raising newborns

[tiggyx]

I just found out my yellow lab is pregnant and I'm totally stumped. We need to figure out what to do - should we move her to a separate tank until she gives birth, then move her back with the rest of the fish? The thing is, I don't want her eating the babies. If we do move her, what's the best food for the babies so they don't die? And let's be real, assuming she doesn't eat them first. Any advice would be super helpful right about now.

[kizumi1]

I'd definitely separate her from the rest of the fish. Leaving her in the main tank with the babies would be a recipe for disaster - they'd get eaten for sure. If you don't have a spare tank, a breeding net could be a good alternative.

[dixin]

You can definitely move mom to a separate tank, but ensure it's got a cycled filter in place. Uncycled water can be devastating for both the mom and the fry. Fry, in particular, are extremely sensitive to water conditions and can't handle even a hint of ammonia.

Once the fry have absorbed their egg sac, you can start feeding them. Go for small portions only, and avoid overfeeding at all costs. Excess food will deteriorate your water conditions and harm the fry. Make sure to remove any uneaten food to prevent it from rotting on the tank floor.

[tiggyx]

I appreciate your advice, dixin. You mentioned that once they're hatched and no longer have an egg sack, we can start feeding them. What type of food would you recommend for the little ones? I'm concerned that the food we have on hand might be too large for them to consume properly.

[dixin]

They don't actually hatch from the egg, they grow on top of it. The egg sack is their food source for the first few weeks, and once it's absorbed, you can start feeding them. Crushing up some flakes or pellets is a good option. I've also had success with newly hatched brine shrimp, and a food called Golden pearls works really well for fry too.

[flarix]

It really depends on the size of the fry, varies a lot from species to species. For yellow labs, crushed flake food would be perfectly fine. No need to feed them until the egg sack has disappeared, they're good to go. And honestly, yellow labs are extremely hardy, so you don't have to worry too much about their food.

[tiggyx]

If I don't move the mom to a separate tank, I'm pretty sure the babies won't make it - they'll get eaten, right?

[flinta]

You'd be lucky if a few made it, assuming there are plenty of hiding spots in the tank for them to escape mom and the other fish.