# HELP, Gourami fry



## gourami (Jan 23, 2011)

Hello everyone,

My Gourami's have a ton of fry, wee little ones. In the tank is a blue male and two gold females. Will the fry survive if I leave them in the tank with the adults???


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## majerah1 (Oct 29, 2010)

If they have live plant cover then I would say they have more of a chance.If not then they may get eaten.They are too sensitive to move unless you are careful and use water fron the tank they are in.

Set up a ten gallon with some live plants and water from the main tank,and try to catch the fry using a cup,not a net.At this age they are super fragile.Good luck.


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## Bill Pape (Oct 1, 2010)

Once the fry can swim (after their yolk sacs have been used up - about three days,) the male should come out. The female should have come out right after they breed. So, take them all out right away. 

I don't think they will survive without food, even with a well-planted tank. Although I know someone who let the tank go wild and the fry did raise by themselves with the adults in there. I don't have the skill for this.

But you should be able to handle the following: (reference Herbert Axelrod)

You can feed the fry with hardboiled egg yolk squeezed through a handkerchief or some other thin fabric. I haven't done this in a long time, but I see people telling to use "Liquifry." Then by the end of one week of egg yolk, you should have baby brine shrimp for them. You can hatch your own. Buy the eggs and some sea salt and follow the directions. You can use plastic milk cartons and aerate them gently. Pour some of the water through the handkerchief and dip the caught brine shrimp into the water and shake them loose into the tank. 

You can attract the brine shrimp to concentrate at the top of the carton using a flashlight in the dark. In ten minutes they will be near the light. You can get many feedings before they are used up. But start the second batch of shrimp right away when you sart to use the first batch.

Use frozen baby brine shrimp as plan B. Feed them a little at a time with an eye dropper. The babies will only stay near the top, so if you put too much in, it will drop to the bottom and rot. Maybe put a corydorus catfish in the tank. They won't eat the babies but will get unused food.

This is more than you asked for. Good luck and let me know if they live.

Bill Pape
Milwaukee WI


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