Fry Food

[dhm325]

I currently have three batches of P. Pulcher fry. Each batch is being raised in a separate tank by their parents. How I wound up with 3 pairs is a long story. One batch is about 3 weeks old. The other two are about 2 weeks old. I have been feeding them decapsulated brine shrimp eggs and they seem to be doing quite well. I have been really busy at work and don't have time to hatch live bbs. From what I have read, the decapsulated eggs are more nutricious than live bbs anyway. Anybody have a view on whether this is true?

I am concerned that they may be missing other types of nutrients. The parents of each batch take them on foraging expaditions frequently (sponge filters seems to be a favorite place) and I know the fry are getting whatever else is growing in their respective tanks. I have tried golden pearls but the particles just seem to float away from the fry immediately. What else do you think I should feed the fry?

Thanks for any suggestions you can offer. Thanks.

 

[tjudy]

At this point you can start using crushed flake food. Pelvicachromis like some vegetable matter (IME), so I use a veggie flake mixed with earthworm and tropical flakes. I take a very small pinch and grind it up between my fingers over a shot glass. I place in some water and then suck it all up into a syringe. That will suspend the particles. I blow a little of that into the group of fry once a day or so.

 

[Randall]

Pelv. Fry Food

Dear dhm,


Decapsulated brine shrimp eggs make for a good first fry food. At this point, however, you can start supplimenting with other foods as well. In addition to what Ted recommends, you might also try some crushed krill or plankton mixed with water, to suspend it, and squirting it into the school.

Good luck!

Randall Kohn

 

[Park Bear]

other live foods could be microworms or grindal worms or vinegar eels. I bet they could eat smaller white worms or black worms

 

[coenga]

hi,

In my set up with Pv taeniatus ( not far from Pv pulcher) pair and fry, it is fully planted (allowing the other fish to hide from the parents) with java moss, ceratopteris, Java fern and anubias. I let the free swimmers with parents one week without any added food (holydays) and they were around 35 fries left from around 50.
I have not much time for bred and elaborated food, so I put tetra baby food (fine powder) in the last part of my filter, the water flow makes the powder float and sink in the tank were the herded fry can find it.
Surely it is not the best way for efficient growth, but the fries are healthy active and well bellied (?).
Water quality and parental care are IMO the better feeders for the fry.

regards

Colin