How to Raise the Discus Fry Artificially

Artificially raising discus fry may be necessary if the parents are neglecting or eating them. Raising the fry artificially is a task that will require you to be careful and attentive every four to six hours. Many people have compared this task to becoming a new parent to their own infant. As expensive as the discus can be, it is worth trying to save the fry. Though it is typical that all the fry do not survive, it is still possible to raise a good many of them. The better you get at the tasks ahead, the better the survival rate of the fry.

Things You'll Need

  • Parenting tank
  • PVC pipe
  • 10-gallon hatchery tank
  • 1-gallon glass jar
  • Tank thermometer
  • Tank heater
  • Sponge filter
  • Air stone
  • Methyl blue
  • Turkey baster
  • Plastic container
  • Baby brine shrimp
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Instructions

    • 1

      Place a piece of PVC pipe at least 10 inches long into the parenting tank on which the parents will spawn. To ensure that the eggs have been fertilized, wait at least two hours before moving the pipe into the hatchery tank.

    • 2

      Prepare the 10-gallon hatchery tank by filling it up with water. Attach a tank heater on the side and set it to 84 degrees F. Put the thermometer in the tank. Let it float freely for two hours before checking the temperature, as temperatures may fluctuate. Attach the sponge filter and set it to low flow.

    • 3

      Fill the 1 gallon glass jar with water from the parenting tank. After waiting for a minimum of two hours to ensure that the eggs have been fertilized, quickly and carefully remove the PVC pipe from the parenting tank and into the jar. Place the jar upright inside the hatchery tank. Turn the air stone on medium and add it to the jar. Add 10 drops of methyl blue to the jar. This will help you see the fry so you will know when to start feeding.

    • 4

      Keep a watchful eye on the water temperature in the tank by checking the thermometer every few hours. Keeping the water in the tank at the right temperature will keep the water in the jar at the right temperature. Adjust the heater if necessary, as heat may be lost.

    • 5

      Watch for the fry to hatch in about two days, in which they will feed on their egg yolks. They will need to be fed when they are free swimming, which may happen around day 8. When feeding, add two drops of baby brine shrimp to the jar every four to six hours. An hour after every feeding, you must perform a 75 percent water change.

    • 6

      Fill a small plastic container with water from the hatchery tank and put the air stone in it. Syphon all the fry out of the jar with a turkey baster and place them in the plastic container. Cover the container to avoid heat loss. Dispose of 75 percent of the jar water. Refill with water from the hatchery tank. Carefully replace the air stone and the fry to the jar. Replace the water in the hatchery tank with warm tap water, and continue to maintain the 84 degree temperature.

    • 7

      Continue this routine for another week or until all the fry have pink bellies, indicating that they are eating the brine shrimp. When you are sure they are all eating, carefully tip the jar on its side in the hatchery tank and remove the jar entirely. Perform a 50 percent water change once a day for seven days using regular tap water. Maintain the 84 degree temperature. After seven days the small discus can be introduced to the parent tank, or sold.