Are fry traps essential?

[JackGillett]

:hi:
I was just wondering.. are fry traps essential? Whenever ive bred plecs (either bns or clown plecs) ive just left the fry
in the main tank and kept it clean and fed properly.
I would just like your opinions. cheers

 

[FF MkII]

I have breeding L66's in a community tank with Corys, lemon tetras and Apistogrammoides and i just leave them to it and am rewarded every month with fry.....so no, not essential. However if you want to keep an eye on them and have more then it is advised.

 

[JackGillett]

Thanks mate. ive got my new filter running now, so i'll set my hangover fry trap under a couple of sprays from the spray bar. see how it goes. cheers

 

[JoePlec]

Jack half the reason people use fry traps is because they dont want the fry to end up in the filter when they first venture out. If you run sponge filters this wont matter and the fry will even suck the sponge at first, But strong filters will easily pull fry into them. Could that be the reason you got so few bn fry? The other reason they use them is either because of tankmates or because the males kicked them out.

 

[JackGillett]

cheers joe. Hmmm maybe. thing is ive set my external up now, im going to cut some sponge and wrap it around the out take

 

[JackGillett]

ok, what size fry trap do you recomend?

 

[JoePlec]

Good idea mate. Ive seen such things held on by cable ties.

 

[JackGillett]

ive got a new filter sponge for my old juwel filter, which thanks to your idea (cheers) i will tie on with cable ties

 

[Joby]

I use fry traps when eggs/fry get wafted out of caves by enthusiastic males. They are also good for making sure the fry get well fed for the first month and don't waste away searching a large tank for food :thumbup:

 

[denny]

if use sponge filter, fry willl not injury-as long not use air stone, so not trapped.
but when give some food, it make dead zone to the uneaten food, and will makes bad water- just remove sponge.

 

[Big-B]

I've only used fry traps when the male kicks the eggs out or on other fish when there is an egg eater in the tank with them ( other catfish). I've never used them with plecos but have had to use them with different types of cichlids. If you have a sponge attached to your filter intake, I would just leave them in the main tank. Either way You chose would be ok though. :thumbup: