Hi Folks!

I am new to the forum, and would like to ask a few questions regarding goldfish eggs and fry - as this is the first time that I have seen eggs in my tank.

About 7 days ago, I saw many eggs attached to a plastic plant in my aquarium. About 1 day after the intial discovery, I saw that a number of them had little squirmy things alive inside the eggs. Was very excited.

However, as of today, 7 days later, only about 2 of the ones with black fish babies inside them have come out (and the ones that do come out just stay there at the bottom). The vast majority of the eggs with black fish babies in them still look exactely as I found them (not counting the unfertlized eggs which I have removed). Today, I also decided to take the whole plant out and put it in a seperate small plastic container with conditioned water. This small plastic container has no filter.

Now, about this situation:

1) Is it normal for eggs to be this long without hatching?

2) I have read a lot about how bad ammonia is for fry, so I bought a whole bag of ammonia remover rocks and dumped a bunch of it into the small plastic container with the fry. Is there such a thing as ammonia remover overdose?

3) Did i do something wrong?

I would very much appreciate any advice about this - I love my fish!

Thanks!

Hi there and welcome to kokos.

In answer to the question about hatching, eggs can hatch out anytime up to a week but usually if they haven't hatched by about a week then they won't hatch. It depends on temperature. What temp is your water? And is that stable?

The fry that have hatched will hang out on the bottom a day or so and then start to climb the tank sides to fill their airsacs at the top. You have prob. read up on that. If you have these fry in the tank with their parents they may unfortunately not survive the trip because the parent goldies will I'm afraid eat them.

It's usually best to transfer the eggs to a separate container because of this.

As for the ammonia chips/rocks I would not use them. Better I think to seed (borrowed biomedia) a small sponge filter and use that.

Hi Trinket.

Thanks for the reply!

It has now been another few days now, and I have about 8 fry born.

About 4 of them occasionally swim around or go to the top of the tank, but the vast majority of the time they are just sitting at the bottom not moving (until I disturb them with a gentle water current). If i disturb them they swim around quite rapidly.

I have put in a very small air pump in the tank, and feed them liquid fish food (mainly egg yolk based) i bought from the store.

However, it doesnt look like they are eating.

After putting the food in, I syphon off all the food and do a 10% water change to clear up the junk.

Is it normal for 4 day out fry to stay at the bottom of the tank 95% of the time (and NOT move)? How do I get them to eat?

Thanks!

If they still have their egg sacs attached then yes.

Although 4 days seem a bit extended. Perhaps the water change you're doing was with untreated tap.

Okay thanks.

No, every time I do a water change it is from many days old clean water so it should be no problem.

My fish tend to swim around a lot more when I take the air pump out (it is only on lightly though).

Do you think I have put in the air pump too earlier? please note that I keep my 8 baby fry in a small plastic take-away container (since they are so small).

Thanks!

Well it is normal for them to gather their strength and spend quite some time just sitting around for the first few days yes. However- you should see them start to get more active very soon and if not something may be wrong.

I would be very careful with the air pump and sponge filter in a small plastic container. The turbulence will be very strong. There are 3 main reasons why a large rubbermaid or rectangular shaped tank is best. One is more surface air and the other is it is easier to keep the water ammonia and nitrite free in a larger space. Thirdly, there will be less turbulence from the air pump/filter and the fry will have a sheltered area to hang out in without the fear of the turbulence and the danger that it might bend their tiny bodies permanently.

It may be the fry are hanging out at the bottom because there is less turbulence there and they feel safer. How are your water params
today (ammonia/nitrites/pH?)

Thanks for the advice.

I will definitely heed your advice about the bigger container - maybe i'll give it an extra week before I change them or the shock may be too much.

Actually yes, I have indeed noticed that they are more active now - a number of them are starting to swim around when I take the air pump out. A few I noticed have slightly curved bodies and tend to swim around in a generally circular fashion - but hopefully they will cut that out when their bodies become fatter and rounder (they should be orandas) - hope it's not prermanent as you warned.

I think your right about the air pump being too strong and making the fish stay at the bottom due to less turbulence. I have changed my airstone now so that the disturbance is at a complete minimal now - so hopefully that will help.

They should be about 5 days old now - and im feeding them liquid fry food i bought from the shops 2-3 times a day - and will be starting a brine shrimp tank in 4 days time when I get the eggs from ebay.

Regarding nitrate/ammonia/ph.... I havn't got the slightest idea i'm afraid. I have though put in a few old gravel from the other tank, some ammonia remover chips, and do about 10% daily water changes now.

I have also put in an algae covered sea shell in the tank.

Do fry eat algae?

Thanks for the help! Much appreciated!