Smallmouth Bass Fry Care

[Wiggles92]

My smallmouth bass in my pond spawned recently, so I decided to net a few and try to raise them. I have about 100 of the fry in a 10 gallon aquarium. I put a small pinch of flake fish food in the aquarium, but they won't eat it. About how many days does it take for smallmouth bass fry to eat food?

Smallmouth Bass Fry in Pond

 

[thatone]

With those fish being wild they are not used to eating inanimate things. The flake would basically be like detritus floating around. Try some live brine shrimp or frozen brine shrimp or bloodworms. Fry like that should be eating well.

 

[VNCNT]

try frozen brine shrimp or bloodworms. i'd get them off live food ASAP. sooner or later, they'll learn that non-live food is still food. i tried raising some baby largemouths and kept them on live foods and it became very expensive. at a young age, they will be able to adapt.

 

[LurkMcgurk]

 

[Ullopincrate]

I agree with the bloodworms and other fresh foods. I envy you the chance to be doing this. What an honor. I'd love to try my hand at small mouth bass fry but I have no real experience in this area. I have kept adults before and I am basing my opinion soley on other species but I agree to wean them off live asap.

 

[Wiggles92]

Ok, so I'll try live brine shrimp or blood worms, then attempt to wean them onto flake food. Would just collecting pond water at this point work for small food since there should be some small critters they can eat in it? I don't know if could ship them if anyone wanted some, but I could try if anyone can point me in the right direction.

 

[WattaMelon]

I agree with the bloodworms and other fresh foods. I envy you the chance to be doing this. What an honor. I'd love to try my hand at small mouth bass fry but I have no real experience in this area. I have kept adults before and I am basing my opinion soley on other species but I agree to wean them off live asap.

I agree! Lucky lucky lucky. You should keep us updated on how these fry are doing.

 

[Wiggles92]

I will keep updates on them.

 

[Wiggles92]

Should I be filtering their water or should I leave it go so that the fry can eat the little crustaceans and stuff that are in it?

 

[Wiggles92]

Here's a pic I just took of the setup I have for the smallmouth bass fry. They share the aquarium with a small fantail darter.

Note to self: clean glass next time I take pics.