Re: Fry with parents

[Frauley/Elson <fraulels@minet.ca>]

Jones, Erick wrote:
> 
> John Wubbolt wrote
> <snip>But I do like to leave them with the parents for about 4 weeks if I
> can.
> Gives them a better chance to grow faster if left with the adults then
> if I steal them right away.   Don't know what it is but fry left with
> parents do better then fry taken away from them right away.   <end snip>
> 
> Just pure speculation on my part. But I have noticed this also. Could it be
> that the fry are feeding off of the parents slime coat as a supplement, Much
> like discus are known to do? Would take very close observation to prove but
> it is curious.
> 
> Erick Jones

As simple as this may seem, I think it's related to activity levels.
When separated from their parents, my apisto fry tend to hover under
cover. They aren't as active tracking down food, because they seem more
insecure and inclined to put their energy into avoiding becoming food.
With their parents, they travel around feeding. They'll often be found
high in the water column, feeding on surface plants, while in fry tanks,
they hug the substrate more. I put it down to stress/fear of predation,
amd maybe even just eating less.
As well, when fry are removed, they are often removed to less hospitable
tanks than they are spawned in. My tanks for pairs are java moss
jungles, full of micro-organisms. Fry tanks are often bare.
I've never observed Apisto fry grazing on the flanks of adults.
Gary



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