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4 Posts
Need a little guidance, please! New to breeding.
My young female yellow lab had her first batch on 07/12. There were 22 with only 12 fertilized (male young too), stripped after 5 days, and all were doing very well in the incubator in the main tank. Once wigglers, all slowly died off one by one. I managed to save three by separating the incubator into a 5 gallon breeder tank with RO water and adding a little cichlid substrate to raise the PH to cichlid liking. They were doing great! As of yesterday, free swimming and eating on their own. Fat and heathly. I did a water change in my main tank and while cleaning the breeder tank, I took those three fry and put them in a breeder basket in my main tank. I do use tap water for my main tank, but treat with API products (Algaefix, Stress Zyme, ACCU-Clear, Quick Start, Stress Coat). Trust me, I would rather have RO under sink, so I can fill my 55 gallon main tank easily. Within the hour, all three fry were belly up.
As of 08/5, my female has had her second batch. I have 18 wigglers in an incubator in the main tank. After yesterday, I'm terrified of killing my them with the chemicals I put in the main tank. I wasn't sure what happen with my first batch or those three fry, but after yesterday, I'm thinking the chemicals were too harsh for them. I'm thinking of putting the incubator in the breeder tank with RO water with a little cichlid substrate just like I did the first time. That seemed to work perfectly.
I have two questions. One, am I correct with the chemicals being too harsh on wigglers and fry and my thinking with needing to use RO water? And two, if so, should I slowly add main tank water to the breeder tank when doing water changes to acclimate them until they're ready for the main tank?
Any advice would help! Thank you!
My young female yellow lab had her first batch on 07/12. There were 22 with only 12 fertilized (male young too), stripped after 5 days, and all were doing very well in the incubator in the main tank. Once wigglers, all slowly died off one by one. I managed to save three by separating the incubator into a 5 gallon breeder tank with RO water and adding a little cichlid substrate to raise the PH to cichlid liking. They were doing great! As of yesterday, free swimming and eating on their own. Fat and heathly. I did a water change in my main tank and while cleaning the breeder tank, I took those three fry and put them in a breeder basket in my main tank. I do use tap water for my main tank, but treat with API products (Algaefix, Stress Zyme, ACCU-Clear, Quick Start, Stress Coat). Trust me, I would rather have RO under sink, so I can fill my 55 gallon main tank easily. Within the hour, all three fry were belly up.
As of 08/5, my female has had her second batch. I have 18 wigglers in an incubator in the main tank. After yesterday, I'm terrified of killing my them with the chemicals I put in the main tank. I wasn't sure what happen with my first batch or those three fry, but after yesterday, I'm thinking the chemicals were too harsh for them. I'm thinking of putting the incubator in the breeder tank with RO water with a little cichlid substrate just like I did the first time. That seemed to work perfectly.
I have two questions. One, am I correct with the chemicals being too harsh on wigglers and fry and my thinking with needing to use RO water? And two, if so, should I slowly add main tank water to the breeder tank when doing water changes to acclimate them until they're ready for the main tank?
Any advice would help! Thank you!