My fries are dying... Need help...

[nkthen]

My Mickey Platy gave birth to about 20+ fries.

I know that it is normal that some of the fries will not live through the first week.

Right now, my fries are about one month old and for the past one month, no fries died. They are now about 0.5cm+ in length.

Last week, I just changed the breeding box because the 1st one is getting dirty and one fry died. The 1st breeding box plastic surface is a little hazy.

The 2nd breeding box is clearer. Both breeding box are the same size.

The problem:
It seems like my fries are dying. One dead fry PER DAY. I thought it is the issue of the food. So I gave a variety of food like fishtamins & live brime shrimps.

The problem still exist.

Can I know what is the problem? My guesses were:
1) Maybe the breeding box has a problem. If they are hazy, they will not be disturbed by bigger fishes outside since they cannot see each other clearly?
2) The 2nd breeding box has toxic? Cannot be because it means that my fishes outside the box should die too.
3) The breeding box is too small for them? Should I release them into the main tank at 0.5cm size? My tank are all community fishes, though some have grown to 4cm in size
4) No vitamin for fries?


Any other ideas/suggestions?

I have 11 fries left, help me keep them alive!

[eddyq]

I think the breeding box is too small for all the fries. If yours is a planted tank release them there because they can hide among the plants. Or transfer the fries to another tank.

[nkthen]

I got the actual measurement here:
My breeding box is 12cmx9cmx7cm (LxWxH)

My 11 fries are about 1cm, not 0.5cm.

Is it too small?

If moving them out into the tank is the best solution, how do I do it without having my bigger fishes thinking that the fries are food?

[grey_fox]

Hey nkthen,

One way is to distract them, feed them first at one end of the tank, on the opposite end whilst the fishes are eating, dump in the fries. Instinctively they will seek for cover.

[nkthen]

I realised that fries that hid in the plants will grow slowly because they don't get to eat enough.

I have one that's hiding for past one month and it's still the same size.

Maybe I'll setup my breeding tank which is kept in my cabinet and let them live there. 50% bigger than the breeding box.

I hope that it's due to the size of breeding box.