New Baby Fish

[FishWhisperer]

Hi. I just noticed tonight that I have a new baby fish. He/she is yellow and about 1/4" in length. How do I care for this one baby fish? Do I separate him from the 30 gal tank and put him in a bowl? Will he freeze if he does not have a heater? I am sorry to say I have never had a baby fish before. Thanks.

 

[exhumed07]

well first off what kinda fish do u have? if it's a tropical or cichlid they will be fine at room temp 65-75* so a heater is not needed.

 

[FishWhisperer]

Thanks for responding. I am not sure as I have two pairs of different fish - two glowlight tetras and two rasaboras (?). The fry looks exactly like the glowlight tetras except he/she is yellow in color. Is that possible? I have a 30 gal tank with the four fish mentioned plus one red tail shark, one female betta and two cory catfish.

 

[exhumed07]

I would guess the glowlight tetra, the babies of 99% of fish are pale or dark in color. look nothing liek teh adults untill they get about half an inch or bigger. thats when they start to color up. my red shoulder peacocks have yellowish babies with dark bars and as they get older get greyish brown bars. then after about an inch or so long the males start to color up. so it may take a lil while before it gets it's color.

 

[FishWhisperer]

Thanks for your response. I will put "Jr." in a two gallon bowl by himself until he grows a bit. I wasn't sure if the red tail shark would try to eat him. I think he's too big for the other fish to eat him. BTW, do you feed your fry different food than your other fish? Appreciate it.

 

[exhumed07]

I feed the fry HIKARI TROPICAL First Bites for the first few weeks or untill they have big enough mouths to go to the next step up wich I like HBH Baby Bites. the first bites are like a fine powder and the baby bites is like small grains of sand

 

[FishWhisperer]

Thanks. I hope the baby fish was able to take small bites of granules I fed the other fish today. I'll get his food tomorrow. Appreciate it.

 

[littletankbigworld]

You don't absolutely have to feed them different food; you can simply put fish flakes in a plastic bag and crush them up and feed them powdered food. Feed them 5 to 7 times per day. Baby fish also thrive on frequent partial water changes.

I agree with exhumed07. The babies usually don't look like the parents. My baby Dalmatian mollies were born either transparent or a brownish color with no spots. Now that it's week 3, they have white or pale golden brown bodies with many large spots.

 

[FishWhisperer]

Thanks for all the feedback. Junior is eating and swimming all over his fish bowl. I think he is happy. (Of course, I don't really know the sex of the fish.)