I had my first fry hatched 3 months ago and I was unprepaired and now i'm down to three but they're still super tiny. They're three months old and only half an inch. They're in a 20 gallon. They get fed a steady supply brineshrimp and water is it 78 degrees, I am going to drop it down to the 70-72 range. My question is what am I doing wrong?

Are you doing 50% water changes a few times a week? Are the brine shrimp live and newly hatched?

I'm doing 50% water change weekly and all tghe brine shrimp are freshly hatched.

How often are ya feeding them?..it may be genetics playing a role also..how big are the parents?

They get fed three times daily. There parents aren't giants but aren't midgets there good average fish. dad 5" mom 4.5"

I'm not sure why your fry aren't growing. It sounds like you doing things right.

My last batch of (20) fry grew amazingly fast. I fed them more newly hatched brine shrimp than they could eat 3 times a day and did 50% water changes 1 to 3 times a day. I did more than was needed to grow fry but I wanted to see how fast they would grow. My fry were 1/2 inch in 2 weeks.

Maybe i just have freaks. I've seen fry the same age as my fry and they're 4". Maybe mine are just slow growing. The funny thing is that they're not developing either they're at their two week old stage now like just displaying colours now.

Maybe bump up their feedings a bit and try other foods as well..are you feeding them a variety?

I am going to try some different foods for them as I drop the temperature. And try to bump up their feedings but it's hard to do as I have to go to school throughout the week.

Yeah I can understand that..umm do you have anyone that could feed them just once while your at school?..And possibly do a small WC for you?..Try feeding them pellets well soaked and even gel food...

I don'y have anyone who can feed or do water changes for me so i'm guessing i'll just have to deal.

You can try feeding them different foods but nothing makes them grow faster than newly hatched brine shrimp. The high temp shouldn't hurt either. Three 1/2 fish isn't going to make the water toxic in a 20 gallon aquarium but a lot of uneaten food will. Newly hatched brine shrimp will live for a few hours in the aquarium so if you feed before school, right after school and before you go to bed. That should be enough.

Maybe give them an extra feeding before bed..or you prolly do this?.. also try feeding more during your feedings.. just make sure to do extra Wc's how's your Orandas doing that are showing spawning behavior?

Im gonna try to ehance feeding and variety. The ones that where showing breeding behaviour are kinda off and on i'm goona put in a mop. But my little tiny guys only 1.5" to 2" long ar thinking they wanna have kids, my two redcaps like the chocolate female. The fish room is filled with love.

lol.. how cute I hope you get fry that would be great!...thats a good idea..just feed more variety and try the gel food..I have a thread in the food section on how to make it. even on my myspace

Yah i'll have to give the gel food a try and the guide you have in the foods section is stellar. I'll keep you guys posted on how they develope.