kyle

[freestylez_14]

Kpotter2, may i ask what is a white panty hose on a sponge filter? i have never seen it on a sponge filter do you have pictures?

[kpotter2]

Sorry my spelling maybe off,but its Womens White stackings. Robbers sometime use them to rob banks by placeing them over there heads to cover there face's. lol They come in all colors and Nude is the most common, but you can buy White one's and put them around your black Sponge and it will lighten the dark sponge up. I will take a picture tomorrow and post it for you. Some thing like this, But I will take picture of my application tomorrow.http://www.jms.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce/ProductDisplay?prnbr=2832&cgnbr=8082000000


Later,

Kyle

[Discoholic]

Thanks everyone for the replies!

[Cosgrovb]

Why is it bad if the fry eat from the sponge filter?

[Discoholic]

It's not bad if the fry eat from the sponge filter. Like Mat said, the filter contains rotifers and other micro organisms that the fry can eat. The fry need to "attach" to the parents though so that they can eat from the mucus coat and get the protein and other nutrients that it contains. Here's some info about the slime coat that I found on the net.

Recent studies have revealed that 18 different proteins are present in the mucus secretions of Discus whether they’re breeding or not, but the fish produce an additional 17 proteins when they have fry to raise.


The proteins in the mucus include fructose biphosphate aldolase, nucleoside diphosphate kinase, and heat shock proteins, which are used in energy provision, producing and repairing cells, handling stress and defense during the brooding period. Antioxidants are also present.


However, perhaps the key thing is the presence of a sugar-binding protein which is believed to provide protection against bacterial infections to both the parents and the fry.