# Is this normal for the fry?



## indianabetta (May 3, 2012)

my fry have been free swimming for 2 days, and a majority of them stay at the bottom, not moving, or just a little, and occasionally 1 or two will decide to come back up to the surface, but is it normal for them to stay at the bottom?


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## Junglist (Feb 23, 2012)

indianabetta said:


> my fry have been free swimming for 2 days, and a majority of them stay at the bottom, not moving, or just a little, and occasionally 1 or two will decide to come back up to the surface, but is it normal for them to stay at the bottom?


Yes it's normal, there still babies some may get tired and just flop back down and go back up again but some may not be as strong as the others or may be deformed but that's normal. But just keep and eye on them like what your doing now and try your best to keep the bottom & water clean as you can


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## Oldfishlady (Mar 1, 2010)

First...Congrats.....

My fry when first free swimming are usually all at the top-rarely do I see them at the bottom of the tank even when I spawned with the standard bare bottom, half full of water method.

I spawn using a more natural method using soil based full to the top with water in 5 or 10 gal size tanks-no filtration or water movement-The fry generally stay at the top to mid level hunting and resting in the plants.

Are the fry eating and if so, what are you feeding, water temp, live plants, filter or water movement, is the male still in the tank, water level, any tannin used, if so, what is the tannin source, have you made any water changes, if so, how, when and volume, have you seen any dead fry, tank size, additives used and lights, photoperiod-are you using anything to help retain the heat/humidity over the water.

Can you post a pic...is this your first spawn


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## indianabetta (May 3, 2012)

Ok thankyou! I havent found a dead one yet, so im hoping all is well. My biggest issue right now is knowing how much to feed them, I havent seen them eat the microworms, they must be, but they are sooo small I cant see, and I have no clue if I am underfeeding or overfeeding.


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## jeffegg2 (Apr 5, 2012)

I get some like the top, some like the bottom. Sometimes the ones at the top are harder to see.

Jeff.


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## indianabetta (May 3, 2012)

Ok, so this is my first free swimming fry, all my others never made it  There is no moving water at this time, the sponge filter is not on yet, the daddy has been removed, I have them in a small walk in well lit closet that is heated and keeps the water at 82 degrees. I am using plastic wrap in case of cold air. I did remove a red solo cups worth of water this morning, and added 2 red solo cups worth of aged same temp water that had been housed in the closet (its my betta closet haha). Trying to raise the water level very slowly. There are quite a few on top and in the middle, but still 1/3 just laying on the bottom. I hope i didnt forget a question


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## indianabetta (May 3, 2012)

I have no plants  I really wish I had some floating plants, I am in Indiana, and there is not a single place around here with aquatic plants  Ya I need some java moss for sure!


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## indianabetta (May 3, 2012)

I have removed daddy and mommies "waste" from the bottom with a small turkey baster like thing (sorry I dont know what they are called, they remind me of the things I used to suck the boogers out of my kids noses when they were little)


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## indianabetta (May 3, 2012)

I REALLY wish I knew how to tell if they were eating fine, I am sooo afraid of over feeding or under feeding "gulp"


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## Oldfishlady (Mar 1, 2010)

Sounds like you are on the right track...

The way I tell if the fry are eating is by their tummy...it should look round/full and the same color as the food you are feeding...
With microworms...white/cream color....since both the fry are tiny and the MW it can be hard to see them eat.
I can usually see/tell when mine eat by their behavior/movements-darting, chasing, appears to be hunting or looking at the food...etc.....

When I start feeding my fry I like to start conditioning them to a "feeding tap" I give the rim of the tank-(_not the glass_) a couple of taps as I add the food-this conditions them to come when called-this helps with observation, counting, feeding, netting...etc.....

Microworms can sink pretty fast and the fry may be at the bottom looking for food....If you haven't already-you might want to add a couple of common snails to the tank to help with clean up of any uneaten MW-
The bacteria they create as they decomp can cause problems with ventral fin development and other issues- especially if overfed in the bare bottom tanks.


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## indianabetta (May 3, 2012)

Should I make a ISO snails and java moss posting in the classifieds?


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## indianabetta (May 3, 2012)

Nevermind, I cant  I have to have 100 posts before I can


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## KadenJames (Mar 23, 2012)

I'd be happy to send you some java moss, I'm getting a very large order of it in soon. If you'd like to cover the cost of shipping, I can send some your way. As for snails, I've never shipped snails, but I assume it's similar to shipping fish. I'd be happy to offer you those as well, though.


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## indianabetta (May 3, 2012)

THAT WOULD BE AWESOME! How many snails do you think you could spare? I would gladly send you the money! Just let me know how much and if you have a paypal address I can send it to, that makes me excited, since we talked about snails i have been reading about how they would help clean my tanks for me, definitely seems like a no brainer, dont know why i didnt have any to begin with! I had thought I saw something that said that snails raised the ammonia levels quickly, but maybe not, I do not know where I read that


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## KadenJames (Mar 23, 2012)

I always put my snails in overnight and take them out during the day. That way the fry don't get pushed around while they're eating the food that has dropped to the bottom during the day. 

How many do you need? 

I do have a paypal, my address is [email protected] =P


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## indianabetta (May 3, 2012)

well, how many do you think? I have 2 5 gallon "spawn tanks" and then right now I have 2 10 gallon tanks and another 5 gallon for the adults (divided). I have a 150 gallon, not yet setup, that will be divided with acrylic into 3 growout tanks, and I also have a 29 gallon for growing out, BUT for now I think the 2 5 gallon spawn tanks are the GOAL, to keep the fry nice and healthy, seems like I will be investing in more snails in the near future, where do you keep your snails during the day? Another tank? with the adults?


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## indianabetta (May 3, 2012)

I really appreciate it! so nice of you!


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## MrVampire181 (May 12, 2009)

IME laying on the bottom is not normal (for me anyway). Though sometimes a few will hang out down there. Usually when feeding microworms they will start hanging out towards the bottom more once they realize the food is there.


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## indianabetta (May 3, 2012)

MrV do you think I should be worried, atleast 1/3 are laying there, I nudge them with my little turkey baster thing and they quickly move away before I touch them, so I know they are alive.


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## indianabetta (May 3, 2012)

maybe its only because I do not have any plants for them to lay and rest on, the bottom is there only option? yes? no? maybe? haha


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## Junglist (Feb 23, 2012)

Indianbetta there's no need to worry your fry's are barely learning how to free swim. Some may make the cut and some may not, it's natural (from what I know). It would be nice to add a few live plants in there too


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## MrVampire181 (May 12, 2009)

What Junglist said. They usually dart around the surface but some WILL stay towards the bottom.

@Kaden: I've shipped a lot of snails  It's pretty much the same as fish but give them an IAL leaf to cling on to during transit.


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## KadenJames (Mar 23, 2012)

Indianbetta, yes I keep my snails in the sorority tank to clean up after the piggy females during the day, and move them into the fry tanks at night. 

Dom, that's good. Is there a limit to the number you can keep in one bag? Or do they care? Not like they're territorial.... xD 

How's the weather where you're at, IndianBetta?


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## indianabetta (May 3, 2012)

Right now its staying in the 80's and 90's and I think its probably getting down to the 60's at night - the coldest.


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## KadenJames (Mar 23, 2012)

Not sure how sensitive to temperature changes the snails are during shipping, so I'll just insulate the doo doo out of it. xD When you open the box, everything might spring out like one of those snake-in-a-can pranks. :lol:


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## indianabetta (May 3, 2012)

HAHA! Thats awesome! I really appreciate this! Just let me know how much to send you, and i will send right away


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## KadenJames (Mar 23, 2012)

Not a problem. The Java moss hasn't arrived just yet, I'll let you know when it does and I'll start packing everything. I just got all of my shipping supplies sent to me, 25 sets of each size of Priority and Express boxes and labels. My mailwoman gave me the look of death when she delivered them. xD xD xD


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## MrVampire181 (May 12, 2009)

My mailwoman delivers a ton of stuff weekly because I love ordering free stuff lol.

I use the boxes around the fish room as lids for my jars or to card my fish.


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## indianabetta (May 3, 2012)

Haha! thats cool, no problem, Im very happy, just went in their, though quite a few are not active, I sucked some up and they had full bellies, I did suck up quite a few micro worms, so I am over feeding  I did find about 3 dead ones - with full bellies hmmm did they eat them selves to death, the dead ones had the biggest bellies I have seen, weird. I added another red solo cup of water, and they all jumped to life, cleaned up a few peices of debris i could see with my turkey baster thing. Soo very glad there is this website, and other crazy people like me who love bettas - my husband says "they are just fish" and it amazes him how long I can sit in my betta room and just watch them lol


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## indianabetta (May 3, 2012)

OH and one of the dead ones had a strange shaped tail or spine...hmmm


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## indianabetta (May 3, 2012)

OH thats a good idea! which by the way - i got some of the medium boxes for free, and apparently my post office doesnt care that particular box anymore - weird - and one guy charged me the medium price, and then another guy considered the same box a large priority box, ugh, i REALLY hate my post office!


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## MrVampire181 (May 12, 2009)

Some fry don't develop correctly and will die within the first 10 days.

I just order the BOX4 from www.usps.com and the Medium and Large flat rate boxes. I also order a ton of stickers fro Express and Priority.


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## indianabetta (May 3, 2012)

They have stickers? do you have to pay for them?


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## MrVampire181 (May 12, 2009)

Everything I get from USPS is free


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## indianabetta (May 3, 2012)

OK Update : The fry are no longer staying at the bottom  and so far I have only found 3 dead  I thought yesterday I had found more dead, but they sprang to life when i put them in a cup, so i put them back in with there siblings, good thing i didnt poor that water down the drain! Pretty much in love with every single one of them! I had over fed, sucked up alot of micro worms yesterday while getting the dead ones, so I skipped a feeding, and did feed them this morning. If you want to see these fry, and there daddy and mommy go to the "first spawn steel blue and red halfmoon" post There are videos and pictures


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