shubunkins are spawning what to do with eggs.?

Question

hi all! i have a large pond and my comets and shubunkins are spawning. do u think it will be safe to leave eggs alone and let mother nature take action? will fry have plenty to eat? with my oranda i just took eggs out and hatched fry 2 weeks old monday) but with pond should it be safe for fry? i have plenty of plants in my pond. my main concern is the food the fry will need. thanks guys!!

Answer 1

Um, you can buy fish food.
The problem is space. Hundreds of hatchlings will crowd the pond. Either at birth or when they start growing.
Reduce the number. Maybe only hatch out a few dozen or so. Start finding homes for them now though. It can take a while.

Answer 2

The fry will probably find plenty of food in the pond already. If you have plants and algae in the pond, there will also be lots of almost microscopic life, plus small aquatic insects, their larvae, and the algae itself they can feed on. Of course, if the parents and other fish are in the pond, quite a few of your fry will end up as part of the food chain themselves.

You could try using a net to section off a portion of the pond, or move the eggs (or fry) along with some of the pond water and plants and raise them in a separate tank - only then, you'll need to find a place for them (unless you have a really large pond!). Of course, you could keep a few of the best looking and see if you can trade them for store credit (future fish food, aquatic plants) at a pet store or pond center in your area.

Answer 3

www.goldfishconnection.com
Book says to feed Brine shrimp nauplii and algae the first 2 weeks. Don't start feeding them until their mouths develop, look at them with magnifying glass. (about 2nd day) You may have to raise your own brine shrimp to get the nauplii, as they are hard to find. Feed fry as frequently as possible. (every 4 hours) Growing algae in the pond is a good substitute (let nature take its course) Lots of water changes necessary at least 25% a week. Cover the intake of the filter with a stocking to prevent them from being sucked up.
2nd week add micro worms to the diet. You can find micro worms from mail order supply houses. You may have to cull some in the second month if you have too many. Keep the best looking ones for yourself and send the others to a pet store if they'll take them. You may want to separate them from the bigger GF as they will get eaten!!
Congrats!!