Help With Raising Wigglers Away From Parents

[jonclark96]

My archocentrus centrarchus pair spawned for the first time in months a few days ago. They are in a big tank with a bunch of other fish, so I decided to pull a good portion of the fry today and moved them into their own tank. I'd like to grow these guys out and get some more around the area.

So far I have siphoned the wigglers out of the big tank and transferred them to their own 5 gallon tank. I currently have a gentle air stone running in the tank.

I'm looking for some helpful hints to make sure these guys get to grow up. I have a 29 that I can move them to when they get a little bigger. My questions:

How often should I do water changes in the 5 gallon?
I don't have a heater in the tank currently, so water temps are in the mid 70's. Is this okay?
I'm assuming I should start feeding ground flakes when they become free swimming - any other tricks to know about?

Thanks for your help!

 

[UNCLERUCKUS]

JON I WOULD CHANGE THE WATER ONCE OR TWICE A WEEK. IF THE TEMP IS THAT OF THE ORIGINAL TANK THEN FINE..IF NOT U MAY NEED A HEATER. AS FOR FOOD I CRUSH UP FLAKES AND PELLETS FIRST. THEN AFTER 2 WEEKS I START THEM ON BRINE SHRIMP. ALSO I WOULD PUT THEM ALL IN THE 29G WITH A SPONGE FILTER.

 

[dogofwar]

I'd change a little water a couple of times per week once they're free swimming. An easy way is to just scoop some water out...and replace.

Mid-70s is fine. A heater could help keep it stable.

I've got some Golden Pearls for food if you need some. Don't feed until most/all are free swimming.

Good stuff!
Matt

 

[mrkillie]

They'll grow best on newly hatched brine shrimp. Water changes like Matt said, and I also use a turkey baster to get stuff off the bottom of the tank. Put an established sponge filter in there so they can graze on the "sponge grunge" between meals (at least while they are really small).

 

[Andrewtfw]

As others have said, frequent, small water changes are key to making sure the water quality does not negatively impact the fry. For food, I would use bbs or cyclop-eeze. I have some cyclop-eeze if you want to try it. I also can spot you a heater for the 29 if needed. I recommend moving them to the 29 soon and adding an established sponge filter.

 

[Hawkman2000]

29+heater+sponge filter. Change out 2-3 gal. per week. I would increase temp 1 degree per day until 78 degrees. Personally I would have left them with the parents until juvinile stage. I have had good results with broken up algea wafers, crushed pellets, flake for wriglers and small free swimmers. I use a 1 inch clear tube to direct the food to them so it doesn't clog my filter. Add mysis shrimp to diet whe they get about 1/3 inch. Shrimp before this size will leave alot of messy exoskeleton debris.

Let me know when your ready to sell juvis. I might want some.

 

[jonclark96]

Thanks for the advice guys. The only reason for not putting a heater in the 5 gallon straight off is that I didn't want to fluctuate the temps adjusting the heater to the right temp as the tank was empty in my garage 24 hours ago. I'll drop a heater and a sponge in tonight when I get home.

The 29 is up and running now, all I need to do is throw the current residents into another one of my tanks. The only reason I didn't go straight to the 29 is that I thought the fry would get too scattered about to feed effectively. They should be free swimming today or tomorrow. I'll move them soon after.

@Hawkman - I didn't leave them with the parents because there would be a 0% chance that any would survive. Too many bigger cichlids, catfish, and loaches to fight off. If/when the babies are big enough I'll let you know.

 

[dogofwar]

You might think about lowering the water level to 1/3 or so in the 29...easier to feed the babies...and lots of room to add water / dillute pollution. I like Critter Keepers as a first "home" for wigglers in a larger tank. Easier to concentrate food to them within a larger tank. They can venture out on their own over time.

I used baby brine (live and frozen) and other baby foods for years and can't tell you how impressed that I am with Golden Pearls. Next time we do a group order from Kens, try some (it comes in several sizes): http://www.kensfish.com/product867.html

Matt

 

[mrkillie]

I would wait on putting the fry into the 29 until they are 2 weeks or so old. In a large tank, they will tend to expend a lot of energy searching for their food, instead of using that energy for growth. A smaller tank for containing the food closer to the fry until they grow a little with a few more water changes is better than a larger tank. If you have the tanks/space available, it is better to step them up in tank size - from the 5 to a 10 to the 29. Of course, it also depends on how many fry you were able to save.

 

[Spine]

+1 on that last post

 

[Hawkman2000]

@Hawkman - I didn't leave them with the parents because there would be a 0% chance that any would survive. Too many bigger cichlids, catfish, and loaches to fight off. If/when the babies are big enough I'll let you know.

Ah, I understand. Still, you would be surprised at how well the parents can defend the nest. I find it entertaining to wach them fend of other fish. But with those fish, I probobly would have done the same as you did.

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