Do night lighting increase fry survival?

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Ran the moonlights during a Nannacara rearing process in a densely planted 20H with Papa along for the ride. I definitely fed the fry reliably and the the parents as well, but I also had the blue light at night. Really good batch of 50+, after a couple of weeks everyone was almost co-mingling, just wondering if anyone else cares to offer their experience/thoughts/brazen speculation.

By the way, while not as #%$ *%@#! as rainbows, this species is a ready breeder and pretty groovy dwarf cichlid, and much more attractive/rewarding than any of the Laetacara species IMO.

 

[Andrew]

Depends on the prevalence of infantophagy amongst the sires. In cichlids, one might presume that with strong biparental rearing roles a nocturnal replication of lunar lighting might be adantageous. Conversely, if custodial responsibilties fall primarily on one parent, a phase of dark might reduce infant mortality.

Jeez, after a few beers I start writing like you do!!!

 

[hollyfish2000]

Sam -- photo please of nannacara

 

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Perish forbid

Depends on the prevalence of infantophagy amongst the sires. In cichlids, one might presume that with strong biparental rearing roles a nocturnal replication of lunar lighting might be adantageous. Conversely, if custodial responsibilties fall primarily on one parent, a phase of dark might reduce infant mortality.

Jeez, after a few beers I start writing like you do!!!

Well you got the recurrent polysyllabic loquacity aspect, but more precisely clinical than my blathering. Seems ale agrees with you in any case...

Here's to mood enhancers as without them this thread would not exist.

 

[ddavila06]

i have used blue lights too to help ensure fry survival rate. it worked some, until the little punk babies starting being to big for mom to keep close and they started taking off without permission... did same some though for sure in a community tank environment

 

[hollyfish2000]

Sam -- sent a PM.

And the thing I've found to help fry survival in a tank with other fish is that much discussed water sprite. I'm pretty sure that once mom and dad stop guarding they go and live in the gigantic clumps that grow in my tank along the surface.

 

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Water sprite

Love that stuff. As a refuge that works for some, but baby apistos/dwarf cichlids tend to hang out together and lurk at the bottom IME, however definitely works for baby guppies, tetras and danios.

 

[Hawkman2000]

Jeez, after a few beers I start writing like you do!!!

Another good reasone for everyone to have a beer.

 

[leisure_man]

D.i.c.k Au mentioned in one of the discus books he published that discus fry tended to swim against the water current in the absence of light which would result in frequent fatality. The solution was to place a night light over the discus fry tanks.

IME (cichlid in general), fry in the absence of parental care would become photophilic. Parents for some reason like to keep fry away from light source. As we all know, fry survivability goes up with the present of even just one parent.

 

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Staying awake at life

As we all know, fry survivability goes up with the present of even just one parent.

The only thing I know is that it totally depends on the parent(s) - if one or both develop an appetite as frequently occurs IME, there often are no survivors. If one has at least one good parent, does seem that the fry fare better if only perhaps because that parent "keeps them in the game". I've actually started tapping on tanks a few times a day that contain un-parented fry to stimulate them a bit more - a little heightened fear/adrenaline/neural activity can do wonders for "survivability".