How do I get my fry to grow quickely?

[festaedan]

Hi everyone. As afew of you now I have some texasxjack dempsey hybrid fry that I spawned over 3 months ago. For some reason they are only 0.5 inches, and they are three months old. I don't know why they are growing so slowly. If anyone has any advice, I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks.

 

[chriscoli]

What size tank and how many fry/juvies are in there? How often do you change their water? What's the tank's temperature? What are you feeding and how often?


Nitrates and other chemical signals like hormones will accumulate in the water and may suppress growth. Frequent waterchanges keep these chemicals and molecules low and can help them grow faster.

Also, this would be a question for someone else who is familiar with JD spawns....are they normally slow growers at first?

 

[jonclark96]

I've experienced good fry growth with a combination of good food and lots and lots of water changes. I really noticed a difference in growth when I started using Repashy gel food for my fry. Moving them to as big as a tank as you can will also help.

 

[festaedan]

I have about 50 0.5 inch fry in a 15, I do water changes 2 times a week (50%), I feed hikari 2 to three times a day, the tank is about 78 degrees, and the tank has sand, flower pots, and a really big fake plant they like to swim up into.

 

[davidhusker]

I've experienced good fry growth with a combination of good food and lots and lots of water changes. I really noticed a difference in growth when I started using Repashy gel food for my fry. Moving them to as big as a tank as you can will also help.

I could not have said it better myself.

In order I would say...

Food amount/quality
Tank Size
Water Changes

I used to grow out in a 10 gallon, then I started using a 29 and saw faster results. I now use a 40 breeder, because I have one I am not using. Not much difference from 29-40 though. 20 longs are way better for fry then 10 gallons or 20 gallon high. More space to swim. Unfortunately it just takes time for the fish to grow.

 

[dogofwar]

Fry from substrate spawners tend to take way longer than mouthbrooders, as well.

One approach that's worked for me is to keep fry in a dedicated (otherwise empty) fry tank in breeder nets until they're maybe 1/4". I use a box filter and a sponge or two and no substrate. Ideally I have a 2'x2'x1' 30g for this...

Concentrating the fry in a smaller area means that you can focus feeding and they don't need to swim all over for food.

It also simplifies doing water changes. If all of the fish are in nets and the tank is otherwise empty, it's really easy to siphon out waste and do frequent water changes.

Matt

 

[Frank Cowherd]

Live DAPHNIA and water changes plus a high protein dry food.

 

[festaedan]

thanks guys, totally gonna look into a 20 or 30 for them.

 

[TMSB805]

I agree with everything posted so far. I use a bare 10 gallon/repashy spawn and gro/50% water change every other day