Help Me - Too Many Fish

[Saint Cuthbert]

I am a new aquariumist. I have a 65litre tank with built in filters, managing everything okay and am absolutely fascinated by my new hobby.
I have had my tank running for four weeks, fish in for three. I have two honey gouramis and 3 platys. I did have four platy's but one perished.
My problem is that within a few days of buying the fish two platys looked heavily pregnant - one has subsequently given birth - to approximately 15 fry. I couldn't afford (and my wife won't let me) to buy a secondary tank, so I let them fend for themselves, and suprisingly they are all still doing fine after two weeks. I even nurtured them through my ammonia and nitrite spikes. Water change, water change, water change. But my worry is that if the second platy gives birth I will have no room for my overwhelming platy family............what can I do and do these fish breed like rabbits?

 

[sparklefuzz]

I am a new aquariumist. I have a 65litre tank with built in filters, managing everything okay and am absolutely fascinated by my new hobby.
I have had my tank running for four weeks, fish in for three. I have two honey gouramis and 3 platys. I did have four platy's but one perished.
My problem is that within a few days of buying the fish two platys looked heavily pregnant - one has subsequently given birth - to approximately 15 fry. I couldn't afford (and my wife won't let me) to buy a secondary tank, so I let them fend for themselves, and suprisingly they are all still doing fine after two weeks. I even nurtured them through my ammonia and nitrite spikes. Water change, water change, water change. But my worry is that if the second platy gives birth I will have no room for my overwhelming platy family............what can I do and do these fish breed like rabbits?

I don't know what you can do - sorry but I know that platys are always having babies... so it may well be an ongoing problem.

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

How large are the fry? If you cannot get them a tank large enough for them, either cull them while they are small or see if any lfs (local fish store) will take them off you right now.

 

[my fat fish]

i asked my LFS about that they normally wont take them on therselves but gave me a number for ther suppliers so i will ring them tho i am not to sure that my fish is deff progo but it damn well looks like it lol best think you can do is try and remove the platys and take them back to your LFS thats what i am planning on doing as they wont take young fish but will take my molly after it gives birth

 

[Mark Thompson]

Ahhhhh you can't cull them! Where are you based, I'll take some off your hands if you are local(ish) although it will be a while before I can take them as my tank is not cycled yet.

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

Obviously rehoming them or getting them their own tank are the best options, but if cannot do either of these, sometimes its best to just cull the fry while they are small to prevent them from growing up and overstcoking the tank, causing uncontrollable breeding or population problems, threatening the existance of other fish in the tank.
I know it sounds harsh, but sometimes this is for the best if it is the only reasonable option you are left with. If you can rehome them though that would be great .

 

[wendywc]

I understand how you feel, Saint Cuthbert. My platies are breeding out of control. And I don't want their babies to start breeding and get inbred. I'm going to rehome my platies too; the LFSs near me were more than willing to help out. Keep trying LFSs near you. Good luck

 

[Tiggle]

Try advertising your excess fish in the buy, sell and swap board, there is also a yahoo group called freecycle Pets which ive previously used to rehome plattys with success. If you can rehome all the males you can eventually stop them from breeding and keep a happy female group.