So many fish babies!

[hsteele77]

We started on a journey to have a couple of fish. Accidentally bought a pregnant Platy, and 2 days later I had 20. We lost momma fish after a couple of weeks, she never seemed herself after giving birth, but feeling pretty proud of myself that 3 months later I still have 13 of the 18 babies.

So a few questions led me to you -
1. one of the fish babies is almost adult sized now. The rest are about 1/4 of the size of my adult, but one seems the same size as when he was born, or maybe only slightly larger. Perhaps 1/10 the size of the adult. Is that normal, so have such a wide range of sizes? is there any chance that Tiny wasn't actually one of my original fish babies, but born of another fish at a later date?

2. Fat Bruce, the biggest of the fish babies, is looking suspicious. She is about 3 months old, I guess. Is she old enough to be preggo?

3. I'm really torn about the fish babies. Everything I read leads me to believe that I can't keep them all in the size of tank I have. What to do? I DON'T want a bigger aquarium. I work hard at water changes, etc and feel like I'm doing a good job of keeping them healthy, but as they grow I don't know that they will have enough room to swim, especially if Fat Bruce adds to our family. What do all of you do with your fish babies?

 

[Darkseid76]

I usually sell them off. And yes it's common for fry of the same brood to outgrow each other.

What size tank do you have?

Also 3 months is still early for them but as they age and mature the males will get their sisters pregnant. So you will have to come up with a plan.

 

[hsteele77]

We only have a 10 gallon tank. Right now it houses 1 adult platy and the 12 babies.

With the first round of babies we have been really successful with raising them up to this point - I think? I think getting 12 out of 18 through 3 months is pretty good?

But, I know that as they get bigger the tank will be beyond its capacity. So, I'm not really sure what to do with more babies after that. Let them get eaten? Feels wrong. Don't really know of a way to sell them off, and also don't really know of someone to give them to. feeling a little stuck with a mountain of orange fishies.

 

[dragonfisher33]

a picture(s) of the fish might be helpful in order to offer proper identification. if you can't take care all of the fish, you should probably take some of them to a store and offer them or adoption. my lfs allows me to trade in fish for other stuffs in the shop.

 

[hsteele77]

Oh, I know exactly what they are - sunburst platy. Sorry if there was confusion on that point.