New spawn water condition HELP!!!

[OregonDreamsBettas]

Hi all you experienced breeders in the house...

OK Well after stressing out for the last two days I have confirmed eggs. Yes, they are in the nest and falling out of the nest and busy new daddy is working hard grabbing them and spitting them back up.

I thought I would preemptively check the water conditions and was dismayed to notice ammonia levels are in the "stress" range. My breeding tank is a plastic tote... about 13x18 or so with 5 inches of water. I have it stocked with hornwort and there is a small filter running in the corner which I pre-conditioned by running it in an established tank for over a week.

The eggs are at this point unhatched... should I try a water change now before they pop out? If I do... what method do you all use to most gently change out the water and how much would you recommend?

Thank you!!!

[vilmarisv]

Was your water clean before you introduced the pair?
I never test my spawn tank water but always use clean water and let it age for a couple of days.
If you had clean water before they spawned, your fry should be fine. Just add some age water in a few days after they are free swimming.
I wouldn't try changing the water now as you male can become stressed and eat the eggs.

[OregonDreamsBettas]

Thank you... yes my water was clean and aged before I put the spawning pair in. I will leave them alone... difficult though it may be

[vilmarisv]

I know it's difficult but the more you "fuss" over them the more likely is that you will do something wrong.
Does your tank have infusoria? What are you planning to feed for the first week?
The first week is one of the most important to me because it when the fry are most sensible. Once they can eat larger foods, they are easier to grow.
I've been itching to feed mine who are just 2 days old but I know there's enough critters in the tank to keep them well fed.

[OregonDreamsBettas]

I put a bunch of hornwort in the tank and they are sitting in a bright window which I read should create infusoria. After a week I should have baby brine and micro worms.

[vilmarisv]

Yes it will. You should see little specks moving in the water and along the glass.
Other ugly looking but good things will be there too if the conditions are right.

[Oldfishlady]

Congrats on the successful spawn....

What type of testing products are you using and type of additives used....some additives can change the ammonia to safer ammonium and the test products can't tell the difference.....

How many hours since placed in the nest-what is the water temp....

[OregonDreamsBettas]

I didn't add anything except a splash of melafix ... I just aged the water a week before adding fish. I did add a cup of water with some ammonia fix added to see if that helps but then i read that I should not play with it too much so I am going to try not to obsess
The adults went in Thursday night ... the fry are hatched this morning ...

[tpocicat]

How are they doing?

[OregonDreamsBettas]

So far so good! They are just hanging out and daddy is still doing his best to pick up the ones that fall... I counted about 20 or 30 so far but they are so small its hard to tell. They hatched yesterday. My plan is to start bbs and microworms on Thursday or Friday. There are infusoria in the tank they can munch on until then.