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Caring for week-old fry
Posted: Tue May 20, 2025 7:54 am
by depths
I've got a batch of week-old fry in a 10-gallon tank with a sponge filter, but they're not eating the powdered food I've been offering. Water params are good, 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, 10 nitrate. Temp's at 78F. Any tips?
Re: Caring for week-old fry
Posted: Tue May 20, 2025 9:01 am
by annaGal
Week-old fry need live food to thrive. Try baby brine shrimp or microworms. Powdered food often doesn't cut it for them. Also, keep the lights dim to reduce stress. What's your water change routine? Frequent small changes help maintain stability.
Re: Caring for week-old fry
Posted: Tue May 20, 2025 9:31 am
by zenora
annaGal wrote: ↑Tue May 20, 2025 9:01 am
Week-old fry need live food to thrive. Try baby brine shrimp or microworms. Powdered food often doesn't cut it for them. Also, keep the lights dim to reduce stress. What's your water change routine? Frequent small changes help maintain stability.
I disagree. Powdered food can work if it's high quality. I've raised fry on Hikari First Bites. The key is feeding tiny amounts multiple times a day. How often are you feeding?
Re: Caring for week-old fry
Posted: Tue May 20, 2025 10:28 am
by dorvax
Gonna second the live food idea. Fry go nuts for baby brine shrimp. Plus, it's way easier to see if they're actually eating. Powdered stuff just kinda disappears, and you're left guessing. Sponge filter's a good call, tho.
Re: Caring for week-old fry
Posted: Tue May 20, 2025 11:18 am
by finleyd
I've had success with both live and powdered food. If you're sticking with powder, try mixing it with tank water and using a pipette to target feed. Also, keep the tank bare-bottom for easier cleanup. How many fry are we talking?
Re: Caring for week-old fry
Posted: Tue May 20, 2025 11:37 am
by Justicia
Live food's great, but not everyone has the time or setup for it. If you're gonna use powdered food, make sure it's super fine. Some brands clump up and just sink. What's the brand you're using now?
Re: Caring for week-old fry
Posted: Tue May 20, 2025 11:56 am
by Rampage
depths wrote: ↑Tue May 20, 2025 7:54 am
I've got a batch of week-old fry in a 10-gallon tank with a sponge filter, but they're not eating the powdered food I've been offering. Water params are good, 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, 10 nitrate. Temp's at 78F. Any tips?
Fry can be picky. Baby brine shrimp is the gold standard, but if that's not an option, try vinegar eels. They're easier to culture than microworms and just as nutritious.
Re: Caring for week-old fry
Posted: Tue May 20, 2025 12:43 pm
by BowmanX
Hey, don't stress too much. Fry are tougher than they look. If they're not eating, maybe the food's too big. Crush it finer or try a different brand. And yeah, keep the lights low. They're tiny, everything's scary at that size.
Re: Caring for week-old fry
Posted: Tue May 20, 2025 1:18 pm
by heartfelt
finleyd wrote: ↑Tue May 20, 2025 11:18 am
I've had success with both live and powdered food. If you're sticking with powder, try mixing it with tank water and using a pipette to target feed. Also, keep the tank bare-bottom for easier cleanup. How many fry are we talking?
That's a great tip. Target feeding ensures they actually get the food. Also, make sure the current from the sponge filter isn't too strong. Fry can get tossed around easily.
Re: Caring for week-old fry
Posted: Tue May 20, 2025 2:16 pm
by lessie
I'd start with live food if possible. It's more work, but the growth rate is way better. Once they're a bit bigger, you can switch to powdered. Are you using any plants in the tank? Java moss can help trap food for them.