D.I.Y. simple fry rearing box

This is a very simple, cheap but effective fry rearing box. This example does not have proper floating supports as it's resting on a root in my tank. Floating support or something to anchor the box to the side of an aquarium would be easy to ad.

What you need: plastic box with a lip at the top to hold some air, silicone, carpet knife, filter foam, and a spare small airlift filter:

A hole was cut at one end of the box and sealed with filter foam, attached with silicone. This will drain the box and keep the water level the same as in the tank it is in. The air driven filter will pump in fresh water from the tank into the box:

Side view:

In tank:

From above:

This is a variation of a design that has been used by aquarists for many years. 

The benefit of this type is that air driven filter constantly supplies the fry/eggs with fresh water from the same tank that they originally were laid in/hatched in. This method also keeps the water conditions stable which is extremely important with fragile fish, something that can be harder to achieve in a small 
separate tank.

Another benefit is that the breeder box makes it easy to make sure that the fry eat, the small space makes it possible to target feed fry while fry in a larger tank might not even find the food in time.

Maintenance of the rearing box is still important though and uneaten food and bacteria on the sides should be removed/cleaned on a regular basis. A turkey baster works quite well for this purpose, and a tooth brush can be used to clean the sides.

Depending on species and strength of the air pump used it can also be a good idea to add an air stone for increased water circulation.

Personally I use this type for plecos and corys; I ad gravel/sand from the main tank, some small plants/moss/roots/oak leafs/ for the fry to hide in.

Remember that we want the fry to feel comfortable and not stressed as this increases their growth rate and lowers the risks of deaths.
 

Hypancistrus debilittera, L129, kicked out larva

Our male Hypancistrus debilittera, L129 still has not gotten the hang of raising the little ones. 

I collected six newly born yesterday that had been kicked out from the breeding cave. This can happen with inexperienced or stressed males.
In this case it was the males second spawn and he is still learning, hopefully practice will make perfect.

These little larva have gotten their own net container in the parents tank, an airstone ads oxygen and circulates the water.

The temperature at the time of spawning was 26C and the pH 6, I might write a proper breeding report about this species in the future.

Collecting Mosquito Larva, Culex spp.

It’s summertime and with the fine weather we have access to mosquito larva which should be a welcomed treat for your fish.

 

I have heard arguments about not using these as a food source due to pollution and bacteria in the water but I have personally never had any problems deriving from the use of these.

The fish love them and it’s nice to see the fish’s natural hunting instincts kick in when they are added to the aquarium. They are also very good for conditioning fish prior to spawning.

Regarding the pollution issue it’s really up to each aquarist to decide on if they want to use them or not. I personally harvest mine from plastic containers filled with rainwater and believe this to be a safer option than collection from a pond (depending on location).

A shallow preferably dark plastic container filled with water and placed in a shaded area should be enough to attract female mosquitos to lay their eggs on the surface of the water.

Depending on the temperature the mosquito larva can be harvested on a more or less regular basis by using a fine meshed net. I do rinse them under running water after harvest and place the larva in a glass container filled with clean water or tank water (as seen above). The larva can then be fed to the fish with a baster.

Just make sure to harvest regularly and discard any larva you don’t use as otherwise you will have a mosquito problem on your hands.

Happy hunting!