Too many babies!

[eberbrink]

I have a 29 gallon tank and only had a handful of sunburst platy's in it, now they won't stop reproducing! Right now I have 2 "teenage" platy's and I just noticed 5 more babies. At this rate I am going to have way too many fish in this tank. Any advice on how to keep them from having more, or what to do with them. I really didn't want to start up another tank.

 

[Vircomore]

I recommend figuring out which are male and which are female, and then only keeping the females.

You can tell males from females by the males' "gonopodium" - which is the long, thin reproductive organ that has replaced their back-bottom (anal) fin.

Females will still have "regular-shaped" anal fins.


In terms of what to to with the males - you can ask your fish store if they'd like to buy / take them in, or you may have to humanely euthanize them. It's not fun - but it's part of the process when dealing with prolific breeding fish.

 

[Vircomore]

I should also point out that baby platys will all look female until they are quite big - and then they will develop their gender. So wait until you're sure they're male before shipping them off. don't worry, they can't breed until well after they've developed.

 

[Shetland James]

If you can, cull the babies.

 

[reefdiver]

take them to your lfs and maybe theyll give you some kind of credit.

 

[GuppyLover]

If you are willing to ship them you could post a thread for Sunburst Platys and have people pay for shipping (If you'd like) rather then culling them. Or like Vicromore suggested ask your local Pet Shop to take them in.

 

[uscamaro]

At one time I actually wanted to breed, thinking I could get credit at my LFS. Well after my first pregnant molly gave birth to 30+ fry, I realized I didn't feel like doing it. Well, if I didn't separate her from her kids, she would've ate them all. I know it sounds a bit cruel and unusual, but I eventually had to put all the fry in the main tank because I was going on a trip and only had 1 auto-feeder.

The gist of what I'm saying is: "think of them as a treat, the others will love 'em"

 

[GuppyLover]

I could never feed them to my other fish, I'd rather Cull them then do that.

At one time I actually wanted to breed, thinking I could get credit at my LFS. Well after my first pregnant molly gave birth to 30+ fry, I realized I didn't feel like doing it. Well, if I didn't separate her from her kids, she would've ate them all. I know it sounds a bit cruel and unusual, but I eventually had to put all the fry in the main tank because I was going on a trip and only had 1 auto-feeder.

The gist of what I'm saying is: "think of them as a treat, the others will love 'em"

 

[uscamaro]

I could never feed them to my other fish, I'd rather Cull them then do that.

Well if you're that emotionally attached to them, then don't. I'm just saying, they are fish, not people.

...I don't mean it in a way to offend anyone. I don't drop car batteries in my tank to see how they act, or put cichlids in with neon tetras; I care about animals too, I just have a line.

 

[GuppyLover]

I'm not saying you do I'm only saying I wouldn't be able to.

Well if you're that emotionally attached to them, then don't. I'm just saying, they are fish, not people.

...I don't mean it in a way to offend anyone. I don't drop car batteries in my tank to see how they act, or put cichlids in with neon tetras; I care about animals too, I just have a line.

 

[uscamaro]

That's cool. Anyway, welcome to the forum! Merry Christmas too!

 

[GuppyLover]

I'm not saying your a big bad animal killer I'm just saying I'm the kind of person who'd give them away to little kids in my development, I just wouldn't be able to do that to my fry. I'm one of those people who stops and helps the turtle across the road and who rescues the baby bunny my dog gets, not the kind who could use them as a treat. If you want food for your fish go buy brine shrimp or fish food at petco instead of killing baby fish. It takes the same efort to take them to the pet shop when you go to buy food for your fish and ask if they will take them off your hands

Well if you're that emotionally attached to them, then don't. I'm just saying, they are fish, not people.

...I don't mean it in a way to offend anyone. I don't drop car batteries in my tank to see how they act, or put cichlids in with neon tetras; I care about animals too, I just have a line.

 

[uscamaro]

If you want food for your fish go buy brine shrimp or fish food at petco instead of killing baby fish.

What do you think culling means?

 

[Hobnobelisk]

In the wild the fry get eaten by there parents and much larger fish, now i wouldnt cull any of my fish or babies i dont even really like killing snails that infest my tank but fry eating is a natural occurence in the wild. So i dont mind to much for them to be eaten in my tank.