culling

[Robert]

i have 6 live bearing fish and i was wondering, i have only room for one more fish, what if my fish has babies and i only want one?? how would i cull them except for one?? i don't want to use any expensive chemicals either.

 

[Cheese Specialist]

I don't think you should keep fish that are known as 'water rabbits' if you are not going to be resposible for the young.

 

[guppygirly]

Many livebearers will eat their young and if a few survive you could most likely give them to someone or a LFS.

 

[JoKeR]

once there born put them in a plastic bowl and put it on the freezer and the fry will die a painless death. But why do u wan to kill them. Let them in ur tank and let survivor of the fittest thats what professionels do.

 

[big_fresh]

put it on the freezer and the fry will die a painless death.

I don't think freezing them is a nice option....from the article's i've read (including the pinned section on Euthanasia in this beginners forum).. Freezing is traumatic for the fish.

You could try decapitation, or I've even heard of people "putting fish to sleep" by putting them in a jar and adding chemicals. (I've even read about people putting fish in with some Alka-seltzer and even VODKA!)

Anyway, try to give away the fry to a LFS as suggested. Killing them is not a very nice experience.

 

[JAYJT]

Give them away to a lfs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Or give them to another person who keeps fish, dont 'cull' them!

 

[CFC]

Just make sure the "one more fish" is something that will hunt down and eat the fry, problem solved.

 

[cation]

Got any suggestions for what that one fish should be? (just out of curiousity!)
Gotta be something that's happy on it's own, no schoolers, and happy in a smallish tank. Oh yeah, and that won't eat the adult guppies?


What is the mystery fish?

 

[chaotica2010]

Tjis isn't in the euthanasia section but... Bleach is instant and from my perspective (but what the hell do I know) it seems painless. However go with the LFs advice first and only do the culling as a last option.

Rick B)

 

[Olive]

I don't think we should ever buy livebearers if we can't handle the babies. My solution is to only buy males................or only buy females......or whatever, just don't get any preggo ones. For heaven's sake though, don't kill those poor little things. They didn't ask to be born into your tank...............like previously mentioned, give them to a LFS (mine gives me store credit for them), or get rid of your females. I also have a fish that would love it if I gave him live food, but I haven't the heart to feed him my babies. I thought I could do it, but I can't. That is an option though.......like previously mentioned as well.
I guess I am just pleading with you to not do the "deed". I save culling for when one of my dearly beloved is too sick to suffer anymore.........it is an act of kindness...not for birthcontrol in my opinion............

Let us know what you decide, I promise I wont attack you! I think we are all just looking out for your little babies! Letting you know that there are less drastic options out there!

 

[Inchworm]

Hi Robert

I don't think this will be a big problem for you.

Looking at the fish in your signature, unless you have a very heavily planted tank the adults you have will eat the fry. This is the way of nature and you need not feel bad about it.

 

[Robert]

Well i just didn't know if culling them would be less painless than letting them get eaten, and it is a mollie that is heavily pregnant. the fry havent arrived yet, but i just didn't really know if freezing would be painless, because i don't want my tank overstocked, but i'm going to let the survival of the fittest work out. sorry i asked such a question

 

[Robert]

i meant i wanted only one of the fry, that's what the one fish was

 

[JoKeR]

well good thing u suse survivol of the fittest.

 

[Olive]

Well i just didn't know if culling them would be less painless than letting them get eaten, and it is a mollie that is heavily pregnant. the fry havent arrived yet, but i just didn't really know if freezing would be painless, because i don't want my tank overstocked, but i'm going to let the survival of the fittest work out. sorry i asked such a question

If you want to keep one, then put her in a breeding net to catch a few.........just in case they all get eaten out in the tank. Let a few grow up for a while, so you can choose the color and features you like, then when you have made your decision, let the others go in the tank and let your favorite grow up all of the way. Am I making sense here?