# I'm A Fish Parent!



## Underwater City (Nov 6, 2011)

The other day I got a few more panda platys to even things out with the males and apparently one of them was "with fish".

The very next day, there were baby panda platys in my tank. I had purchased a breeder net compartment just in case they had babies, (wasn't expecting things so soon), and caught one, put him in there but he was so dang small, I couldn't tell if he was in there or not.

Then I realized, I don't have a clue what the heck I'm doing so I put the compartment back down in the water and waited for him to swim back out.

I don't see a lot of them, maybe one or two and they hide in the gravel because the Danios keep trying to eat them.

:biggerfish:

On one hand, I'm not sure where I could sell the guys once they are old enough but am finding myself protective of these babies. When I see a Danio approach one trying to eat it, I tap the glass and tell them, "NO! Don't you eat that baby!" 

On the other hand, I'm afraid my tank will overpopulate quickly and wonder if I should let "nature take its course" and me stay out of it. (If they weren't so darn cute, it would be easy to do this.)

What IS the best option? If it is to put them in the breeder net compartment, do I put a mama in there too and how do I know which one is mama? They ALL hang out around where the babies are in the gravel. 

How long would they be in the net? 

What do I do with them when they are grown up?

Why am I proud and scared at the same time? Why do I think, "No, can't have babies" but then think, "OMG, they are so cute! Must! Protect!"?

What the heck am I doing?

Where is my cigar?

Help!


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## Future Marine Biologist (Aug 24, 2011)

I have never succesfully bred fish (harlequin rasboras had their own plan, layed eggs, and apparently found them quite tasty.) But if you think the breeding net is big enough for these babies (fry) keep them in there. Try to get another tank. Sell them to good owners


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## scooterlady (May 10, 2011)

I've been pretty successful at breeding lemon tetras...at they must be pretty happy. They end up eating most of the eggs, but I still get around 12-15 fry per batch. I've been catching them and getting them into a 10 gallon I happened to have ready. I have approximately 25-30 fry altogether now...


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Letting nature take its course and only letting the strong survive is a good way to keep population under control. The effects of which you will not see until quite a few months down the road. A Livebearer's gestation period is about 30days, so you will soon see more. Hard to let that happen when it could be your frst ones.


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## Summer (Oct 3, 2011)

I totally understand! I have live bearers, i knew they would breed and I wasnt worried about them eating them....Then I noticed a baby and got excited haha. Still letting nature take it's course, but darn are those baby fishies cute!!!


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## Underwater City (Nov 6, 2011)

I know, right? 

That is what I thought in the beginning as well....I don't want more fish, just let nature do what nature does and if some survive, we'll cross that bridge. 

I DID get a breeder net just in case and this morning, I caught three adorable baby panda platys. I put them in the net and put two balls of java moss in there instead of the ugly plastic plants.

The mean ol' Danios kept chasing them and trying to eat them and it's one thing if I don't see it, it's another if I see a baby fish in trouble.

Gah.

We'll see if I have any luck with baby fish rearing. I only saw two or three in the beginning and I have three in the net...I really have not seen more.

I will do this, see what happens, if they make it, I'll see if the mom and pop fish store will buy them, (the big chain will not), and if they won't, then I'll have to rethink the nature thing.

But you are right, it is HARD when you see the tiny cute baby fish with their tiny little eyeballs, (that's the part that gets me), swimming around. 

They are quick, though. Quick!

So...now that they are in the net...I just leave them alone? Drop a flake every other day or so?


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## Sherry (Nov 22, 2011)

Congratulations on your platy fry. I just have platy's in my big tank. All different kinds. Sunset, Redwag, mm blue and rainbow's. I love the blue's. I have 18 babies too. 10 sunsetxblue babies that are 3 weeks old. 6 redwagxblue babies that are 1.5 weeks old. I left them in the tank to defend for themselves. My 3 rainbows are very fat right now and I do have my mmblue in the breeder net. She is due any day now. The only reason I have her in there is because my daughter wants some blue's for her tank. So I am saving as many as I can from her. 
With the babies, you have to feed them small meals many times a day. I do use little bits food from the lfs but you can feed them very very finely crushed shrimp or flake food. All my guys don't usually chase the babies. They are getting very brave coming up to the surface and feeding like the adults. They are so cute...
HTH


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## Underwater City (Nov 6, 2011)

Sherry said:


> Congratulations on your platy fry. I just have platy's in my big tank. All different kinds. Sunset, Redwag, mm blue and rainbow's. I love the blue's. I have 18 babies too. 10 sunsetxblue babies that are 3 weeks old. 6 redwagxblue babies that are 1.5 weeks old. I left them in the tank to defend for themselves. My 3 rainbows are very fat right now and I do have my mmblue in the breeder net. She is due any day now. The only reason I have her in there is because my daughter wants some blue's for her tank. So I am saving as many as I can from her.
> With the babies, you have to feed them small meals many times a day. I do use little bits food from the lfs but you can feed them very very finely crushed shrimp or flake food. All my guys don't usually chase the babies. They are getting very brave coming up to the surface and feeding like the adults. They are so cute...
> HTH


A-ha! Several times a day! Ok. I have been really crushing the flakes that I have because the other food I have is bigger than them so I'm not yet using it. 

I have caught 4, they are still alive! It's been almost a week, I can't believe it.

I have seen a few still in my really tall plant in the back of the tank near a corner that the mean Danios have been trying to eat. Last night I observed for quite some time and I think there are three more out there but I can't get to them because they are tiny, fast and I'll totally uproot everything trying to get them. (And maybe put them in danger while trying to rescue.)

Here's a question: In a few weeks I intend on changing over from gravel to sand. (I have 60 pounds of sand for a 40 gallon...probably won't need all of it but just in case, I got extra.) I was wondering how hard this would be on the little babies. (I know the name is "fry" but I will continue to call them babies because that is what they are and they are too cute to be called, "fry". Reminds me of frying fish and people eating them.)

How long does it take baby platys to grow to a decent size where I can let them out of the breeding net and they won't be eaten by the Danios, (who aren't that large as it is), and can handle me changing things up in the tank?

And what do you do with all your fish that are born? I know you said you are saving some for your daughter's tank but what about the rest? Do you keep them all or do you sell them or give them away? I'm not naive enough to think this will be it so I am looking for a plan of action now.

Thanks.


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## Sherry (Nov 22, 2011)

Well as a rule, I have never sold any. I have always given them away to close friends and relatives. I asked all my LFS places and they will not take any babies. So there went that thought. My friend has a 90 gallon that is pretty bare, he takes some off my hands everyonce in awhile, And our other friend has a huuuuggggeeee indoor koi pond. It has to be 20 feet by 15 feet by 3 feet deep. He puts every kind of fish in there really. He will even home my common pleco when he outgrows my tank. In the summer he releases fish into his outdoor pond. It is a 1 acre pond which is at least 15 feet deep. I know that because my hubby dug it out 4 years ago. I guess you could say I am lucky. I did research this rehoming thing before I even bought livebearers. I only have 3 tanks. Platy's are my favourite fish. Colourful and hardy. When I find something I like I usually stick with it. So do your research. Breeding fish is not a money maker business for me. It is a fun relaxing hobby. I can sit and stare at my big tank for hours. So there is my story. I hope this gives you a little bit to think about.


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## Sherry (Nov 22, 2011)

I have never done sand. I don't like the look of sand when it gets all pooped up and messy. I stick totally with gravel. I have fake and real plants. Changing over your tank will be a challenge. You have to drain, clean and start the cycling all over again. I would put the fish in another tank totally. That way the fish only have a bit of stress with the transfer. My youngest babies are 3 weeks old now. They are big enough to handle it. It will take awhile, but I do like the look of sand in other people's tank. But it is just not for me.


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## Underwater City (Nov 6, 2011)

Wanted to post an update about the baby platys...

I had fished out 4 of them and put them in the breeder net for maybe 3-4 days. I then discovered there were maybe 1-2 or more in the tank that I could not get without totally uprooting a whole bunch of plants so I was going to try to catch them later.

Well, they never wanted to come out of those plants, (can't blame them, mean Danios!), and then I started to feel guilty. "Why should these 4 be protected and those guys not?"

So I figured, ok, that's it. I'm going to let nature take its course and I have to deal with that.

Well.

Letting nature take its course didn't turn out like I thought.

I have 5 baby platys for sure, they are no longer microscopic, they are getting too big to fit in the Danio's mouth, they are now brave and swimming around the tank from time to time though they still tend to stick around in the plants but they are growing and they are making it!

On one hand, YIPPEE!!!!!

On the other hand....oh no!

I had originally thought I would just get male platys so I would not have baby fish. The males were pretty young when I got them and I got three and all was well. They got along, they were pals and things were fine.

Then one day I come home and find one with two little red dots on him and he was dead. I then had two. And one of them would relentlessly chase the other one.

That was not fair to that fish so I thought I better get some girls for them and went by the rule of two girls for every boy fish.

What I was NOT expecting right away was one of the girl fish having babies in the tank the _very. next. day._ after I bought them.

I did have a breeder net for the "just in case" I thought might happen in the FUTURE but was unprepared for this to happen in less than 24 hours. (Clearly she was already 'with fish' when I bought her.)

So now I have to scramble to find a solution to the baby thing. 

I didn't get them to try to make money off of fish so that implication doesn't need to be made. 

However, I now do need to do something because just like with the plants, I am not an expert, I don't use all the extras that people use, (the CO2, the fertilizers, the special waters, the this and the that), I don't meddle with the baby fish nor the plants, (except to prune), and things are thriving in my tank.

I did not expect any plants to make it, I was just going to see how things went and learn as I went.

I did not expect babies so soon and I certainly didn't think that if I did have fish babies, they would make it.

But they are. 

I now have a plant that grows like crazy and I'm running out of room for all the clippings I've gotten off of it and would hate to just kill any future clippings and I now have baby fish that are growing and making it and don't want to just "get rid of" them, either.

I did not expect my tank to work like this especially after the bull I went through with the cloudiness for so. dang. long.

I figured I would do my best and see what happened and adjust as I went...I guess the best thing is for me to leave it the heck alone and just clean and do water changes for everything to work just fine.

So...yah, I have to figure some things out with these babies and the plants.

But, the point was...the babies are doing great! They are SO! CUTE! I cannot even stand it!

I'm still under capacity at this time for my tank but am not naive enough to think this is the only batch of baby fish I'll get from these platys so any ideas for them and the plants would be helpful. Thanks.


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## Kevx (Dec 8, 2011)

The breeder net is a good place to keep those "babies" for a few weeks until they are big enough to fend for themselves, which will happen quickly. I raise lots of live-bearers so I hate to see them get eaten. The pet stores might not buy your fish, but they will probably take them for free if you get too many to handle. Save the baby fishies!


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## Underwater City (Nov 6, 2011)

Kevx said:


> The breeder net is a good place to keep those "babies" for a few weeks until they are big enough to fend for themselves, which will happen quickly. I raise lots of live-bearers so I hate to see them get eaten. The pet stores might not buy your fish, but they will probably take them for free if you get too many to handle. Save the baby fishies!


They are big enough now and are out swimming around. I changed the gravel over to sand yesterday, (wow, that looks SO much better!!!!), and scooped out six baby platys.

Everyone seems to be so much happier with the sand and the way I have decorated this time around and all the platys have been out, swimming and strutting their stuff. 

Didn't know if changing over would do them harm so I counted every one again today and everyone is there, happy as clams, including the six baby platys.

I don't mind if the pet store won't buy them, I just need a solution. Considering I have been using the water from one of the pet stores, shouldn't be a problem with them taking the fish...it's a mom and pop type store, too, not big chain.

I'm going to ask the next time I go in there. I'll ask first if they will buy and if they won't, I'll ask if they'll just take. They take plants from people all the time, I've seen them buying plants from people...maybe there's a chance I'll have a place for the platys.


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## Copachick (Jun 7, 2011)

I am having the exact same experience. we JUST bought a few more Platys on monday for my 36 gallon. Then when we got home from work yesteday evening, we see 3 babies! We've had baby platys in there before for a few weeks but end up disapearing :-( We had bought a 10 gallon specifically for baby platys and the mother before she has them. But after we bought it, nobody had any babies. 
But this time we definitly didnt expect it this soon. We thought two of them look pregnant but thought she had awhile to go compared to how bug our other ones have gotten. So we have 3 babies hiding in the floating plants we have. Doing well so far but Ihate that everyone knows they are there and wont leave them alone. My boyfriend told me to stop trying to shoo them away from the babies because i cant do it forever lol. 
Guess Im justletting nature take its course. And hopeing they survive! Next time we will be prepared!


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