Clownfish Fry

Huskymaniac · Feb 3, 2021

I am using my qt tank that I used to house some hermits for my fry tank. There is a small amount of sand in there which should help with some biological filtration. Within 24 hours most of the fry has vanished. Assuming they died. Any ideas on why I had such a high casualty rate? Temp is good. Salinity is 35ppt. At a loss here.

Huskymaniac · Feb 3, 2021

Only thing I can think of is my airstone is to powerful and damaging them?? Thoughts?

Wolf89 · Feb 3, 2021

What are you feeding them?
Side needs blacked out. Lights too dim. Needs more tinting.

Huskymaniac · Feb 3, 2021

Wolf89 said:
What are you feeding them?
Side needs blacked out. Lights too dim. Needs more tinting.

They are getting rotifers. Got a culture going in a separate bucket. Water is has a slight green hue and there are a ton of rotifers in the water. It's still within 24 hours so feeding shouldt be an issue. I thought the light should be low for the 1st few days?

sabeypets · Feb 4, 2021

Tank and equipment should be sterile, no sand for filtration.

Huskymaniac · Feb 4, 2021

sabeypets said:
Tank and equipment should be sterile, no sand for filtration.

Maybe that's the issue. Second batch of fry did the same thing. Have about 7 or 8 left and doubt they are going to make it.

Weasel1960 · Feb 4, 2021

Maybe to much going on in the water with air stone and other equipment? When I had FW I raised fancy guppies, I eventually learned to putter in a hatchery box. The water was very calm and was a smaller area where he could easily feed.

Huskymaniac · Feb 4, 2021

Weasel1960 said:
Maybe to much going on in the water with air stone and other equipment? When I had FW I raised fancy guppies, I eventually learned to putter in a hatchery box. The water was very calm and was a smaller area where he could easily feed.

Was thinking that also. I did end up dialing back the airstone. Trying to save the last 7 or so that are swimming. Some of them seem to hide out in the sand though. Is that normal?

Weasel1960 · Feb 4, 2021

My guppies always hid in the gravel might be survival instinct. But they would wiggle to far in then couldn’t get out. The hatchery tray I got had a removable V trough. Mom did her thing above, fry would swim into lower section. When mom was done put her back in main tank and took out the trough.

Wolf89 · Feb 4, 2021

Huskymaniac said:
Was thinking that also. I did end up dialing back the airstone. Trying to save the last 7 or so that are swimming. Some of them seem to hide out in the sand though. Is that normal?

No. Clownfish larvae are pelagic larvae are should not be near surfaces.

DoctaReef · Mar 31, 2021

Wolf89 said:
What are you feeding them?
Side needs blacked out. Lights too dim. Needs more tinting.

How dim is too dim? I lost all of my first clutch of fry this week, and one of my possible reasons is lighting.

jjencek · Apr 1, 2021

I normally use light, but there were times I did not. It was never a cause of loosing all of them. Maybe some, but never all.

DoctaReef · Apr 1, 2021

jjencek said:
I normally use light, but there were times I did not. It was never a cause of loosing all of them. Maybe some, but never all.

So we’re they just in a dark blacked out tank?

thomaskc · Apr 6, 2021

What’s your latest update? Definitely lose the sand. Use a plain 20 gallon tank with a heater, and one or two air stones. Put black construction paper around the sides or paint them black.

How are you transfering them from main tank to fry tank?

Keep us posted and keep trying. Don’t forget to water change those rots, ammonia builds up daily.