Help in raising fry

[cugerg]

Hi all

Ive been having trouble raising my 397 fry. I lost a lot a few months back but i put that down to my own fault having them with some 134's that were picking them off. So i moved the 134's to another tank so now i have a 3ft grow out tank just for 397's. So i had 27 fry a couple of weeks ago put them in the tank had trouble trying to get them to eat was siphoning food out the next day and now im coming home to find 1 or 2 dead. The tank and the water is setup exactly the same as the main breeding tank so i have no idea whats going on any advice would be appreciated. Also do you think i should just let them grow up in the main breeding tank until they get some size about them then move them to their own tank? Or will that be over stocking my tank?
Cheers Greg

 

[MIX02u]

How soon have you been moving them to the other tank? Moving them too soon will often end in tragedy

 

[cugerg]

Ive been taking them as soon as their egg sack is gone.

 

[MIX02u]

I wouldn't recommend changing tanks until at least six weeks. The use of a fry saver would enable you to leave them in the same tank, hence not causing any undue stress.

 

[cugerg]

Ok so you put the male and the cave in the fry saver until he kicks them out or take them from him then put back into fry saver in the main tank?

 

[beencees]

If you have been catching them and moving them to another tank then i would just catch them and put them in the fry saver (in the breeding tank) once they emerge.
Add a small piece of mature driftwood to the saver with them which will give them something to munch on as well as being covered in beneficial aufwuchs.
It's also much easier to introduce them to food in a fry saver as they sometimes take a while to work out what the whole eating thing is all about. Try adding a small amount of blanched lettuce but of course be sure to remove any uneaten portions.
HTH