How to PREVENT breeding/spawning/fry

[black_cat]

I am planning to set up a 29 gallon aquarium and stock it with:
5 cory catfish
8 neon tetra
1 pearl gourami
2 dalmation mollies
This is my first tank, and I really want to PREVENT (in all caps) any sort of extra fish happening at all. I don't know how to deal with them, and it would overstock my tank and generally be a huge hassle. Does anyone know how to prevent this?

 

[corylover5]

I don't think fry would be a big deal with most of those species other than the mollies. You should get 2 males to ensure no fry from them. As for the other fish, I wouldn't worry because even if they do spawn, the eggs will most likely be eaten before any fry hatch. Even if fry were to hatch, they more than likely would be eaten.

 

[black_cat]

I don't think fry would be a big deal with most of those species other than the mollies. You should get 2 males to ensure no fry from them. As for the other fish, I wouldn't worry because even if they do spawn the eggs will most likely be eaten before any fry hatch. Even if fry were to hatch, they most likely would be eaten.

How do I ensure that I get male mollies? Would the people at the petsmart be able to help me?

Is there a plan to fall back on if fry do hatch and don't get eaten?

 

[Sgooosh]

I think you ahould not have mollies as they need high ph so if you have neutralish water everybosy else will be fine other than that yeah just get males or females so they dont... you know

 

[Sgooosh]

How do I ensure that I get male mollies? Would the people at the petsmart be able to help me?

Is there a plan to fall back on if fry do hatch and don't get eaten?

I think it as if your fish are happy they will get fry. You put them in a seperator. The makes have an elongated and thinner fin on its bottom

 

[Essjay]

5 cory catfish
8 neon tetra
1 pearl gourami
2 dalmation mollies

As mentioned in your other thread, mollies need hard water fish while all the other fish are soft water fish. Please don't get mollies if you have soft water - you said you have 'pretty soft water'.
You need more than 5 cories - 8 would be better.
Honey gouramis would be better than pearls - that way you could have more than one.


Neons don't breed in home aquariums. The eggs need to be kept in total darkness, then the fry are so tiny they would be eaten even if any managed to hatch.
Cories might well breed and lay eggs but they'll probably be eaten, and if the eggs survive the fry will be eaten.
One pearl gourami can't breed. But I'd rather see a pair of honey gouramis than a single pearl. Yes, they may well breed but the fry will be eaten.

 

[black_cat]

As mentioned in your other thread, mollies need hard water fish while all the other fish are soft water fish. Please don't get mollies if you have soft water - you said you have 'pretty soft water'.
You need more than 5 cories - 8 would be better.
Honey gouramis would be better than pearls - that way you could have more than one.


Neons don't breed in home aquariums. The eggs need to be kept in total darkness, then the fry are so tiny they would be eaten even if any managed to hatch.
Cories might well breed and lay eggs but they'll probably be eaten, and if the eggs survive the fry will be eaten.
One pearl gourami can't breed. But I'd rather see a pair of honey gouramis than a single pearl. Yes, they may well breed but the fry will be eaten.

Okay, I wasn't aware of that. No mollies, so I guess that will make space for the four extra cories?
My options for gouramis are limited to this:

As well as a 'blue gourami' from another store. I'm not sure how to get a honey gourami.
That's great that neons can't breed in the tank conditions, really helps me out.

 

[Essjay]

Your image shows 2 different species of gourami. 3 different colour morphs of dwarf gourami, Trichogater lalius (natural, blue and flame) and 3 different colour morphs of three-spot gourami, Trichopodus trichopterus (three-spot, gold and opaline).
The gouramis in your image do not include pearl gourami, that's a different species again, Trichopodus leerii.

I would not get any of the three-spots as they are one of the more aggressive species of gourami - we had one member who had a female which killed every other fish in the tank.


If all you can get are dwarfs or three spots, I suggest looking for an alternative. You don't want fish which are potentially diseased, or fish which could terrorise the other fish. Though I'm not sure what to suggest as a centrepiece for 29 gallons.
The other option would be two shoals of mid water fish?