Is moving a cave with male on eggs to another tank safe ?

[pointpleco]

Hi, I have tried many ways with fry and most of the time things go well. But I know moving fry young to another tank stresses them and some died, learnt the hard way. I have a grow out tank with fry in it. I also have a divider in my breeding tank. The cave is in that area with the male on eggs. Is it better to leave him there and let them hatch in that area and move him to other part of tank after that. Or is it ok to move the cave to grow out tank before they hatch then take male out back to breeder tank. Water conditions are similar, just not sure if small differences in water can affect eggs. Thanks Macrae

[Bas Pels]

I've done it a few time with Ancistrus without any problem. Can't tall you about other species, which might be harder to breed

[bekateen]

I've also done it with Ancistrus successfully.

Good luck, Eric

[TwoTankAmin]

I have done this with all my tank strains of bristlenose plus H. zebra, L134, L236 and H. contradens. I have a couple of tanks which are not real very fry friendly and I get better survival rates pulling the cave and dad than leaving them. I had to pull the bristles because they were in a community tank and the only way the fry were not lunch was to pull them before they left the cave. I began doing this with zebras when they became so prolific that the breeder tank became over crowded. I needed to spread them out.

However, I have great well water which requires no conditioner at all. Most of my tank parameters are similar (except for Altum angels). With the Hypancistrus I have kept, I find they are pretty bullet proof. The one thing I avoid is having them in water that is too cold.

One last observation. I believe many plecos obtain needed gut bacteria by eating some poop produced by more mature individuals. When I pull wigglers or fry as they are about to go free swimming, I also vacuum some poop from the tank and move that as well. If one pulls the male and offspring in the cave, the male should create the poop. I will also give the male an extra week or so in the grow tank before returning him and the cave to the breeder tank.

[pointpleco]

I have done this with all my tank strains of bristlenose plus H. zebra, L134, L236 and H. contradens. I have a couple of tanks which are not real very fry friendly and I get better survival rates pulling the cave and dad than leaving them. I had to pull the bristles because they were in a community tank and the only way the fry were not lunch was to pull them before they left the cave. I began doing this with zebras when they became so prolific that the breeder tank became over crowded. I needed to spread them out.

However, I have great well water which requires no conditioner at all. Most of my tank parameters are similar (except for Altum angels). With the Hypancistrus I have kept, I find they are pretty bullet proof. The one thing I avoid is having them in water that is too cold.

One last observation. I believe many plecos obtain needed gut bacteria by eating some poop produced by more mature individuals. When I pull wigglers or fry as they are about to go free swimming, I also vacuum some poop from the tank and move that as well. If one pulls the male and offspring in the cave, the male should create the poop. I will also give the male an extra week or so in the grow tank before returning him and the cave to the breeder tank.

Ok some very good info there, especially about the poop. I'm going to try this for sure. Thanks for taking the time to reply.