# What is my new Mystery fish



## balen35 (Mar 23, 2012)

This morning when I came in to work, and looked at the tank. I notice about 6 small fry on the top of the water. What is strange is they look all black. So I dont know where they came from.

In my tank I have 5 orange and black platy's, which just had a batch of fish but they where black on orange from birth. Also in tank,, 5 white molies. one plecto, 1 alage eater, and crayfish.

I purchased some new live plants about a week and half ago, but rinse them before I put them in the tank.

So any ideas what my new fish could be.....

THanks


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## freeasabird (Mar 21, 2012)

It's very common for fry, even from very colorful parents, to be born with neutral colors. This is a defense mechanism and hides the fish until they are old enough to be safe from predators by other means, such as larger size, hiding, fighting/defense, etc. The color is for sexual selection and not necessary at a young age.


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## freeasabird (Mar 21, 2012)

In re-reading your post I think I missed the part you said about the platys being colorful from birth, that would have been my first guess. I would lean then toward the mollies, but I'm really not sure.


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## balen35 (Mar 23, 2012)

I took another closer look and think they might be mollies. Now for the next question. When I first got the mollies, about 5 months ago, they had the first batch right away, than nothing. Now it seems every fish in the tank is breeding. Is there a way to control the conditons, I dont want a tank full of platty's and mollies. Hopefully I can find a LFS or someone to take them.

Thanks


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## claygriffith01 (Apr 24, 2012)

Let them breed and then offer them to friends as feeders.


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## balen35 (Mar 23, 2012)

Now i just have to find some friends...lol....


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## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

The only way to control breeding is to seperate males and females, but at this point, the females will hold sperm and deliver fry for 6 months after the males are removed.


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## hanky (Jan 18, 2012)

Depending on the size of the tank you could introduce a fish that will eat up the fry as they are born. although this method will halt any fish growing up too.


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## Wacky (Apr 21, 2012)

Offer the fish as a RAOK (Random Act Of Kindness) ..... their are individuals that would pay for shipping in order to get some neat fish .... good luck on the results!!!


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## navigator black (Jan 3, 2012)

There's no way of shutting them down. Livebearers will breed as long as the conditions are good enough to keep them alive. When I start to get overloaded, I try to find a nice, colourful predatory fish - something small - that hunts fry. If you go to a pet store, they will probably try to sell you some big, hulking Jack Dempsey type fish as a predator, when there are many 2-3 inch fish that specialize in munching fry. 
I keep killies and usually put in an Epiplatys, a 2 inch pike. You don't see them in stores. Bettas will do the job efficiently, although mollies sometimes nibble their fins. 

If you are going to sell them, they have to be young adults, and that's several months away. It takes work and lots of space to raise nice livebearers.


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