# Hatching Eggs.



## LaRaven

I seem to have fertile RBP eggs. Most are orange and starting to develope a bit. Some less then 10% are turning a white cloudy color. Our eggs are now almost 2 days old. When will they hatch? I have read all the other posts in breeding, but most only say in "a few days".

I'm very worried my water quality will kill the eggs and or fry. Is the fact that they laid eggs at all a good sign that maybe my water might be ok? I hope so. I used water from my parent tank, and one of the filters from it, (until my sponge filter comes in thursday)I didn't add any gravel or plants to this 10g fry tank. What should the temp be kept at?

Thanks, Lara


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## LaRaven

got my fry tank all set up. Sponge filter, air stone, heater, some floating plants. All up and running. I added some stress coat. Today is day 2, eggs have not hatched yet. They are still nice and orange. I did a 30% water change on the parent tank to give to the fry tank. The male turned white and seems pretty pissed off. I hope they hatch soon. I have a bbs hatchery coming from ebay. It should be here in 10 days. It's the 2 liter soda bottle base type. I will have to make due until that gets here.


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## memento

Read THIS article.



> The fry will start to hatch within 48 hours. The best way to have them hatch is to have them removed to a holding tank. Be sure to remove the white infertile eggs so they do not spread a fungus over to the fertilized eggs.


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## LaRaven

Thank you. They have hatched this morning. It's almost like the egg itself grew a tail. They look nothing like what I expected. Not all are hatched. Should I wait for them all to hatch or transport the ones that are to the new tank now? I'd say 50% are hatched. They look like they are still sticky. I hope they come off the rocks ok.

~Lara


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## LaRaven

A good few hundred are transported into the fry tank. I will try for some more later on. My friggin heater cracked as I took it out of the water for a second to readjust it. I have to run and get another one. I have this floating duck moss plant in the fry tank, it's quite messy. I'm thinking about removing that as well. But all the fry are moving around ok. I will test my water tonight and post results. As I really don't know much about that still. I hope I can get some to live the required 2 months for my breeder award!







But, I doubt I will be able to. I'm trying like hell tho.

~Lara


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## memento

For the breeding award, you'll need to start posting pics









Just transport all eggs and fry into the fry tank... the remaining eggs will hatch in there.


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## primetime3wise

after they envelop and consume their egg sac is when you start feeding bbs.

10g is a start, but you will eventually need larger fry tank.


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## LaRaven

Thanks for the response guys.

I got all the fry I could into the small tank. They are all swiming around and moving, so far so good. Here is a picture of the tank and fry.



















~Lara


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## memento

Nice








Keep us updated


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## LaRaven

Hello,

Babies are 2 days old now. All seem to be alive so far. The few white eggs that were in the tank disapeared. They seem to have been attached all together in clumps, but today they are all seperate and swimming around the tank. I noticed they actully have black eyes appearing. Yesterday this couldn't be seen. Amazing growth rate. They still seem to have yolk, What day should I start hatching BBS? Day 5?

Also, I'm wondering do some just naturally start dying off soon? Because these all seem to be thriving just fine. I'm worried, they will all die, so I want to know what is normal. And what to look out for in the next week.

~Lara


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## primetime3wise

it's been a while since i raised fry, but i think it is around day 5 you start feeding bbs. i would hatch it overnight, starting the night before the egg sac is almost gone...not much though and you could feed lil sooner to be sure. it's probably not a issue because at day 5 or whenever they will consume very little...it's tempting to overfeed in the beginning, most people new to raising p fry do just that.

i would be looking into a larger tank already. 10g is not much at all and to get at least, hopefully a few hundred or more to 1", you need at least a 40g, roughly, i would say.

as long as your water parameters are stable and under control, you should be ok. some will die for sure, probably more if this is your first attempt at rasing fry. don't worry too much, as you will have many more tries, if you want to, as the parents will go at it again at about the 2 weeks mark.


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## LaRaven

*Day 3*

All seems ok with the fry. I have lost only two so far. What is the easiest way to remove the dead ones? I was thinking maybe a turkey baster? idk. Thier eggs yolk is still present, but getting smaller. I will start hatching the BBS tomorrow night. I can't find a 40 gallon aquarium, only 20g, and 55g or higher. I will keep looking. I didn't want something too big as it will be harder to feed them BBS. Can I wait until they are off the BBS to transfer them to a bigger tank then the 10g they are in? Or will the ammonia lvls climb too high?

Here is the BBS equipment I ordered from eBay.

This is for a 2 liter soda bottle. And the BBS net to rinse them off, also a soda cap and tubing for removing them easily from soda bottle.

















Speaking of, when I removed water from my parent tank to put into the fry tank, I thought I should clean the filter for the first time. I lightly cleaned them in aquarium water, but it seems to have made my tank start cycling again, as the water turned white.







I shouldn't have touched the bio media I guess. But it was gross. The parent tank is clear this morning, but don't get how the ammonia is still high after a 50% water change. (I had to take that much to get all the eggs/fry and fill the 10g.)

Sooooo....

My water test for fry tank as of last night:

*ph: 6.0 (yellow)
ammonia: 2.0ppm (medium green)
nitrite: 0.25ppm (light purple)
nitrate: 20ppm (medium orange)
*

My parent tank was almost as bad. I added some ammoina/nitrate nutrilizer to the fry tank. I hope that is ok.

~LaRaven


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## primetime3wise

the tendency is to do too much, esp for the first batch or two...probably why you have ammonia buildup right now. i'd expect them to really start dying off, unfortunately. the good news is you are going to have many more attempts, so don't worry too much.

it's more difficult to raise the amount of fry in a 10g, and after a 5 or 6 weeks or so, theoretically, say you had 300, 1" fry, it just ain't gonna be reasonable to keep them in anything under, around 30g-40g. a 10g may suffice for a week or two, though.

you can remove dead ones with a turkey baster. right now it's easy to do it that way, but as time goes on and they start to die or they leave a lot of waste or uneaten food, i used like a mini vac with air line tubing (same as for an air pump).

i don't have exp with those kits. i would just buy bbs and hatch them overnight in a soda bottle, with air line and salt. i'd float the bottle in a tank for increased temp, compared to room temp...may not be necessary in summer though.


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## LaRaven

I'm gonna cry. *pout*

I don't want them to die.







You guys don't think I can get a few to live? What if I ask the pet store to buy already cycled water from them? Or something... sighh.

~LaRaven


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## primetime3wise

if they are ok now, they may make it, i was expecting losses as fry need good water quality, so fragile


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## LaRaven

Yeah, me too. But as of yet, they are thriving! I have only lost two so far. I have no idea how many are in there, hundreds I would say. I will take some video tomorrow. ANd I will start my first BBS tomorrow as well. Does the yolk sac need to be totally gone, so no orange is visable before they will eat?


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## LaRaven

*Day 4*

I lost about 10 babies today so far. I tested the water and ammonia still much too high. I did a 25% change with fresh water (stress coat and lil aquarium salt added) because my parent tank water is just as bad. I retested and it's still the same.









The fry's yolk sac is almost completely gone. I started some BBS hatching last night, but the 2 liter bottle vibrated right off my kitchen counter this morning. So I started another batch, but picked up some Instant Baby Brine Shrimp, and Hakari First Bites. (pictured below) Which I think they are eating? I'm not sure.

















They seem to be free swimming when the hood light is off, but scatter, when it's turned on. Also back in the 55g, Mom and Dad are moving rocks around again. I really wish my tank was friggin cycled. Sucks soo bad. By the way, how often should I be feeded the adults? I feed Hakari Pelets, and frozen baby shrimp. I have been feeding them like 3 times a day just because it's fun to watch.

Fry Video coming soon!


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## primetime3wise

you can try feeding them live bbs...no big deal because they are so small and you will feed so little...so no biggie if they do not take to it for another day or two.

that's an awful lot to be feeding adults. you can ask around, but i would say 2-4x/week.


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## LaRaven

You're right. I did over feed...even though I knew you said I would tend to. It was just hard to know how much is too much. Now I think I know. But they do seem to be eating it at day 4. My next question, because they now swim around the whole tank, how can I do water changes? I read about using an air hose to siphon. But how is this done? Please don't tell me I have to suck on the end...


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## memento

Suck on the end








There are special handpumps available, but I personally never used them.

They look like this : http://www.aquarium-winkel.nl/waterhevelaar-p-2307.html


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## LaRaven

memento said:


> Suck on the end


Well as FUN as this sounds... I'm soooo not doing it! LOLL!!!

The fry are all swimming around, I fed them some instant BBS this morning, as my batch won't be ready for a few hours. I won't be able to feed them the whole batch, it will be way too much. How to you store the left over hatched BBS? I have small plastic cups (from making Jell-o shots) will these work to store the rest in? Do I keep them in the refridgerator?

...Now to find some poor soul to suck on the end for me.







*evil grin*


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## Ægir

the easier way to create a siphon (have to be careful with all the small fry!!) is to put 1/2 or more of the tube in the water, put your thumb over the end out side of the tank, remove most the tubing leaving the other end completely submerged, lower the outside end and remove your thumb. Should start a siphon every time!


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## LaRaven

Ægir said:


> the easier way to create a siphon (have to be careful with all the small fry!!) is to put 1/2 or more of the tube in the water, put your thumb over the end out side of the tank, remove most the tubing leaving the other end completely submerged, lower the outside end and remove your thumb. Should start a siphon every time!


Thank you, that worked perfectly. Took forever to drain with the small air hose.

Also, I messed up my second batch of BBS. I got a third one going now, and this one should be ok. BUT my fry LOVE the instant bbs!!!


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## LaRaven

The fry are a week old today. They seem to be doing very well. They eat a ton, and are all swimming around. I'm glad they like the Instant baby brine shrimp, because my 4th batch of bbs didnt hatch well either. I have no idea what I'm doing wrong. Im using the correct solution, lamp, and a air hose. But at 24 hours I have minimal bbs. Maybe let it go longer???

A few questions...

Keep in mind they are in a 10g with a sponge filter. I do a 50% water change once daily. And feed them 4-5 times a day.

-How often should I be feeding them?
-How often should I be doing water changes?
-Should I discard some of the fry, so that the others have a better chance at making it? I don't know how many I have but it must be over a thousand.
-When will they start looking like piranhas?

Thanks in advance.


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## BRUNER247

Dont need no lamp to hatch bbs. To really get the best results with a hatchery you need two. So you'll have a fresh batch everyday


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## LaRaven

I gave up on hatching bbs long ago. Good thing the fry are thriving off the instant bbs you can buy.

I think my issue was bad quality eggs honestly. But maybe it was just me that sucks. idk.


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## Ægir

Brine shrimp are a PITA... never really had success

always just food processed or ground up pellets to a super fine dust


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## BRUNER247

They as simple as it gets. Just gotta be consistent.


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## canadianforever

did any survive?


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