When to add guppy fry to community tank

[FishandChips]

Hey guys,

I've got guppy fry close to 2 months old and I want to know when it's safe for them to go into the community tank. The tank consists of 9 guppies, 10 neon tetras, 1 platy and 2 balloon mollies. Help - I've got 14 more fry that were born just days ago and ill need to move them soon into the 2 month old's net to make way for more baby fry on the way. My tank is breeding like nobody's business!

 

[khoifish89]

Is the two month old bigger than the adult mouth. this is what i used to judge when to put the fries into the adult tank. as for the newborn fries, if the 2 month is not big enough, you can put these two different age into the breeder net together.

 

[Toad]

It's safe to move them when they don't fit in anyone's mouth anymore. I usually just leave mine in, if you have a lot of hiding places they usually get by.

 

[BBradbury]

Your Community Tank

Hello F & C...

Had the same situation a number of years ago with my tank. Fortunately, I moved everything from a small tank to a 55 G, knowing that "Livebearers" reproduce about every 28 days in good water conditions. So, make long term plans for expansion. I started with 8 feeder female Guppies about 8 years ago and now have 5 large tanks with several hundred fish.

I've always kept all my fish together and start feeding all the fish a little more and a little more often when I noticed fry in the tank. It's been my experience, at least with "Livebearers" that well fed adults don't show much interest in the fry.

Your fish could likely use more plants in the tank, especially floating types like Anacharis and Pennywort. The more plants in the tank, the more comfortable the fish feel.

B

 

[rezende]

I released my fries to the main tank after 5 months, but the fit-in-mouth rule is more relevant than time. Some grow faster than others. I have fries that were born together, but after 5 weeks the difference of size among them make looks like they are from complete different generations!

It is important also to get them plants. Adults won't chase them to hell... as soon as the little ones disappear from their view, they just forget they were hunting something...

 

[FishandChips]

Thanks for the advice I think they're almost ready, ill definitely run with the fit-in-mouth advice. The tank is planted well, but ill be sure to include a few more to ensure they are comfy.

I actually don't want these guys to breed - I'm going to remove the males and continue to do so until there done. It's just impractical and not that desirable to have hundreds of guppies - keeping in mind these are a result of 10 guppies purchased labelled as live feed because I felt sorry for them *sigh*. Ill give the males to a friend.. better than handing them to the store to feed to other fish!

 

[rezende]

I actually don't want these guys to breed - I'm going to remove the males and continue to do so until there done. It's just impractical and not that desirable to have hundreds of guppies - keeping in mind these are a result of 10 guppies purchased labelled as live feed because I felt sorry for them *sigh*. Ill give the males to a friend.. better than handing them to the store to feed to other fish!

Well, this is a philosophical question then
That was nice of you to save them, but have in mind they reproduce that much exactly because they are natural preys, rather than predators.
Also, you will probably find newborns for months in a row even after you have separated males, because females can store milt (some people say up to 6 months). That's the way nature found out how to preserve these species even with scarcity of males .

From philosophical point of view, some people claim it's cruel to feed them to the bigger ones with no chance to defend themselves, because in nature they at least can hide, have more area etc. I don't do that, and I think I wouldn't be able... But what could be more cruel to a fry than having to runaway from his own mother's appetite right after born?
That's also the natural population control. Some people even add ghost shrimps or similar, which are known fry hunter, to maintain the population.

 

[FishandChips]

I'm a softy... Your reply just broke my heart knowing there will be more after I give away the males lol but I think I should take your advice (which others have offered to me) in letting the fry fend for themselves and accepting only one or two will make it. I work long hours so I'm hoping by not separating the mothers by the time I get home there's only one or two I can save (which happened the first time one of them have birth). I should re-watch The Lion King to remind myself there's a circle of life... *tear*