Thursday, December 6, 2012

Trying to Survive

Now the babies are swimming freely. They will remain around plants or close to their parents. If any other fish are in the tank with them, they could be eaten. They are still helpless.

They will continue to grow in their torpedo shapes for about two weeks. At that time, they will begin to take on the shape of an angelfish. Only after the third week do they begin to take on the colors they will have as adults. Their colors will continue to deepen and become more brilliant as they age.

Here is a video of babies swimming around their parents, Lindsay Buckingfish and Stevie Fishnick. There are no other fish in this tank so they are free from predators. However, if one of the parents believe one is weak or deformed or sense something wrong with it, they will eat it. It will give the others a better chance of survival as the weak one is no longer trying to get to the same food.

At this stage, they are fed live brine shrimp three times a day.