AND WE ARE SPAWNING!! I think...

[louisvillelady]

Myates has wonderful tips and advice. Follow her advice and I am sure you will be very successful I am sure. It is a great idea to have a variety of food on hand and not just depend on the bbs cause sometimes you simply have a failed batch for no apparent reason. I always offer a variety of food with each feeding as some fry may be pickier eaters and I have noticed once I started doing this, as adults they will readily accept and at least try new food source, even if they decide later that it is not something they may be interested in. They will at least try it. The mixture of frozen that you have would be a good idea as long as the "bits" are small enough. after a month or so it may be okay, Im just not sure how small those parts are. The fry will be extremely small. So whatever they eat has to be even smaller!

As far as the bbs, I start the first batch the first day I see little wigglers. The first day I put a small amount in the tank under the nest for any fast growers who may be quicker developers. Then I make a new batch every day. You can also set you up a simple airated tank and throw in a pinch of yeast and a pinch of spirula. And I do mean a pinch. Throw in the unused bbs and grow them out for your adult fish. Doesn't take long at all if you keep it in a warm place. I just keep it above my spawn tank and heat rises, so it stays considerably warm to not have a heater. San Fransico Bay is full of brine and the ocean therre is quick cold. So even 75 degrees for an adult brine is warm. The hatchery though you want about 80*. Mine usually hatch between 18-24 hours. But you don't want to just have bbs and nothing else cause its stressful to have a failed batch and a tank full of hungry fry!

Congratulations on your spawn!! I can't wait to see how this turns out!

[louisvillelady]

Oh yeah, the light, I leave a light on in the room, or flip the tank light over to give indirect light. Dad will get a little frantic if he cannot see his little ones in the dark.

[Xaltd1]

Where do I get spirula?

[Xaltd1]

And, LL, I'm not sure what you mean about San Francisco Bay foods- is the brand good or bad?

[Jayloo]

I would say micro worms until day 5. Then BBS and MW mix. I wouldn't put anything that cleans up other than plants until they are a little bigger.

[louisvillelady]

You can get it at most pet stores. Just look through the fish food. Yeah San Francisco bay foods brand is a good brand. I use it. I was really talking about the actual place and the temperature. I was just pointing out that it wouldn't need to be too awfully warm to grow them out.

[Myates]

I had done lots of research and looking - San Fransisco Bay is a decent brand, but surprisingly Hikari has the best frozen foods, nutrition wise. Either works good, I just thought I'd toss that in :)

Keep in mind for a couple of days after hatching they still have egg sacs and won't eat anything, why I don't feed until 2-3 days after first hatching. Rather not let the dead food sit there for so long (since not going to disturb daddy caring for newly hatching fry). Once they start going horizontal then they are ready to start eating - the early hatch ones.

[louisvillelady]

I second that Myates. I prefer Hikari over San Fransisco Bay, but different stores carry different brands. I wouldn't not use SFB if that is what I had.

[Xaltd1]

Going horizontal- hehehe (my best Butt-Head laugh). Sorry.

Anyway, I don't think Jack is the best Dad and I'm starting to get discouraged. There are lots of eggs on the bottom of the tank, and his nest is quite small.

[Myates]

If they are fertile they still have a chance at hatching.. but if they are infertile he may of just let them fall and not bother with them. He may eat them later for nourishment. I remember having a lot of eggs scattered all over - thought I only had a small number of eggs in the nest. I now have well over 500 fry :) So I learned that looks can be deceiving!
As long as he is taking care of the ones in the nest, then he is doing fine :) Continue to keep an eye on him, see how he handles the fry.. then you will know the next time you spawn him whether or not to pull him early, or leave him be, etc. :)