Oto fry!
- Thread starter Kissyboots
- Start date
Well, I cleaned out the entire tank. I didn't touch the filter at all and I only wiped off the large algae pieces off the wall because it had gotten pretty nasty in there. Then I took half the gravel and put it in a nylon sock thing so I'd still have bacteria but also so the fry couldn't get lost in the gravel. So now the tank bottom is clear but I still have gravel with bacteria (pic of it is in my 6.6g thread in the "rate my tank" section.) Then I filled it with 55g water like was previously suggested. I waited until it wasn't so cloudy anymore (the gravel wasn't perfectly clean) and then I let the container float in the tank for a while until the temps were about the same. Then I slowly dumped the entire thing in, carefully of course. I also turned the pump down to its lowest rate of suction so they wouldn't get stuck to the intake. They did anyway. Half of them were stuck there this morning and the other half was laying around the bottom of the tank. The only thing that is still alive are the cories and those worm things from the gravel.
Did I do something wrong? I'm devastated...
Did I do something wrong? I'm devastated...
It sounds like you did everything right. I would have mixed tank water into the acclimation container. But I don't think that was the problem. Looking at the dates on your posts, you may have moved them too soon. Loricariid fry are pretty sensitive, Otos more so. And this is a common problem with some pleco species so I would assume the same for the Otos.
Take a breath, then start over. Order a sponge filter and keep it running in the parent tank for next time. That way you don't need to worry about bacteria or fry getting stuck in a filter.
Take a breath, then start over. Order a sponge filter and keep it running in the parent tank for next time. That way you don't need to worry about bacteria or fry getting stuck in a filter.
Given that I'm still paying off the 55g...I don't have money for extra stuff right now. Although, I could make a sponge filter myself right?
The problem is that I don't have any fry left to try again.
Unless I find some during the water change on saturday, I doubt my otos will spawn again...
If I get more fry, I will definitely try again. Thanks for your help!
Here's where I put them in, btw:
The problem is that I don't have any fry left to try again.
Unless I find some during the water change on saturday, I doubt my otos will spawn again...
If I get more fry, I will definitely try again. Thanks for your help!
Here's where I put them in, btw:
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Sorry to triple post here, but I just got through with their first wc.
Here they are all cute and happy! 80 of them! The others hatched while I was cleaning, so now I have 80 fry and 2 eggs.
I also took out the two eggs that were translucent. I tried taking pictures of them but my camera had trouble with it. I did manage to view one under our old microscope and it was soooooo cool!!! The little guy was all see-through and kept wiggling around. He was composed of a big blob and a tail all inside the egg! It's so awesome! Anyway, here's a pic of the living yet not grey eggs:
Here they are all cute and happy! 80 of them! The others hatched while I was cleaning, so now I have 80 fry and 2 eggs.
I also took out the two eggs that were translucent. I tried taking pictures of them but my camera had trouble with it. I did manage to view one under our old microscope and it was soooooo cool!!! The little guy was all see-through and kept wiggling around. He was composed of a big blob and a tail all inside the egg! It's so awesome! Anyway, here's a pic of the living yet not grey eggs:
