water change with fry swimming

[ilaizm]

When doing a water change at the stage where the fry have just started eating off their parents, what is the best way to not suck up the fry whilst removing water from the tank?

[db2inst1]

After reading all the posts here...

I am planning to use a white bucket to siphon the water off and look for fry with a flash light.

The fry will go free swimming in a day for me. (first time) ;)

-Visu

[mmorris]

Actually, that's the best time for wc's. They should stay out of the way and firmly attached to the parents. It might be a real hastle in a week or two. Then, the fry are all over everywhere. I herd them to one end with my hand, syphon the bottom, and then herd them to the other. It helps - nominally.

[Eddie]

Yup, easy as pie while they are attached, its when they start feeding and venturing on their own, that it gets tricky. Especially when there are hundreds of them. :o

Eddie

[ilaizm]

Ok, so is there anything you can do to avoid sucking them up once they start to swim independently?

[NunoDinis]

To be very careful...
IMO the best way is the "bucket method", syphon, and then look at the bucket to see if there is any...
I'm Just starting though.

[grantbudd74]

why not place a mesh over your tube so you don't suck em up? reduce your flow as you remove water

[mmorris]

I syphon into a bucket and drain the bucket by pump. I should try a mesh but the weave would have to be large enough to pick up whatever is in the tank, yet small enough not to pick up young fry.

[matthewh2]

I do the same as mmorris, herd them to one side, if new with parents the parents usually back away from you and fry follow accordingly, never had a problem doimg w/c