Tank bred weather loach

[star]

Hi, I have managed to breed my weather loach and have counted 5 fry so far (a bit hard to spot in a 5 ft tank!!) . I am trying to find out if my observations are correct and that the fry primarily feed on algae as I desperately dont want to mess this spawning up I am now adding crushed flake to the tank which they do not seem interested in.

[glenna]

wow, what do they look like, ... little, tiny worms?
Any pics would be great.
Did you see them spawn?

[star]

I did see them spawn I was about to close down my coldwater tank, the other fish had all gone leaving the male & female weather loach.



babies are now about 4 weeks old. Unfortunately after reading that spawning & raising weather loach was near impossible (and a family bereavement) I abandoned the tank, just leaving the filter running, but did no water changes.







I have counted 5, but there are in a 5ft tank with large gravel, there could be more!

[starsplitter7]

They are adorable. How old are your weathers? WHere do you live and where did you get them?

[star]

The male came with a tank I bought, the female came from a friend who hated her, she thought she was creepy. I have had the male around a year now, the female about 6 months. I am in Birmingham, England

[Thomas]

That's very cool news!

[starsplitter7]

That is really neat. I was wondering if they might have been wild caught, because sometimes they are pregnant coming in. I think it is fabulous you have babies. How can anyone think dojos are creepy? I think they are water puppies. Cute, cute, cute. My mom doesn't like them either.

[star]

I dont know how anyone can think they are creepy either, one of my first fish as a child was a weather loach lol. They are adorable

[Dojosmama]

If you wish to know what to feed them, try googling "weather loach fry food" or "weather loach fry", or "breeding and feeding weather loaches" -- one or more of those might get you some answers. Actually, including the word "fry" might not be a good idea since weather loaches are eaten in some countries, and you may get meal recipes, instead! Lucky are the dojos who become beloved pets! The only soup they wind up in is nice clean, cool water. Wish they all could fare that well . . .

-- Dojosmama

[Thomas]

You can try to feed them with artemia nauplii. I've raised some Cobitis fry last year with it.

[star]

I have now got them on some small sinking granule feed and crushed flake. Their tank I abandoned and it was thick in algae (never expected fry plus other things going on I just left the tank with the filter running) the tank is situated in the conservatory and the lid is half open leaving frying insects access to lay eggs, the water is filled with all sorts of larve that the fry are happily feeding on also. At 5 weeks old they are now a good 1" long and the immage of their father. I am slowly cleaning up the tank of algae now they are feeding more on commercial foods, hopefully I can move them soon into another tank so I can take better pictures of them

[starsplitter7]

Leave some of the algae. It provides a home for small critters that the babies can eat. They are adoarable. What good fortune.

[star]

I have left the back and part of the sides covered in algae and left a couple of the bits of wood also, which is allowing insects to land and lay eggs in the water (and on the wood). Seeing the fry is so difficult though as the tank is so dark, but the food I am putting in is dissapearing and regular water changes are keeping the water itself clear. I just get fleeting glimpses of little things shooting from rock to rock.

[starsplitter7]

How big are the babies and how old?

[star]

They are just over 6 weeks old now and around 1 1/2"