The Celestrial Pearl Danios have been busy...

[mdfa.ca]

:yes: hmmm...

I feel like I've been in that famous "baby" Seinfeld episode - "Have you seen the baaabyy???"

Here is the photo:
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e62/mdfa/CPDbaby-1.jpg

Yeap, he's in there. So tiny though, that I could not even focus the camera on him. Here, let me give you a hint:

http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e62/mdfa/CPDbaby-2.jpg

That little smudge is a single fry.

A few days ago I was observing my shy CPDs and noticed some chasing and flashing behaviour. Since they were plumping up nicely, I figured in a few weeks I might be able to attempt breeding them. My son even made his own little spawning mop from yarn and already hung it in the tank, but I told him not to expect anything for a few weeks. So, last night I was watching them again. They seemed to be hunting just above the gravel. I figured there must have been some white worms left over from the feeding and came closer for a better look. As I watched a male dart around a small movement to the side caught my eye. I located it and just about fell out of my chair. It was a teeny tiny CPD fry!!!

It's my first non live-bearer baby! Geez, and I thought Guppy babies were small. This guy is miniscule and looks so fragile I'm scared stiff he won't make it.

It took me about an hour to catch him and put him in a cup. This little guy has excellent eye sight! This wasn't supposed to happen so fast and I was not prepared! Not even sure what to feed him. I have some liquifry but it's old so I pitched it. Instead I took some of flake food his parents love, liquified it in the water from his "pond" and then strained about 2 drops through a paper towel. Hope he can see it and will eat it. Meanwhile I stuck a sponge filter into my large aquarium to start a bacterial culture. Will put it in a small tank tonight.

I actually thought to put him in my guppy fry tank, but he is too small. The biggest juvies would have him for a snack!

Oh Gosh, do I sound frantic? I am. Feel like a new parent. So much fuss over such a tiny little fish LOL. But I want him to make it so very much...

Any suggestions anyone has, please feel free to share them! And keep your fingers crossed for my little guy. I think I'll name him Neo.

margaret.

[CACAdmin]

Congrats, Margaret. Sorry no advice as I've never raised any non-livebearer fry except for BN's and they are a good size before they're out on their own.

I understand your excitement finding that cute little guy. Fry are always exciting and he's a first for you. You're definitely right nowtto put him in with the guppies who, yes, I'm sure would find him a tasty snack. Watch the tank closely, with CPD fry being so small, there might be more.

Good luck raising him (or them, if you find more).

[Noctame]

Maybe an apple snail in his tank could add some infusoria au naturel? Java moss tuft attached to a piece of slate at the bottom for him to graze on, and maybe more of those flake smoothies or decap bbs eggs when he's bigger. Hey, can decapped bbs be liquified? :3 maybe mort and pestled out and pipetted in front of him.

[mdfa.ca]

Jay,

thank you and yes, I came to the same conclusion last night (where there is one there's got to be more) and stared at the tank until my eyes were crossing but saw nothing more. Back to the vigil tonight.

Noctame,

excellent suggestions, why didn't I think about the java moss! I have tons of it everywhere. Will do that when I get home today and round up some snails. Don't have any apples but others will do as well, won't they? How about Pagoda snails?

Margaret.

[Noctame]

Because he's so tiny and probably curious, make sure whatever snail you put in there won't hurt him. Also, keep an eye out for big water column critters. I read somewhere that they can be big enough to hurt fry if the fry is tiny. And java moss will definitely make him feel like he has some cover to hide in. Just don't lose him in there too :s. Anybody know about Pagoda's first hand? Google can only tell me so much xP

[CACAdmin]

Margaret, I don't know anything about Pagoda snails but I would think all snails produce infusorians. Plants produce them too.

[mdfa.ca]

Well, I've got lots of other snails so I will pop some in tonight. Pagodas are supposed to be peaceful and only eat plants if not fed well. But they are still pretty large so I think I will leave them where they are. Can't wait to get home and check up on the little guy. Wouldn't you know it - I have to work late tonight...:no:

Margaret.

[CACAdmin]

Working late tonight?... Murphy's law. However, just think, tired as you may be after work, you'll have something exciting to look forward to... maybe even a sibling or two is this little CPD.

[Laura]

I have some wee fry - they're either CPD or exclamation pt rasboras. They are eating commercial liquid fry food and walter worms.

[Pamelajo]

Congrats to both of you. I have used cooked egg yolk in a pinch and add some water to kind of dissolve it.

[Laura]

I checked the ingredients of the liquid fry food - egg is high on the list.

[Pamelajo]

I think I came up with the idea from a recipe for homemade fry food and it called for powdered egg and boiled egg yolk was the closest ingredient I had. I want if you whisked it in a little bit of water then cooked the water if it would be easier than trying to liquefy it after. May have to try it. Good to know that it is high on the list for store bought fry food.

[blainep]

Java moss has been my secret to success with CPD's. I suppose it's not really a secret, just dumb luck.

I bought a group of 6, put them in a 15 gallon tank, tossed in a handful of Java moss and they went right to work at making babies, with no help from me whatsoever.

My best guess is about 25 of them now, with more appearing every week. :laugh:

[mdfa.ca]

Will try some cooked egg yolk tomorrow (or later today as the case may be), too late now. Blaine, you may have the right idea. The tank they are in has a golf ball size lava rock with java moss tied all around it. It has grown into quite a bush and thats where the CPDs hang out 90% of the time. My guess is, there are more babies in there but I can't think of a way to find them/get them out. I did find another baby tonight but the bad news is, he's very weak. he swims a bit but mostly rests on the bottom of his "tank" that he now shares with his sibling. I put in some rams horns and pond snails, a small bunch of java fern and gave them some fresh water today. I'm hoping he'll find enough food to gain some strength so he can swim with his brother soon.

Laura,

congratulations on your babies as well. What is your setup like?

[Noctame]

Poor guy's probably been looking frantically for some kind of haven with food. That or he's one of the genetic dudes. But good luck with him! I think the java moss and snails should do the trick.

[mdfa.ca]

Well, he did look a tiny bit better this morning (I think...). Still pretty weak, but at least he was moving more between "rests". He must have gotten some food into his tummy last night, at least I keep telling myself that.

The other guy is swimming around like a pro. I swear he looked up at me this morning when I was checking on them. I often wonder, what do we look like to these microscopic babies? Do they actually "see" us or are we just a huge moving blob of colours and shapes?

Margaret.

[CACAdmin]

Hope he does ok and that you discover more siblings.

It would be interesting to know how they see us. We are so huge in relation to them, maybe they only focus on parts (like hands which feed them) or our faces which we bring close to the glass. They quickly learn to associate our presence with food, that's for sure and they seem to easily distinguish us from other creatures which approach the tank (like a dog or cat). But it would be neat to know what they actually see.

[mdfa.ca]

Good news again. I was actually away all weekend, starting on Friday afternoon. Put in some snails, refreshed the water a bit and dropped in another couple of drops of my "flake broth". Came home last night and they are both swimming! Yeay!!!! The weaker one seems much stronger now and does not rest on the bottom any more.

Unfortunately, I have not been able to see any more siblings. They are either hiding very well or are not there.

[CACAdmin]

Good to hear they're both doing well. Hope you had a pleasant weekend away. It goes to show even the littlest ones do fine in our absence.

[Pamelajo]

Awesome!!

[mdfa.ca]

Thanks Jay. I took my son (9) camping to Long Point Provincial Park. The weather was awesome, water was warmer than it was in 1st week of August, but the bugs were merciless. The best part of the whole weekend? We found some really neat tracks in the sand dunes and decided to follow them as they seemed rather fresh. We found the source: Itty bitty newborn snapping turtles! They were around 1 to 1.5" across and absolutely beautiful in their perfection - little copies of the adults complete with claws and long tails, and hooks on their beaks. I never thought I'd see anything like that in my lifetime... Still grinning from the experience.

Margaret.

[mdfa.ca]

Here is one of the little critters:
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e62/mdfa/BabySnapper.jpg

[CACAdmin]

Such an adorable little creature. What an amazing experience. Kids so often open us up to seeing things with fresh eyes and to seek things out with their level of curiosity and enthusiasm. I'm so glad you followed those tracks so you could see these little turtles and share the experience with us.

[mdfa.ca]

Indeed, Jay. I am so thankful that at least my son shares my husband's and my love of nature. Alas, my daughter is more interested in shopping malls and clothes...:laugh:

Margaret.

[CACAdmin]

Indeed, Jay. I am so thankful that at least my son shares my husband's and my love of nature. Alas, my daughter is more interested in shopping malls and clothes...:laugh:

Margaret.
There has to be one rebel in the family. :wink: :laugh:

[Blossom112]

congrats !!!!!
I would just leave them in a container with nothing but moss , they will be fine .
this is what im going to do .
thanks for the picture

[mdfa.ca]

Thanks, Blossom. THat's what I decided last night, to leave them in the cup for now, even though I have a small tank ready for them. They'd get lost in it and I'd never find them again. They are comfortable where they are in their small world and were even playing tag last night. Amazing how much character such tiny creatures can have. I just can't wait for them to get bigger so I can actually *see* them eat. I will feel much more comfortable myself then.

[CACAdmin]

The fact that they are zipping around energetically would be a good indication they are getting enought to eat but I do know what you mean. It alwasys feels better when we can see actually see it with our own eyes that they are eating.

[Noctame]

Small space is easier for them to get food in as well :3 Spoiled little specks that they are! See if you can see the food coloured belly next time maybe? I read somewhere bbs can turn fry bellies pink

[Blossom112]

A breeder actually told me to do that with no filter or even air stone so they must know what to do better then I ....
but I am seeding a hydor right now in prep as I cant stand to have nohing in it lol
I will wait fr that to seed , then try and spawn them .... plus im waiting on tips from you and laura :-)
hehehe ...
I think I have 20+ to breed .... could be more .... think I will put in some snails like laura suggested .... lots a good info thanks guys!