Dicrossus filamentosus eat fry？

[zhihuai1982]

I have D.filamentosus spawned several days ago, then I got the male out of the tank, let the female take care of the eggs. The female did a very good job. I got about 100+ free-swimming fry. I was so exciting and fed them newly hatched brine shrimp. However I was so disappointing that the fry got less and less day by day. After 3 days I couldn't find any fry in the tank.

It was the first time the female spawn.

I hadn't do any water change after I found the female spawn, and only fed small amount newly hatched brine shrimp everyday during that time, so I don't think the water deteriorated.

The water chemistry was TDS 100, PH 5.3, T 27C.

Can anyone help me find why the female ate her babys?

 

[JG]

Sometimes fish that have spawned for the first time will eat their fry if disturbed. It's possible that the removal of the male triggered that behaviour. Why did you remove him? How large is the tank and is it a species only setup?

 

[zhihuai1982]

Sometimes fish that have spawned for the first time will eat their fry if disturbed. It's possible that the removal of the male triggered that behaviour. Why did you remove him? How large is the tank and is it a species only setup?

My tank is about 9L and had only one couple of D.filamentosus. I removed the male because I thought the male will threaten the female and fry. After the female spawned, she used to drive away the male, so I thought she didn't like the male stay in the tank.

sorry for me remove the thread to the "husbandry/breeding" board, could you please reply on that thread, thanks.

 

[gerald]

9 liters is a very small breeding tank. I understand why you removed the male for safety. Is it possible the babies did not get enough food? Did their bellies look round and full after eating? It is easy for them to get weak and die from insufficient food during the first week after free-swimming. Also, look closely to make sure you dont have Hydra in the tank. Hydra can injure or kill fry by stinging them, even if they dont eat them all. The mother may eat her fry if they are looking weak and not acting right, due to Hydra stings or insufficient food.

 

[Mike Wise]

Water quality can change for the worse very rapidly in a 9 L tank. My guess is that it was a combination of causes listed.

 

[zhihuai1982]

9 liters is a very small breeding tank. I understand why you removed the male for safety. Is it possible the babies did not get enough food? Did their bellies look round and full after eating? It is easy for them to get weak and die from insufficient food during the first week after free-swimming. Also, look closely to make sure you dont have Hydra in the tank. Hydra can injure or kill fry by stinging them, even if they dont eat them all. The mother may eat her fry if they are looking weak and not acting right, due to Hydra stings or insufficient food.

I am very sorry for the mistake about the tank size. It is 27L, not 9L. Is it enough to be a breeding tank?

I had been about 36 hours without feeding them because of my job. When I came back home, I found only 10+ fry left. I fed them immediately. Their bellies became full and yellow, and they behaved quite normal. In the next 2 days, I fed them twice a day, they ate quite well but still became less and less day by day. T_T

So how frequently you feed fry after free-swimming?

 

[Mike Wise]

IMHO even a 27 L/~7 gal. tank is a bit small. If one is careful and very diligent at making water changes 1 or 2 times daily - and feed very carefully - it is possible. Me? I tend to be less careful and diligent, so I use larger tanks. In a closed environment, like an aquarium, the 'solution to pollution IS dilution'.

 

[rr16]

I tend to be less careful and diligent, so I use larger tanks. In a closed environment, like an aquarium, the 'solution to pollution IS dilution'.

I like this way of thinking! I need some bigger tanks, possibly with sumps to dilute even further! Don't think the wife will be too happy with that though!