Livebearers

[sriracho]

Hey all. I recently decided to re-enter the hobby with livebearers and I'm trying to plan ahead for frymageddon. I have 5 female mollies/platies, and 4 males. I'm a little concerned that the parents will not consume enough of their fry because I'm also growing staurogyne repens, and a couple of strands of stray java moss. I'm doubtful that my local Petco and Petsmart will take the fry. I have a marine only LFS that might, but I haven't contacted them yet.
I have thought about buying a predator fish such as an angel fish or smallish cichlid, but I'm not sure I'd have the stomach for it or not. I used to keep snakes and ended up with pet mice. I'd like to know if leleupi cichlids can swallow mollie and platy fry whole? Will I only open up more cans of worms due to cichlid breeding if I keep them? I have looked around and there are no local fish clubs where I live sadly. Any advice is very much appreciated.

 

[Naughts]

Hi,
If you don't want fry why are you keeping males and females together?

 

[sriracho]

Hi,
If you don't want fry why are you keeping males and females together?

That is a question I left out. I am definitely considering a tank divider, but wanted to ask if the fish will be happy with that setup? I'm happy to have the fry as long as I can manage them, but I'd like some contingency plans if they become unmanageable.

 

[Naughts]

What is your tank size and dimensions?

 

[sriracho]

It's a 20 gallon tall. It's a bit overloaded already. I do water changes every other day. I do not plan on keeping multiple generations of fry. I'd prefer to have a self sustaining population.

 

[FishGuest5123]

I keep all male platies and guppies for that very reason. After several loads of platie fry I scooped up the females and the fry and gave them to my LFS.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

Hello, and welcome to the forum!

If you want a self sustaining population, then leave the males and females together! Appropriate how many males, and females do you have in the tank?

(Please consider entering the August TOTM contest, starting on August 1st!)

 

[sriracho]

I keep all males platies and guppies for that very reason. After several loads of platie fry I scooped up the females and the fry and gave them to my local Lfs.

That does seem to be the best option. I will probably get a second, much larger, tank and separate the males and females soon. I just have to wait to justify it to my wife.

 

[FishGuest5123]

That does seem to be the best option. I will probably get a second, much larger, tank and separate the males and females soon. I just have to wait to justify it to my wife.

Understand except I have to convince the hubbie.

 

[sriracho]

Hello, and welcome to the forum!

If you want a self sustaining population, then leave the males and females together! Appropriate how many males, and females do you have in the tank?

(Please consider entering the August TOTM contest, starting on August 1st!)

Hey! Thank you for the welcome

3 female black mollies
1 female orange panda molly
1 female blue platy

2 male blue platy
2 male orange panda molly

I have seen some amazing tanks that appear to be self sustaining on Aquarium Co-Ops youtube channel.

 

[Byron]

As Deanasue said, males only is the only option you have. A divider will not work because the tank is not large enough to divide it for livebearers (except Endlers and guppies, maybe).

However, the tank size raises another problem...mollies are not small fish, at 3 inches (males) and 5 inches females, some reporting six inches. Platies will work, males only, in a basic (high) 20g. But not mollies.

As you already have these fish, together, the females are undoubted impregnated which means even if now separated they will bear several more batches of fry, roughly at monthly intervals. They cannot possibly eat all of them.

Welcome to TFF.

 

[sriracho]

Understand except I have to convince the hubbie.

I know! She is a little bit stressed at how much work goes into keeping an aquarium, but for me I needed this sort of thing in my life again. I don't mind the maintenance at all.

 

[sriracho]

As Deanasue said, males only is the only option you have. A divider will not work because the tank is not large enough to divide it for livebearers (except Endlers and guppies, maybe).

However, the tank size raises another problem...mollies are not small fish, at 3 inches (males) and 5 inches females, some reporting six inches. Platies will work, males only, in a basic (high) 20g. But not mollies.

As you already have these fish, together, the females are undoubted impregnated which means even if now separated they will bear several more batches of fry, roughly at monthly intervals. They cannot possibly eat all of them.

Welcome to TFF.

I was afraid of that. Thank you for the welcome and the information. I had planned on getting a larger tank very soon, and then transferring the betta to the 20 gallon. I hate to take the females back, but it may be best.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

Sounds good! Good luck!