How to keep from having babies

[kuter]

I have a 10 gal tank with 1 female white lyre tail molly, 2 female red wag platys and 1 male pineapple swordtail. I do not want to breed as I am not in a position at this time to care for fry, etc. With the one male swordtail in the tank, am I going to end up with some real strange mixed up lil fellers? This guy is such a happy go lucky fish. Doesnt seem to be bothering anyone at all. The lil black mark at his mouth makes him look like Charlie Chaplin.
The molly is the latest addition and she just seems to be unhappy. Eats well, fins not clamped, but swims about as if she is frustrated. Water test say I am ok at this point. Does she need another molly for company? No one is bothering her, she just seems to be constantly looking for a way out of the area. I can add another molly if this seems to be the thing to do but that would I think be the limit for a 10 gal tank. I plan to get a 20 gal tank in the future but that is not possible at the moment.
I am using a Penquin bio-wheel filter that is rated up to 20 gals and I have 2 airstones for oxygen supply.
Thanks for any suggestions
Kuter & Krew

 

[FanOFish]

Well, I think you will have to move your male to another tank or perhaps see if the lfs will let you trade him in for another female.

 

[dixaisy930]

Sounds like your molly might need a boyfriend...mine acted the same way until I got a male for her. The swordtail might be able to breed with the platys, but I don't know how easy/common it would be.

As mean as this sounds, you could just let the fish mate and procreate as they wished (if you did end up getting a male molly), but not but them in a breeder and let them fend for themselves.

Personally, I think your tank could have 1-3 livebearers if you kept up on the upkeep of it well.

 

[Moe]

It looks like you have less then 6 inches of fish in your 10G. You could safely add another 4 inches of fish. That is as long as your tank has been running a while and is fully cycled. You could get another molly if you wanted but I would wait a while. Often when you add a new fish they behave oddly for the first week or so until the get used to the water conditions and tankmates. I would think about adding a bottom feeder or two to your tank. Cory cats are small and clean up the bottom of the tank they are really fun to watch. The cory cats are a schooling fish so "they" will usually tell you to get 3, but I have 2 in a 10G and they get along just fine. I don't worry about the livebearers giving birth in a community tank I just let things happen naturally. It is rare that any of the fry survive because they are consumed by the other fish, it's part of the circle of life thing. The only way to prevent them from breeding is to have only one sex.
Check out this link for info on cory catfish. - good luck.

http/www.corydoras.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/...bers%201-20.htm

 

[kuter]

Thanks everyone. I am new to fish and as a mom to 3 rescue dogs I just have this stigma about breeding.. Heck I wanna neuter and spay everything!!
I will wait a bit on adding anything but it sounds as if a female swordtail, a male molly and the cory cat would make good additions. That would pretty well take up this tank until that 20 gal comes along.
I really like the looks of that cory cat. I do realize I need a bottom feeder and that is a really pretty fish. I have black small gravel in the bottom of my tank, overlayed with larger black/white gravel. That shy cory would have no problem hiding!
I would like to take the time to say thanks to the creator(s) of this site and all it's wonderful members. Great job going here!
Kuter & Krew

 

[Morrgan]

Note that the link in Moe's post doesn't show a cory cat. That's a plec and a very pretty one too. It's not a shoaling fish either (as far as I know), so you don't have keep several of them. I'd think twice before getting a 5" fish for a 10gal, but as long as you're getting that 20gal in the future it should be ok.

 

[Moe]

Sorry about that the link got messed up. Yea I would not recommend the fish that the other link went to sorry. I fixed it now and here it is again.
http/www.corydoras.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/...bers%201-20.htm

 

[Inchworm]

Hello kuter.

I agree with Moe: your tank could use some cory cats. These are egglayers so they are not likely to breed unless you want them to, so that will be one thing off your mind.

Any of the corys are good to have. Their temperment is pretty much the same. While they are schooling fish and need to have companions of their own kind, you only need 2 or 3, unlike a lot of other schooling fish.

If you can arrange some kind of cave for them to go into to get out of the light, or some low growing plants, the appreciate it. They are cute and amusing little fish that will make you laugh.

Why not read some of the posts in the catfish section of this forum and see how enthusiastic cory owners are about their "special" little fish.

 

[kuter]

Well well. Ms Molly seems to be less frustrated and is getting quieter. She is poking around her new home looking for remnants that someone else may have forgotten.
Meanwhile one of my platy's has been put back into quarrentine. This girl has very clamped fins and rest alot. I have treated her for ich and flukes, though I saw no sign of either. I have a lil 2 1/2 gal tank with filter and air stone and I am now treating her for a bacterial infection. I am at a real loss on this one. She doesnt seem to get worse, just no better. She still has a good appetite and will sometimes be very active. Then she goes back to a resting position on the bottom of the tank. She seems to swim straight, has no trouble going to the top when she needs to. I have decided she can stay in the quarrentine tank until she gets well or dies. I do add salt to the tanks according to the directions on the box. I also use stress coat with any water addition even though I have well water and no cholrine to worry about. The other platy and the swordtail seem to be happy campers and I have seen no sign of problems with them at this time.
At least Ms Molly is coming around. She is a very pretty lil girl.
Kuter & Krew

 

[Mamaschild]

Just wanted to let you know, Platy and Swordtail can cross. It's actually quite common. However, If you have a m/f pair of either, they will normally stick with their own kind. The Molly can not cross with either, so no problem there

 

[Inchworm]

.... I do add salt to the tanks according to the directions on the box.

Oooops .....

You can't have corys if you have salt in the water, kuter. Better forget about that idea for a while.

 

[kuter]

Thanks Inchworm. I have figured out that salt and any scaleless fish is a big NO NO! However does anyone know about an apple snale? It would seem the same to me but I thought I would ask.

 

[Inchworm]

Hi kuter. I've been trying not to do this, but I just have to tell you how much the name of this thread cracks me up!

So I guess I have to respond by saying, "Just keep your legs crossed!"

_______
Phew! Got that out of my system!!!!! )

 

[Lateral Line]

This platy with the clamped fins - do you know how old she is?

It is not a good idea to "treat" diseases or parasitic infections unless you are sure they are there. Medication invariable stresses fish and can upset their immune system. You've whacked her with Ich, Flukes and now bacterial medication, I don't think I'd be looking my best after that.

 

[kuter]

Inchworm, I am usually the first one to pick up on remarks and read something else into them! You got me this time!! However condsidering my age and the status of my social life, if I get preggers all you people can look out for another Christmas season!

I have put the Puny Platy back into the tank with her friends. She is still not social and her fins are pretty much clamped but she does still eat well and certainly comes out of hiding at meal time. It's a wait and see situation. She is young, a little less than 1.5 inches.

I have discontinued adding salt at this time. The original reason was that I had read and been told that the salt could boost the immune system of salt tolerant fish. By the time I get ready to add any kind of bottom feeder, the salt should be pretty much non existant and the cory will be ok.

The whole saga of this is on the emergency board under "Sick Platy, what a mess", so I wont go into more detail here.