Much awaited: Marble Spawn Log

[1fish2fish]

What have you been feeding them? Just live BBS? I was just going to do frozen bbs and decaps for my new kids but if live is working that well for you I may have to stop being lazy and hatch brine shrimp instead. I have eggs.. I just hate all the fuss LOL

[vilmarisv]

I've been feeding live bbs and using microworms as "back up" food.
I thought decaps were only good for a few days after opening the container... never gotten them because of that. Depending on where the fry are at the end of the month, I might have to get some decaps. I have a friend who offered to come feed them a couple of days that week so I need an easy food for her to feed them. If they are big enough, then I have NLS Grow ready for them.

[Bambi]

vilmarisv: Those are the instant ones in that come in the little can. you can buy dry ones and as long as you keep them sealed and dry they're good for a while. once you rehydrate them they're only good for a couple days(which is whats in the jar decap eggs + water).

[1fish2fish]

I wanted more worm cultures.. couldn't afford it and my moss. So I'll probably try to stick to live bbs and frozen bbs. CajunAmy will be sending me some golden pearls in a couple weeks but until then I need to get my lazy butt to start hatching brine.

[bettalover2033]

Originally Posted by 1fish2fish

I wanted more worm cultures.. couldn't afford it and my moss. So I'll probably try to stick to live bbs and frozen bbs. CajunAmy will be sending me some golden pearls in a couple weeks but until then I need to get my lazy butt to start hatching brine.

I thought it was a must for some kind of live food or the fry wont survive very long? At least that's what I've read and heard.

I didn't know you can feed them frozen BBS. Or do you mean when they are a little older?

I had a pound of frozen bbs and used it for conditioning/older fry food. My mom thought is was a kind of meat that went bad and threw it out a few months ago. I was furious, but I had to think a minute (she is my mother and I better watch out). It was a sad waste.

[vilmarisv]

*Forhead slap* I'm as dumb as a doorknob!
With all this talk about frozen vs live food, I realized I can freeze my own bbs... DUH!
I was thinking the other day I should get some bbs but I know Petco and Petsmart don't carry it in my area.
Probably 1/2 of the bbs I hatch end up wasted after 2 days because my fish won't eat that many before they die off.
Just harvested a hole pint (water included) of them today so I'll be freezing half!

[1fish2fish]

I haven't tried freezing mine. Let me know how it goes.

@bl2033... you can feed non-live foods..but it's not ideal because newborn fry especially feed instinctually. It's like when a baby is born and immedially has a suckling reflex if you stroke it's cheek it'll turn its head.. the same logic applies to bettas.. they see something moving and will instinctively grab it and eat it or spit it out if it doesn't taste good.

Non-live foods dont move, so some fry never eat and end up starving to death.

[bettalover2033]

Originally Posted by 1fish2fish

@bl2033... you can feed non-live foods..but it's not ideal because newborn fry especially feed instinctually. It's like when a baby is born and immedially has a suckling reflex if you stroke it's cheek it'll turn its head.. the same logic applies to bettas.. they see something moving and will instinctively grab it and eat it or spit it out if it doesn't taste good.

Non-live foods dont move, so some fry never eat and end up starving to death.

Ah I see. Very well explained and perfect analogy.

It would be interesting to experiment with a "control" fry (using the frozen) vs. the regularly fed (using live food). Of course the live food fed fry will grow great, but I would like to try the frozen bbs, ect. and see how they develop and other observations.

[vilmarisv]

Here's today's pics... they look so different from the weekend (in my eyes) I had to take pictures to share!

[Gloria]

Holy Moly!!! Look at those cute FATTY FAT bellies :) LOVE IT!! They are SO cute vil!! How old are they now?