# Ammonia problem killing fry?



## Glen M (May 7, 2013)

About two weeks ago two of our swordtails gave birth and we managed to save around 40-50 of the fry by catching them and putting them in a floating fry tank. Unfortunately (well for the fish) we then went on holiday for 7 days. My mother in law came to the house daily to feed the fry but as with everything people can only do so much so that only got fed once a day and not cleaned out. 

Upon our return had expected to see a few dead but to our amazment all survived. When we got back first thing done was a 40-50% water change and we made sure to clean out the fry tank then upped the feeding and made sure to keep the frys tank as clean as possible. 

But then the problems started.....

At first some of the smaller, weaker looking fry died and to be honest I wasn't overly concerned as I thought like anything nature takes it course and not all will survive. 

Then more of them died, of all sizes, about 10-15 in total so I went a bought a water test kit and it showed some ammonia, 0 nitrites and about 20ppm nitrates. 

Speaking to the local fish shop they say that it could be the ammonia so we did another 50% water change last night and its brought the levels down but more dead fish this morning. Obviously if its ammonia poisioning the water change isn't going to fix sickly fish overnight but is there anything else you would recommend I test for or look at changing to help the survival rate?

Also turns out this morning that the corys are mating and have laid a load of eggs so the water conditions can't be that bad.....


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

The fry are probly more "fragile" to nutrients(ammonia) so doing waterchanges are necesary.Your 50%water change likely cut your ammonia in half ,but you still have some,so I would do another 50% today and then keep up with 25% x2 a week while you have fry.Try to make sure you adjust temp of replacement water to as close to tank temp as possible and always dechlorinate.
Good Luck!


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## jamnigh (Apr 24, 2013)

Also, what are you feeding the fry? Make sure if you are doing flakes you are crushing it up into a fine powder. You might also want to look into baby brine shrimp to feed them, as it is very very healthy for them.


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

When you say you were still showing ammonia after your w/c, how much are we talking (ppm)?

How long has the tank been running and how much are you feeding? It sounds like the person that was taking care of your tank did a decent job, but then you got back and started overfeeding cauing ammonia issues....just what it sounds like. Despite what you may read livebearer fry can do very well with a once a day feeding. I would only try to do more if they had their own separate tank. I have 75g and 125g livebearer tanks (fully planted) and do nothing special for the fry that are born. Some get eaten, many live, but all in all they do fairly well if left alone. I regularly go on travel for a week to 2wks at a time and do not feed my fish at all and they have no problem surviving. Fry can get micro-nutrients off of things in the tank and constantly eat at them.


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## jamnigh (Apr 24, 2013)

I have guppy fry all the time. They are in their own tank till there are around half and inch to an inch big, then they go in my 20g tank till they are sold. They get fed once a day, sometimes every other day if I run out of time in the morning.


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