What do you feed your fry?

[Melody]

With all of this talk about BBS, I thought I'd ask about fry specifically. I don't think I've done that already.

Since I deal mostly with Livebearer fry, I get away with some easy feeding. They can have crushed flake/freeze dried foods or the usual fry foods like BBS. They can also handle fresh vegies like cooked peas. I just recently began feeding them Seaweed powder as well, which is fantastic for them.

I do believe that omnivores and herbivores should have vegetation in their diet from day one. Strictly protein diets provide rapid growth, but rapid growth isn't necessarily what's best for the fish, nor does it necessarily mean they're healthy and receiving a complete diet.

I feed them as often as possible, but probably average 2-3 times per day, very small amounts. They can only utilize so much of each nutrient/feeding, so feeding them smaller amounts several times per day results in more nutrition being used. I also use Applesnails & plants so infusorians are always present for them to munch.

I know a show breeder who feeds his fry/fish a variety of foods, from live to flake, FIVE times/day! His fish are amazing - they grow fast and large.

What's your fry routine? What do you feed them and how often?

[CACAdmin]

I feed my fry 2-4 times a day depending upon which tank they are in. In the fry tank it's 3-4 times a day (depending upon my work schedule... if I'm home they get the extra feeding that day).The fry in the main tank get fed along with the adults twice a day.

All of them get crushed flake food, BBS and veggies like cooked peas, zucchini, broccoli and bottom bites (as that's something I feed the snails in the tank). And, of course with the snails in the tank, they get infusoria as well.

The fry in with the adults in the main tank get all of the above plus anything they can find and manage of other foods which I feed such as: shrimp pellets, blood worms, algae wafers, spirulina tablets, etc.

[jordonsmum]

I try to feed my fry tank 5 times per day. They're having a rough day if they get fed 4 times. I feed baby brine shrimp live, live microworms, pureed blood worms mixed with peas, bottom bites, crushed shrimp pellets mixed with fry bites and when really tiny , fry bites. I alternate these foods to keep things interesting for them and healthy. They're coloring up beautifully!!!!

[blainep]

I usually put a variety of flake foods into a small ziplock bag and crush it into a fine, almost powder, mix to use as a staple food in the morning.
In the evening I feed a variety of veggies or frozen foods. Something different each day.

All of my tanks have some kind of snails and plants to provide infusoria and I leave any algae that grows in the tanks for them to pick at.

[Melody]

That's a good idea, leaving the algae. It doesn't only provide a good meal in itself, but it also has micro-organisms in it. We may not like algae, but it keeps the tank cleaner like any plant and its good for fish who need their vegies.

Just a note on the breeder who feeds 5 times/day, he has a huge operation. Feeding that often in the average hobbyist tank is almost certain to polute the water without daily water changes. Just wanted to clarify that I'm not suggesting it as the ultimate routine. Wish I had the room to do it though!

[jordonsmum]

That's a good idea, leaving the algae. It doesn't only provide a good meal in itself, but it also has micro-organisms in it. We may not like algae, but it keeps the tank cleaner like any plant and its good for fish who need their vegies.

Just a note on the breeder who feeds 5 times/day, he has a huge operation. Feeding that often in the average hobbyist tank is almost certain to polute the water without daily water changes. Just wanted to clarify that I'm not suggesting it as the ultimate routine. Wish I had the room to do it though!

Hey Mel,
I feed 5 times per day because I try not to feed too much. Each feed is fairly moderate and I do water changes every day because I have well over 100 fry in that tank right now (42 gal). I have to change every day with that many fry.

[Melody]

I'm sure you'll be moving them to the 300 gallon grow out tank soon anyway :laugh:. Seriously though, be careful with it - that many fish & that many feedings could end up countering the growth rate with bad parameters. Even my most diligent maintenance schedules haven't been able to keep up with more than three feedings, and the growth rate suffered rather than improved. The mortality rate will also go way up with polution and you're already going to be dealing with crowding soon. That's my view on it anyways :smile: .

[blainep]

Hey Mel,
I feed 5 times per day because I try not to feed too much. Each feed is fairly moderate and I do water changes every day because I have well over 100 fry in that tank right now (42 gal). I have to change every day with that many fry.

With that many fry, we know who will soon be the main supplier of swordtails on Vancouver Island ! :yes: (Like I should talk, I've got more pregnant fish than I can count !:eek:)

I suppose if someone was serious about growing out as many fry as possible, setting up a constant freshwater supply to the growout tanks would be the way to go.
That way water pollution could be kept to a minimum.

[jordonsmum]

I had my foot in on a deal for a 77 gal last week and it fell through...:( . I'm avidly hunting again for something a lot bigger. I've taken out the first batch of larger/older fry that are about 1" and split them into 10 gal tanks. I'll slow down the feeding to 3 times per day. Does that sound better?? Are daily water changes not enough???