My fry are dieing

[Iggy]

Well, my worst fear has happened.

For some reason, I really don't know why, my fry are now dieing a bunch at a time.

I lost about 50 already. I did a water change, and setup a 2nd tank and moved some over (about 40) to see if that was the reason.

Anyway, every few minutes another fry dies. I don't think I will have any come morning.

Its a sad day

 

[Lotus]

Sorry to hear that I wish I knew how to help you and the fry.

 

[ecotank]

 

[Iggy]

Something is polluting the water. My Nirtite reading was around 1ppm and it was 0ppm yesterday.

I did a big water change and increase the water volume to full capacity now. Nitrite poisoning in fry is a really bad thing, and some might not recover.

I still have no idea what would cause that sudden rise in Nitrite. I was pretty full in my 10gal (200 fry) and now I have about 130 divided into two tanks. I will probably loose another two dozen or so overnight, but hopefully not all of them.

 

[MrMup04]

awww so sorrry its sad when young juvis dont get to grow up sorry

 

[Iggy]

Its looking better this morning, my fry are no longer 'gasping' at the top of the tank and they are actively searching for food.

I had to remove another 10 bodies this morning, and I think another 10 or so might not make it the week, but still around 100 fry left so far.

 

[kool_sk8a]

thats good to hear

 

[inline_sk8a]

I hope no-more die!! but good to hear they are more active. good luck!!!

 

[Lotus]

Could it be that their growth caused a mini cycle? Or maybe a dead one you didn't see?

Good to hear that things are under control now

 

[Somonas]

I got a lot of fry dying a couple every day. Sort of keel over and die. I suspect something in my hot water tank.

 

[Quagaar]

Did you test your tap water at any time? Its possible something was getting in via the tap water? And with the extra water changes you were making ot worse? Nitrite poisoning although the second biggest killer leaves no permenant damage. The gasping was them not getting enough oxygenation through their blood. As thats the way nitrite works by stripping the blood of its oxygen capacity. Bettas supper far less from the effects of nitrite in the water as they possess their labrynth organ and even young fry are getting the bulk (80percent) or their air at the surface. I hope they are all well now. I lost a whole batch of corys recently except 1 female. I was gutted and still dont knw why to this day that they were doing great up to 8 weeks old and then over night, all (40+) but 1 survived. Darwin I guess

 

[mcshell]

Sorry to hear that...
Do you have a filter for your tank?
I think nitrate may be fish waste (or uneaten food). Since your spawn is big, it may be possible the nitrate level rises quickly with this size of a spawn. I guess separating them into different tanks may help, although I'm not sure if it's "ok" to transfer them between tanks while they're still so small. May be you can also try adding more floating plants to take up the nitrate?
I also found that in my tank, the surface always has some kind of oily layer. And I need to clean that up everyday. Do you have this problem? Not sure if bbs or microworms or what else have caused that.

 

[Iggy]

Hey all,

Well only 3 died today so far, and the rest are showing no more signs of illness at least.

Lotus, I make sure there are no bodies in the tank, and my gut tells me the spike in Nitrite was from tank load (fish waste mostly)

Somonas, really check your levels and load. It does not take long in fry tanks with low capacity filters to get overloaded.

Quagaar, my tap water is pretty consistant, but perhaps something did happen (like pH) hard to tell though. I am not sure what age betta fry develop the labrynth for surface breathing. Is the labrynth develloped at weeks 6 or earlier? (My fry are 4.5 weeks old now)

mcshell, yes I have a sponge bubble filter in the tank since day 1. I have live plants and my Nitrate levels were below 10ppm, which should be safe for fry. Remember, I did a small water change every 3rd day, and thats where I think I was wrong, simply because my bio-load was quite literally growing every single day, far beyond what my filtration can handle for so many fish.

I am not transfering any more fish till my 17 gal is ready for the most of the fry.

My bubble filter keeps the water a lot less oily (protein right?), but I think my BBS techique was adding a lot more eggs/husks that I should have and that may have contributed to the spike in Nitrite.

My local expert breeder says its time to stop the micro-worms alltogether, and ween my fry off BBS to crushed-up flake food. That way, if they end up at a fish store, they will eat anything that they are feed.

 

[Lotus]

Good to hear it's gotten under control I guess they're growing faster than you thought. Good luck

 

[wayne]

When I'm jamming small fry into a tank (because it makes feeding a lot easier) I go for regular big water changes. This works well for reputedly sensitive fry like apistos and bristlenoses for me. I keep a couple of buckets of aged water in the basement, so for a 5 that's a few days worth. I have kept 60 plus bristlenose in a 5 gallon for approx 6 weeks at a stretch with almost zero losses this way. I have been known to do 2 50% water changes each day (trivial task with a 5 gallon plus syphon tube), so I doubt my fry tanks ever truly cycle.
Somonas - I can't believe you use water from the hot tap! Get a glass from the hot tap and one from the cold and hold them up to the light normally you can see the difference - god only knows what you can't see!

 

[Iggy]

In regards to water... only in extream emergencies will I use warm tap water for water changes. I prefer to use cool water, then drop a submersible heater in the bucket and give it at least a few hours to heat up and age a little.

But, with 100 jars, that might be a little impossible.

 

[Somonas]

I am trying a radical approach to tanks with continuous unexplained fry deaths.
Since I keep all my tanks at the same chemistry as the tap to make changing easier. 99% waterchange in one tank, (just enough water to keep the fish wet) Lots of water softener salt, epsom and baking soda added, no deaths since the wc (3 days).
90% in other tanks (2" left in 20 gallons, 1" in 10 gallons). Same ritual, did it yesterday morning and no deaths yet.

Also driving frozen brineshrimp in them once a day.

I figure if they are going to die anyway why not give them clean water and good food to die with.

 

[mcshell]

The board seems quite lately.
So, any update on the little ones?