Hatchery style breeding

[AWW]

Thought I would pool some information.

My severums bread in my community tank, And i knew eventually the eggs would be eaten, so I removed them in under 12 hours. I placed the rock in a 3 gallon bucket with an air stone, and a heater.

Good right?

I kept the temperature at 80 degrees so the eggs would hatch quickly. I lost one side of the crop though. The air bubbles were not directly over these eggs, is that why the did not hatch?

The fry were wrigglers for 2 days, I didn't feed.

Now free swimming, I am feeding the sera baby food stage one. I am not sure if they are eating, but I guess there is no real way to tell at this size. I am going to hatch some BBS soon, and i have some frozen in the freezer. What time should I start feeding them the BBS?

I am doing a 60 - 80% water change every 2 days to minimize stress. All the water comes from another tank, so its already cycled. I thought every day would be to much.

Last night, all the fry huddled together when the lights were out, it was kinda cute Is this normal?

Now, I am debating on when to switch them to a larger tank. The next size i have is a 30 gallon, and I think thats to large, I want them to find their food easily. Should i buy a 20 gallon?

Sorry for the questions, this is the first time i have done hatchery breeding. I have about 200+ fry now. So far so good?

Alex

[charles]

Alex, changing water with your tank water? That is worse than good. You don't need to cycle water. Water has next to none bacteria. You are just using dirtier water to replace dirty water.

Best to do, try a 5g bucket of water with heater and airstone for 24hrs. Then use that as clean water.

[AWW]

hmmm, interesting. I am syphoning out any little bits of dirt, and just taking water from my 120, this is not good?

I was nervous making a new batch of water, should i even bother adding cycle?

[charles]

you can't syphoning nitrate or any other things that your eyes can't see.

[AWW]

for sure. But with these large changes wont that brake the nitrogen cycle?

[charles]

you are taking old water out from a tank that is full of fish.

Here is an example:

would you change water from your 120g, and use those water to a smaller tank for other fish? If you do, then what is the point of changing water?

[AWW]

When you look at it that way t all makes sense :P.

Thanks Charles. Ill change it up tomorrow and use some good water