[metalmaniac28]

Just have a couple of simple questions since this is my first time breeding Betta. Had no problems with breeding, eggs, and hatching but now the problem is, I can't tell if some fry are dead or if they just like laying on the bottom. They are 2 weeks old today. I know some are dead, from deformities or just general weakness. Problem is I can't tell which to siphon out and i know it could become a problem with decaying fish in the tank. Would you recommend leaving it alone until the fish are older or big enough to tell the difference or is there a trick to this that I'm missing?

 

[Sowa]

I've only done this once, but my dead fry turned fuzzy or like they had a bubble around them so I knew they were dead. I'm not 100% sure but I don't think it's good to leave decaying stuff in the tank

 

[hrutan]

No, I wouldn't leave it alone. The decay will trash the water, leading to more fry death and potentially a collapse of your whole spawn.

Take a bit of airline tubing or a turkey baster and move the tip close to the fry. If it doesn't respond to a light current or the gentlest of nudges, I'd remove it. If they're alive and well, they'll respond and swim away. They are plenty old enough for that.

 

[metalmaniac28]

Yeah i tried to move them with the airline tubing, only problem was got close enough to nudge them, and they got sucked up lol put them back in the tank and they seemed ok but still left me with the same dilemma.

 

[hrutan]

Put your thumb over the far end of the tubing to keep it from sucking them up, nudge them, if they don't move then take your thumb off and siphon them out.

 

[metalmaniac28]

Ah ok good trick, wouldn't have thought of that thanks.

 

[logisticsguy]

You are also going to need to look at the root cause of the fry deaths. At this stage the most common reason is high ammonia/nitrite or lack of food.