Babies Dying in filter

SlateSpider

SlateSpider

Large Fish
#1
Dec 5, 2011
268
0
0
Walla Walla, Washington
#1
I Started out finding 13 babies on Dec 11. 5 died, I found 2 more which made 10 total. A couple weeks ago one of the babies got stuck in the filter and died. This morning I found 2 in the filter after counting only 7. One made it out before it died, but the other didn't have as much luck. I now have 8 (seems like a long story...).

Now the question: What can I do to stop them from getting sucked up in the filter? I put a piece of screen over the bottom, but I don't know if the holes are big enough to let the gunk through.

I know it would actually be better if some died because these are MOLLIES we are talking about!! They like lots of room, and I only have a certain amount of tanks (see signature)!

Thanks in advance!
 

O

OrangeCones

Elite Fish
#2
Feb 27, 2009
4,395
0
36
#2
What are your readings for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate in the molly fry tank? (Sorry if it sounds like a broken record.)

Young fish are often found in the filter after they have died or are too weak to swim, having succumbed to poor water quality.
 

Kiara1125

Kiara1125

Superstar Fish
#3
Jan 12, 2011
1,142
0
0
Florida
#3
Don't say that it's good that the Mollies die. My Banded Kuhli Loaches are 1 inch long, so I had to cover up the filter intake with type 7 mesh. I simply formed it around the intake and stapped it down with a rubberband. There's still nice water flow going on, so it should suck up some of the gunk.

One day, I noticed that one of my Banded Kuhlis went missing, so I looked all around (taking out the decorations and such) and then I decided to pop open the filter. He was in there, perfectly fine. At first I was wondering how he made it past the impeller, but then I noticewd the water level and his position in the filter. He had swam up the filter output and swam to the bottom of the filter. where it was safe. Now I keep the water level quite a bit lower from the water level. I still see the same Kuhli trying to swim against the current of the water. :p
 

T

Thyra

Superstar Fish
#6
Jun 2, 2010
1,891
0
0
Yelm, WA
#6
Sladespider I don't quite understand you math - you started with 13, you say 5 died then you found 2 more dead. That means to me 7 died (2+5=7) At that point you would have 6 left. I can't figure out how you totaled "10". Then today you found one more dead in the filter and are saying you have 8 left, but 13-7=6 and minus the one today would leave only 5. You could put a piece of nylon hose over the intake. A filter is more for oxygenation than for removing gunk, although it does some of that too. It is the vacuuming that removes most of the gunk.
 

SlateSpider

SlateSpider

Large Fish
#16
Dec 5, 2011
268
0
0
Walla Walla, Washington
#16
Well, at least we can be friend on here! :p

The babies are now about 3/4 to almost 1 inch long, now! They are so CUTE!!! Earlier, what I said about the mollies dying, I just meant that I have no room! My friends don't want any, and I still haven't been to petco recently to ask them about giving them some. I don't want them to go, but they need to go to a good home where they won't be in a crowded tank.
 

T

Thyra

Superstar Fish
#19
Jun 2, 2010
1,891
0
0
Yelm, WA
#19
I have a great idea! Why don't you two make a thread and call it Slatespider & Kiara and then we all wouldn't have to look at your threads thinking you had an important question. We would know you were just chit-chatting.
 

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