Hatching & Raising fry question...

[darryn]

Hi.
First of all, thanks for the great site and information. I have already learned so much from going through the posts on the forum.
I am new to fishkeeping, having only set up my first tank in mid May,
My Bronze Corys have now spawned for the second time, and I have followed the advice of putting the eggs in a floating container with an airstone.
I added a few drops of Methylene Blue to help keep away fungus.
My question is: A short while after adding the Methylene Blue, I noticed that some with the eggs went bright white compared to the rest. I assume that these eggs are ones that are unfertilised. If so, should I try to remove them from the rest, or do I just leave them alone.

TIA

[Carp37]

In theory the meth blue should prevent the eggs (even the infertile ones) from fungusing, but if you can remove them without damaging the fertile eggs, I personally would remove them.

[JoeO]

In theory the meth blue should prevent the eggs (even the infertile ones) from fungusing, but if you can remove them without damaging the fertile eggs, I personally would remove them.

Carp37 is giving you excellent advice. But, just for the heck of it, put another floating container into you tank or just use another container that is not in the tank. You don't have to use a bubbler. Then put the eggs that fungussed into it. Look to see if any hatch. Amazingly, I have found wigglers in this group of fungussed eggs.

Try it, you have nothing to lose.

[darryn]

Thanks for the advice.
I left the unfertilised eggs with the rest until the batch had hatched, as I saw that I had no problems with fungus. Seemed to have no ill effects. Looks like all the fertilised eggs, with the exception of about 5 have hatched.
Now that my batch have hatched, I have moved them from the floating container into their own tank. Is this a good or bad thing?
What I should do about water changes in the fry tank? What percentage should I change daily/weekly?
Should I be vacuuming the excess food from the bottom on a daily basis?
What is the general thought on the substrate in fry tanks? To have a substrate or not?

TIA

[JoeO]

Thanks for the advice.
I left the unfertilised eggs with the rest until the batch had hatched, as I saw that I had no problems with fungus. Seemed to have no ill effects. Looks like all the fertilised eggs, with the exception of about 5 have hatched.
Now that my batch have hatched, I have moved them from the floating container into their own tank. Is this a good or bad thing?
What I should do about water changes in the fry tank? What percentage should I change daily/weekly?
Should I be vacuuming the excess food from the bottom on a daily basis?
What is the general thought on the substrate in fry tanks? To have a substrate or not?

TIA

There is no right/wrong way to many of your questions.
Own Tank: How many wigglers hatched? How big is the tank? Keep the tank in a place that will have the least amount of temperature fluctuations.
Water Changes: Most do from 20 to 50% per day. If you overfeed, you might have to do a 50% change 2 times a day.
Yes, vacuum on a daily basis.
Some like substrates, some don't. I don't have one but I vacuum before each feeding and I feed 2 times a day.

It took me a few batches of eggs until I got the feel for it. Keep good notes. You WILL get the feel for it and it is definitely rewarding....

[darryn]

Hi Joe thanks for the reply.

There must be at least 50 or more that hatched.
It is a 30L tank with a sponge filter.
With the fry in the tank, what is the best way to vacuum? With a length of airline tubing? Too scared to use anything bigger in case I siphon up the fry. LOL
My tank is currently bare bottom. At this point in time it is not practical for me to vacuum twice a day. Is that going to be a problem?
I am currently feeding them a VERY fine powdered food. Just trying to find the correct amount to feed at each feeding. I am still finding that I have a small amount of muck at the bottom of the tank. I suppose that that means I am overfeeding?

TIA

[JoeO]

Hi Joe thanks for the reply.

There must be at least 50 or more that hatched.
It is a 30L tank with a sponge filter.
With the fry in the tank, what is the best way to vacuum? With a length of airline tubing? Too scared to use anything bigger in case I siphon up the fry. LOL
My tank is currently bare bottom. At this point in time it is not practical for me to vacuum twice a day. Is that going to be a problem?
I am currently feeding them a VERY fine powdered food. Just trying to find the correct amount to feed at each feeding. I am still finding that I have a small amount of muck at the bottom of the tank. I suppose that that means I am overfeeding?

TIA

The best way to vacuum - I have clean airline and a stiff piece of clear plastic that I bought at my local fish store. I put the 1 foot piece of clear plastic on the end on the tubing to make a rigid end. Then I vacuum using that. Vacuum into a clean plastic container then look in it before you throw the water out. If you find any wigglers, just put them back into the tank. They are quite hardy.

I feed 2 times a day. I tend to lightly feed if I know I can't vacuum at the next feeding. If you don't have food left over after feeding, then you are not feeding enough. Again you will have to judge this for yourself.

[darryn]

@JoeO: Thanks once again for the helpful info.

Is their any value in feeding Cory fry infusoria? Have read about it on a lot of forums, but not sure if it is suitable for Cories.

TIA

[JoeO]

@JoeO: Thanks once again for the helpful info.

Is their any value in feeding Cory fry infusoria? Have read about it on a lot of forums, but not sure if it is suitable for Cories.

TIA

One method of feeding Cories right after they are born/use up their egg sack, is to squeeze/scrape filters or squeeze foam filters into the cories tanks. This is the easiest way to use the infusoria. Other than that, I haven't seen people using infusoria when feeding cories.