About time I update this thread.....
The slate I pulled the end of August from the F2 Peruvian Glitter pair did hatch and make it to free swimming, however, I was still loosing my free swimmers. May have figured that one out. Time will tell. Anyway, there are 12 survivors. The largest of which is pea sized.
This prolific pair continued to spawn and I left the eggs with them. No more tanks space. And with the spawn a couple of weeks ago, this pair figured out how to parent raise. I cannot begin to count the number of fry, but I'd say it is somewhere around 400 with around 50 of those being albino. Once this spawn reached free swimming the parents segregated the albino from the rest. No idea why they did this but I watched them spit the albino into the corner.
Later that same day the parents continued to move all the others into the same corner. And, has continued daily to attempt to herd their progeny into this same corner. Maybe it is their attempt to contain them? Who knows!
Last night I got a scare. I couldn't find the fry and thought the parents ate them. Was mad at myself for not turning on the light over the planted 10g tanks before it got dark and assumed this change is what set off these new parents. But they had them well hidden because they are all alive and well.
Thanks to everyone for all your ideas and sharing your thoughts on what was stopping my success!!
I had to separate the parents after just 6 days of free swimming with the 2nd spawn. But, they have turned out to be far more healthy than the first spawn I pulled.
The pulled spawn has only 12 survivors today and 2 months. The largest is over dime size yet the smallest is barely pea sized. I was planning on culling these smallest ones but have learned from others working with this line that the smallest ones are often the pb/pb offspring and to hold off culling them.
The second spawn that was initially parent raised is almost a month old and the size of fat peas, even the largest albino. And I can see that blue headlight developing to indicate they are pb/pb. There are still a couple hundred (I think) as the 29g tank will soon need to be divided.
Looking good, Dena. Good to hear that all is going well with them. Did you ever come to a conclusion as to what the original problem was?
Dan
I am thinking it was the tap water. In checking my records I've rarely been successful in raising fry over the summer months when my tap source comes from the river. Next summer, once I am off the natural spring water, I will be trying the alternate methods everyone suggested while I was struggling to figure things out.
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