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Hello, everyone.

I have a couple dozen swordtail fry that are outgrowing their tank, so I'd like to move them into a 10-gallon one. They are about 1.5 months old.

Right now, the tank that they are in uses a UGF. I would like to use a power filter for the ten-gallon, but I don't want to endanger the fry.

I realize that I can just put netting or mesh around the part of the filter that sucks up the water, but will the fry still be able to evade getting pulled against it?

Thanks a lot in advance.

My solution to this problem was to put the intake tube for the HOB down into the tube for the UGF and lower the water level down just below the top of the tube.

And if you get a sponge filter cartridge (you can buy a large one that already has a hole in the middle of it) you can put that over the intake, and the size of the sponge will slow down the force of the intake.

Listen! Do you smell that?

Sponge filters are the way to go for fry. If you try covering the intake with netting you will be cleaning it out constantly to keep the filter working. Oh, and yes, depending on how strong your filter is it could suck them to the netting too. I wonder if you could find a sponge that will go right over your intake? The greater surface area would reduce the suction and chance of sucking a fry against it and it would be easier to keep clean. Another option is the breeding nets.

"Talk is cheap. Action can be almost as affordable"

I'll try putting the UGF tube or a rolled-up tank divider around the HOB intake tube, then.

I thought about a sponge filter, but I was afraid that it wouldn't be strong enough.

If all else fails, I'll just use a UGF in the 10-gallon, though I'd reather not.

Thanks a lot.

Let me clarify that I'm using an actual UGF, filter plate and all, and have the intake for the HOB down into the UGF tube. That way the filter system does double duty - the UGF operates as it's supposed to, pulling gunk down through the gravel, and at a better rate than with just the air bubbling. By lowering the water down below the top of the tube, you prevent the fry from getting sucked over the top of the tube (experience talking - I came home and had one little fry swimming for all he was worth inside the tube, straight down!!!!). And then you have the water and gunk from under the plate being sucked up into the HOB filter and being filtered that way.

Of course now, I have a sponge placed over the intake, because the fry are about 3 or so weeks old and able to hold their own a bit better.

Listen! Do you smell that?

Try this

Linky

Also with my pinapple sword fry i just let them in the main tank after about 10 weeks with a HOB Aqua Clear 50 in a 29gal and i have yet to lose a fry using this method

"No whammy, No whammy, No whammy, STOP!!"

1984-Michael Larsen On Press Your Luck

I do have one of those filters, so I may give that a try.

The fry aren't 10-weeks old yet, but that is encouraging news.

Thanks for sharing, all.