New Gourami fry

[Jonathan Aquari]

Tonite I was looking at my Dwarf gourami tank very closely for no real reason when I noticed three tiny fish swimming around a rotala bush. I was very happy to see I bred my first Gourami Pair as I tried Bettas before and failed.
Honestly, it was kinda an accedent. After some agression in her first tank, I moved a female into a tank with a male and a really big nest (for his size). I half hoped that they would breed but didn't really try.... That is untill my RO water was bad and i needed new filters. I put it off for a lot longer than I should have, and my tanks' water levels started to drop. The 20 long the housed the pair dropped only an inch. But then I saw it as a breeding opertunity (dry season to rainy). So I took out another 4 inches and hoped for some action. I SAW nothing so i thought they hadn't done anything, This went on for a week or so till I got my replacement filters and filled the tank back up tonite. So i filled the tank and i was just staring at the tank (which we all do time to time, even though no one can understand it but us aquariests). When, like i said, I found some fry.


So that's the story. Now here's the question.

1. Should i remove the male & female? The tank is very densly planted, so for now they can hide well.
2. Will the plants harbor enough Infusoria fir the fry, or should i grow some more?
3. What size do you start feeding BBS?


Thanks a lot,
Jonathan

 

[Mike Wise]

Need more information. How large are the fry right now? Newly hatched dwarf gouramis, like Bettas, cannot eat newly hatched brine shrimp; it is too large.

 

[Jonathan Aquari]

They're about 2-4 mm. I had an algea prob. right befor they hatched, itz dying down now but the fry are usig it as one of their hing places

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

They're about 2-4 mm. I had an algea prob. right befor they hatched, itz dying down now but the fry are usig it as one of their hing places

You didn't have an "algae problem", you had a growth of the highly beneficial biofilm or periphyton, which is a useful resource, especially for fry.

You need to keep a cover on the tank, as the fry will need the air above the tank to be "warm and wet" to allow development of the labyrinth organ. Ideally you would want to reduce the water level to a few cm's, but if this isn't possible you can still feed the fry with "vinegar eels" and rotifers. You need vinegar eels rather than Walter or Banana worms as they swim in the upper water levels and are attracted to light, like BBS.

Should have also added having some snails is beneficial, I use Red Ramshorn, but other snails will do.

cheers Darrel

 

[Jonathan Aquari]

Thanks,
I've got snails in there and they're doing a great job on clean up. When I get back home, I'll drop the water level, as a bonus the plants will get some more light exposure.

Thanks again,
Jonathan

 

[gerald]

I have long wondered about this standard piece of Betta/Gourami wisdom. Considering the thermal mass of water vs air, and friction at the air/water surface, how much cooler or drier could the air possibly be 0.5 mm above the surface where tiny fish are gulping air? (unless you have an air conditioner blowing directly on the water surface). Ever notice how fan blades collect dust? The boundary layer of air at the fan blade surface is just barely moving even when the fan is at top speed.

You need to keep a cover on the tank, as the fry will need the air above the tank to be "warm and wet" to allow development of the labyrinth organ. cheers Darrel

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

I have long wondered about this standard piece of Betta/Gourami wisdom. Considering the thermal mass of water vs air, and friction at the air/water surface, how much cooler or drier could the air possibly be 0.5 mm above the surface where tiny fish are gulping air? (unless you have an air conditioner blowing directly on the water surface).

Gerald, that is a good point, and now I come to think off it you are right, and the air in the immediate boundary layer will both be at 100% RH, and in thermal equilibrium with the water, so you can scrub that one from the "knowledge base".

cheers Darrel

 

[gerald]

I'm guessing it originated from a guy who smoked all the time and his wife sprayed lots of "air freshener".
"Hey, if I cover the tanks, fewer fish die ... it must be the cold dry air that's killing them"
That said, there may be real reasons why covering the tanks IS beneficial - just not the reason we've been told for 50+ years.

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,
I always have a cover and usually a lid, it cuts down evaporation (and evaporative cooling), and stops all sorts of foreign bodies (including the cat) ending up in the tank.

For me the real advantage is that when you drop the water levels by a few inches it gives a space for a lot the plants to grow emersed in a moist atmosphere, and many of them (Cabomba aquatica, Hygrophila corymbosa, Heteranthera zosterifolia, Utricularia gibba, Aponogeton spp., Echinodorus spp., Nymphaea spp. etc), will then flower if you let them grow emersed.

A lot of people grow Heteranthera zosterifolia for its submerged foliage, but if you let it grow into a mass at the surface, it will produce floating leaves and has a fantastic flower.




cheers Darrel