Unexpected arrivals!!!! HELP!!!!

[aharcara]

I went to my tank this morning to get started on a PWC, and I noticed something strange in there. It turned out to be about a dozen baby fish!!!

I have a 20 gallon tank, and got some female guppies about 5 weeks ago. I knew that they breed easily, so I only wanted males or females. We chose the females because they were cheaper. They were in a tank at the store separate from the males. After 2 weeks, I got 2 platies. They stayed in a quarantine tank for 2 weeks, and I moved them a week ago to the main tank. I've been really happy because we haven't had ANY problems. Everything has been going really well.

So, what do I do about these new arrivals?? I don't know if they are guppies or platies, but they look more like guppies with long tails. For one, if they all live to adulthood, I will have too many fish. #2, I'm assuming some are males and some are females, so there could be more breeding, and more babies, etc., etc., etc.

Should I try to get them out and put them in the quarantine tank?
What am I going to do? HELP!!!

 

[meegosh]

I've heard that guppies and platies can crossbreed but their offspring usually cannot have babies. I am not 100% sure on that but I know I've heard of other people having guppies and platies crossbreed. I'm sure others will chime in... Only other thing I can think of is that maybe they are platies (the babies) rather than guppies.

 

[JustOneMore20]

If you want to raise them, then you'll eventually need a separate tank. For a dozen of them, you'll want around a 5-10g tank.

For now, you could get a breeder net to put them in so that they'll be safe from the adults (which will likely eat what they see).

If they are Platy fry, then you could feed them crushed up flakes. Guppy fry are a bit smaller and I think you'd want something like Hikari First Bites. Its a powder food and you can usually find it at the chain stores. Since you aren't sure, pick up some First Bites. Both could eat that for a little while.

If you could, pick up a sponge filter and airpump (unless you have either) and stick it in the main tank. Then get a 5-10g and heater in a couple weeks. Move the sponge filter to the 10g and after the temp is stabilized, move the fry to their own tank. You'll want to feed guppy fry a few times a day. Platies can be fed daily or a couple times daily. Do water changes every few days to help the grow.

I have some Platy fry growing out in a 5.5g tank. You can get those from PetsMart for about $9.

 

[jsciacca]

Feeders

 

[CatatonicBug]

I agree... That's the reasaon I just got 2 female guppies and put them in my male guppy tank. Hopefully, my Sevrum and GBR's will have a nice snack.

 

[aharcara]

How long will it be before these fish are mature and can reproduce?

Thanks!!

 

[krustykrab99]

Most of the time eventhough they are seperated in the store they are already pregnant before they get to the store. Even juviniles are pregnant. Just look for the black spot underneath the fish to tell if they are pregnant.

 

[An t-iasg]

I doubt that a juvenile can breed, although guppies reach maturity in only one to two months. Female guppies have the ability to store sperm, so just from one mating she can have several batches of fry. The female guppies you bought could have already been pregnant.

 

[Jarred Darque]

If you just leave the fry in the tank, they will likely get eaten by the larger guppies/platies. I use guppies for feeders...can go through a few hundred a week.

 

[whiddett]

What does using guppies for feeders mean? You put guppy fry in your tank as food?

 

[Purrbox]

It's not at all uncommon for people to use fry from livebearers at food for other fish. Any fish that is used in this way is generally referred to as a feeder.