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well we finally moved the fry out into a 10g baby tank - mainly because their number was overloading the main tank. we counted 21 of 3 batches. The main tank still has 2 but we left them there.

The small tank is better as it's easier to feed and clean. We have to do daily water changes, but they seem to like it.

In my experiments to increase Sturisoma fry survival rates I ultimately had the best results starting out with a small tank, 10 gallons, only half full. Then I gradually increased the water depth and by the time I was using the tank full, the fry had to be split among several other 12 inch tall 20 longs.
I usually had around 75 to 85 fry per brood so I had so use 3 10 gal tanks initially until they were ready to go into larger tanks. By the time almost all the fry reached 2-1/2 inches I could combine about 40 in a 40 gal breeder which are 16 inches tall. They would reach a salable size, which for me, is about 4 inches in these breeder style tanks.
I provide plenty of aeration from an air lift driven sponge filter and air stone plus a strong current from a 160 gph MaxiJet 600 power head attached to a sponge filter.
I like using Azoo Oxygen Plus Bio-Filter model #6's because they perfectly fit directly on the power head extension tube and they are a fairly large pedestal type design filter equivalent to the HydroSponge IV. I use exactly the same filters and air stone in both the 20L and 40 breeders. In the 10 gal tanks I use a smaller Azoo Sponge filter, model #9, an air stone and a Duetto 100 internal power filter. The intakes must be covered with blue bonded filter pads to protect the fry but these filters are designed to work well in very shallow water and I always begin with no more than 6 inches of water for fry less than 2 months old. I wrote up a detailed article on how and why I do what I do to maximize my Sturisoma fry survival rates and it may be seen on "Shane's World" on planetcatfish.

two of the fry have developed crooked tails - one a slight kink, the other a big kink (pictured). Can anyone think of why this might be?

I can't really explain why, but it's likely some sort of environmental effect - or possibly a genetic thing.

I'd check the nitrate level in your water... It may have nothing to do with that, but it's a starting point...

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Mats

Sometimes fish grow defects because of high levels of nitrate in the water (studied and proven). But sometimes it happens because they are moved to different water quality. The fry are very sensitive to water parameters.

well nitrate is ok, under 10, they were moved to the baby tank a while ago - so maybe different environment? If this is to do with the environment, will it go straight again?

summer wrote:well nitrate is ok, under 10, they were moved to the baby tank a while ago - so maybe different environment?

Under 10 is definitely fine - I'm sure mine is not under 10 and they grow straight....

If this is to do with the environment, will it go straight again?

Probably not.

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Mats

All in all, nice work. Those babies are beautiful and good pics, thank you.

thanks Banana!

latest news is the oldest ones are over 6cm and ready to sell (advert in for sale section)

also last week we discovered a lone fry approx 1 week old - didn't see any eggs, so no idea where he came from!

2 days ago we noticed a few eggs in the gravel, abandoned it seemed, today 3 fry hatched from the eggs and there's one viable-looking egg left.

odd that they weren't on the glass, and the mister abandoned them, but odder still that 3 or 4 of them have survived!

we have too absolutely gorgeous silver-coloured ones, may keep those (hopefully female).

added to which the ancistrus in the community tank have had 2 batches now, and the CRS are popping babies like peas from a pod