[SpaceLord]

I notice some small baby fish in my tank when I got back from my vacation. I think they are baby platty fish and they were hiding in a large mass of long hair algae.

I was not sure what to do with them so I placed them into a breeder box, thew a bunch of plants inside and have it floating in my aquarium.

I think the breeder box was originally design to put the pregnant female inside and have the babies come out the small vents on the side however the platty can't fit though the vents and the other fish can't get in.

The guess these vents are suppose to provide some water flow though the breeder box however I don't know if perhaps the plants at night might create too much C02 and suffocate the fish or if having all the fish swimming by might create more stress even though they can't reach the little fish.

What do you guys think about this setup?

P.S. I added a shrimp pellet which is breaking down for the baby fish to eat. This is to the left.

Main view:
https://photos.google.com/share/AF1...?key=c0kzZ1RjUzUtYXNOVDY5dTVINTRZdmx2a2d3XzZn


top view:
https://photos.google.com/share/AF1...?key=YXEzR2R0LTNYdjg0VWhVRW91UWQ3VjRQaXpUUVd3

Thanks.

 

[WaterLife]

Not all breeder boxes are created well. When I was looking into breeder boxes, I checked reviews on the one you have and many people state fry can swim through the slots, pretty much making it useless. (though I can't tell if your fry are large enough to not pass through the grating)

If you have a fine pore fish net, you could suspend that in the tank and let the fry live in it.

I guess if you could use string and cover the slots on the breeder box with finer pore material such as cut up fine mesh nets, or even cut up sponge or filter floss.

other than that I guess you could have the fry grow out in another tank (makeshift if you want).

The vents/slots are to allow water flow through it. A lot of plants might obstruct surface agitation, but if the rest of the aquarium has plenty of surface agitation/dissolved oxygen, the breeder box will be fine. Co2 won't be a problem. Stress shouldn't be a problem. I've had fry in breeder boxes/nets and all the fish were fine.

 

[Nordic]

Ice cream tub, with a one inch hole each side. Plug the hole with a wad of filter floss. This will allow the water to stay somewhat oxygenated and non stagnant. Let it float in your tank, or let it stand on sime upturned glasses or something if it doesn't float enough. If you are just growing them out to go back in the tank and not in a hurry for them to reach maturity, you can let them go back in the tank after a month or so.

If you want to use a breeder, use a net type, and assemble it with the seam outside, like when you have a shirt on inside out (or the buggers get stuck in it).

 

[wmnash]

Get an old nylon stocking. Stretch it around the bottom and sides of your breeder box. Cut off the portion of stocking that you don't need. Remove the plants (the fry need to swim). You've now solved the problem of any fry escaping the breeder box until they are too large to swim through the slots. When they are about 1/4 inch with fat bellies you can release them into the tank without much fear of tank mates making a meal of them. Good luck. You are fortunate you have Platy fry and not guppies.

 

[Hoppy]

My planted tanks have always been Darwinian. Right now I have about a dozen black ruby barbs, most of which were hatched out by my original 6-8, 2 of whom made the big jump to freedom. The adults breed often, but for the past month I haven't spotted any of the babies, who are very tiny when first born.

 

[DaveK]

If your really going to get into this, you set up a tank for raising the fry. It's setup similar to a normal tank, except you use sponge filters because they don't trap the fry.

It's the only good way to get serious growth on them. IMO the "beeder boxes" are simply too small, with poor circulation and not worth your time or money.

Feed high quality foods and you'll get them up to size in no time.