Best way to remove Sturisoma larvae from eggshells?

[Narwhal72]

Recently my Sturisomatichthys (or possibly Sturisoma) spawned.

I removed the eggs to a hatchery container and the larvae developed normally. But when it came time to hatch only one fry was able to break out of the eggshell and now it appears the others are all dead and trapped inside the eggshells.

Next time I plan on letting the male chew them out but I undoubtedly will lose a bunch of fry to predation before I can get them out of the community tank.

Is there a good way to break the eggshells for fry for future spawns?

Andy

[coelacanth]

I use a turkey baster and really give them a hammering, sucking them up and forcefully squirting them out, but sometimes I have ended up using a needle and scalpel blade under low magnification.

[Narwhal72]

Thanks!