baby ancistrus - feeding

perrush · Post by **perrush** » 17 Feb 2004, 22:48

Hi,

As a first learning step in the ultimte goal of once breeding L046 I did put up some ancistrus (as almost everywhere recommended)
So I had 5 ancistrus in a 250L tank with a pair of geophagus surinamensis, waiting for a tank of their own . This week a tank came free and I did the 5 ancistrus in their own tank.

But a few days ago I saw a baby ancistrus in the geo tank

Today I already say 5 of them. Tank is full of wood, so their could be more. So what to do now ??
Leaving them with full grown geo's ?? All by themselves in a 250L tank ?? Will they find enough food ??

What should I do best ? Take them out (meaning tearing the tank up because it's full of wood) and put them in a floating nursery ?? Or just leaving them and hope they find enough food and won't be eaten by the geo's ??

another question. They are just over 1 cm (half an inch) how old are they ??

magnum4 · Post by **magnum4** » 17 Feb 2004, 23:31

What should I do best ? Take them out (meaning tearing the tank up because it's full of wood) and put them in a floating nursery ?? Or just leaving them and hope they find enough food and won't be eaten by the geo's ??

Depends how much you want to ensure success, all of your suggestions would work to an extent. Take them out move them to a tank of their own, would be the best option IMO.

They are just over 1 cm (half an inch) how old are they ??

They have just started to leave the spawning site and have finished there egg sacks so between 7-10 days.

perrush · Post by **perrush** » 18 Feb 2004, 07:40

magnum4,

I thought moving them to another tank was the worst solution because of the different waterparameters. 'They' said to me young ancistrus couldn't handle such differences very well.

MackIntheBox · Post by **MackIntheBox** » 18 Feb 2004, 16:39

why dont you remove the fish that are in the tank with them? move the other fish to another tank.

perrush · Post by **perrush** » 18 Feb 2004, 22:10

yashmack wrote:why dont you remove the fish that are in the tank with them? move the other fish to another tank.

that wild caught pair of geo's which I try to let them feel comfortable ... moving for 9 baby ancistrus ?? ... and besides that I don't have a spare 250 L+ tank

do you

But I caught 9 little ancistrus (at least one still out there) and did them in a floating nursery. I made sure there is enough watercirculation in the little thing.

Will see how it goes

magnum4 · Post by **magnum4** » 19 Feb 2004, 01:03

I thought moving them to another tank was the worst solution because of the different waterparameters. 'They' said to me young ancistrus couldn't handle such differences very well.

Should have made myself clearer, I mean take the water out of the main tank to fill the new tank a 18x10x10 would be fine.

How many have you seen now?

Post by **Barbie** » 19 Feb 2004, 01:54

I tend to do frequent water changes, so my tank water parameters match closely the parameters of the originating water, but with that said, I've transferred newly hatched fry from the breeders tank, directly into their new tank basket a time or two with no losses. As long as the temps match and you aren't behind on maintenance enough to have shifted the pH, they are hardier than they get credit for, IME. Good clean water conditions cure many evils around my house, I guess. I have quite a few fish that don't get "ideal" treatment, but spawn in spite of me.

Congrats on the new babies!

Barbie

perrush · Post by **perrush** » 19 Feb 2004, 08:40

@ magnum :

9 in the nursery, 1 still out there (but I haven't seen him the last day ... guess the geo's were hungry

)

@ barbie :
normally both tank should have the same parameters, maybe I'll take my chance, not sure. You know how it goes with a first batch ... don't want to loose anything