Mickey Mouse Fish and Babies (frys)

Question
QUESTION: Hello David,

I woke up this morning with fry(s) in my 10 gallon fish tank, luckily they all seems to be fine. I took the frys out of the main tank and put them in a smaller one. I don't want to risk them.. I have big fishes in the tank as well.

Well, I wasn't ready to all this and it is the first time I see babies mickey mouse.

I have around 10 of them so far, they are laying at the bottom and they swim up from time to time.

I will go to petco and get the food they need.. they don't sell live shrimps, so I have to but the frozen ones for now until my order for shrimps breeding arrives next week. oh by the way.. I put the mickey mouse giving birth all by herself for now and while she is having the babies I wait a little bit and remove the babies and put them into a separate fishtank.


Do you recommend any other kinda of food?

Well my question is, how do I take care of all of them.. What kind of food and environment do they need? How about the water temperature?

Do they need any kind of decoration? I just have water in the fishtank.

Do you recommend any guide to follow?


Thank you.

ANSWER: Hi Jonathan:  Baby fish love Daphnia, baby brine shrimp, crushed flake food, and even sometimes a boiled egg yolk paste.  Baby fry need to feel safe so a bushy plant would do them well.., keep the temperature between 78-82 degrees, change the water weekly or twice per week about 10 percent... Feed them up to six times per day... but only what they will eat in a few minutes... do not let the tank become dirty... I recommend a snail or two as a cleaner... this is how I care for my fry... dave

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thank you for your answer David. unfortunately I woke up this morning and everything was going great.. The 10 frys were alive for the second day and the adults mickey mouse planties were swimming like any normal day.

I got back from work and I found all my adult mickey mouse planties and the babies dead.

I can't help but be sad... I was really happy to see the frys for the first time.

The most weird thing is that they were all fine when I got up and now they are all dead? It doesn't make any sense.

Water is fine, I did all kind of tests, the temperature is always at 80-81 degrees and there is a double filter in the fishtank.

I'm sad...

ANSWER: Hi Jonathan:  Check your heater and see if it is functioning properly... if there is any water inside of it they may have been electrocuted... its all they would all die like that with the water values fine... Keep me posted ... dave

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hi David, thank you for your fast reply.

I will have replace the heater since it is like 5 years old already.

I will buy a new filter as well and let it work out the water for a week or two before getting new fish.. even thou nothing will replace the babies.

I will keep you posted.

Again, thanks so much.

Answer
Fry are amazing:  I feel your sadness... I keep over 90 fish myself and they are all dear to me... right now I have two sets of fry... about 400 little fish from my Green Terrors and about 200 little fish from my jewel cichlids... WHen you are ready... try again... if you need help... let me know... dave