My guppies are breeding and so is the female balloon molly I just purchased. I want to do my best to save them so I just purchased a breeder mesh box that's coming in the mail. Dumb question, but as a new tank owner, I want to ask, how soon do I place them in there? Some are actually hiding in the gravel, some are swimming, but I find it difficult catching them. And how long do they stay in there?
Breeder Box info
- Thread starter HopeGR
- Start date
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How do you know unless you ask?!!!
So there is not a one answer to that question.
One big problem I have had, and others as well is that the little fish can die in their net from less than perfect water quality. Their fish food just stays in the breeder net and doesn't circulate very well and degrades and can kill off the whole bunch. I know this because it happened to me more than once, even trying to be careful. Especially made harder by having a large number of them in there.
So food for thought.
These fish are live bearers and they have a zillion babies, because in the wilds, a huge number of them are eaten by predators. They will have more babies.
Guppies store sperm from their male companions and can have babies 6 months later. I have had a couple thousand babies since January
The short part of the answer is if it can fit in the bigger fishes mouth, they can be eaten and cover, intake tubes. (but my little ones have stayed out of there) some tubes are covered and in some tanks they have a huge canister filter thing like a hand sized pod to suck up water.
What I have seen id momma Guppies get REALLY aggressive for food. I had Platy (similar, but not the same, they were pretty easy and didn't really seek out babies to eat) but not kept Mollies, though I feel like I have heard they are a bit pushy for food as well.
You might try saving about half of the both kinds of babies in the new and let half free range in the tank. Get them some easy to grow (like a weed) in your area, a frilly/ leafy stem plant and plant some and let some float and give the fry extra places to hide - or fake plants.
A dollar per gallon sale Petco tank or a used tank might be a better solution for the Guppies, more space. Guppies can be kept around 75F and do not require an air bubbler but might do better with it. Or an internal filter, something to turn the water.
The babies love food and need to be nibbling many times through out the day and therefore need cleaner water since food is used so often.
Back to the breeder net, I now would take cups of new dechlorinated (always) water and gently pour it directly into the net AM and PM. This helps the older water circulate through and extends survival. imhe.
So there is not a one answer to that question.
One big problem I have had, and others as well is that the little fish can die in their net from less than perfect water quality. Their fish food just stays in the breeder net and doesn't circulate very well and degrades and can kill off the whole bunch. I know this because it happened to me more than once, even trying to be careful. Especially made harder by having a large number of them in there.
So food for thought.
These fish are live bearers and they have a zillion babies, because in the wilds, a huge number of them are eaten by predators. They will have more babies.
Guppies store sperm from their male companions and can have babies 6 months later. I have had a couple thousand babies since January
The short part of the answer is if it can fit in the bigger fishes mouth, they can be eaten and cover, intake tubes. (but my little ones have stayed out of there) some tubes are covered and in some tanks they have a huge canister filter thing like a hand sized pod to suck up water.
What I have seen id momma Guppies get REALLY aggressive for food. I had Platy (similar, but not the same, they were pretty easy and didn't really seek out babies to eat) but not kept Mollies, though I feel like I have heard they are a bit pushy for food as well.
You might try saving about half of the both kinds of babies in the new and let half free range in the tank. Get them some easy to grow (like a weed) in your area, a frilly/ leafy stem plant and plant some and let some float and give the fry extra places to hide - or fake plants.
A dollar per gallon sale Petco tank or a used tank might be a better solution for the Guppies, more space. Guppies can be kept around 75F and do not require an air bubbler but might do better with it. Or an internal filter, something to turn the water.
The babies love food and need to be nibbling many times through out the day and therefore need cleaner water since food is used so often.
Back to the breeder net, I now would take cups of new dechlorinated (always) water and gently pour it directly into the net AM and PM. This helps the older water circulate through and extends survival. imhe.
Thanks for the reply. I received the breeder box yesterday but I might just return it. My issue is the feeding. I feed a pinch of the "first food" 2x daily, along with fancy guppy but fear I am overfeeding the adult guppies and getting them sick, in my attempts to feed the babies. Especially, too, having upgraded from a 10 to now 20 gallon, I lost a handful of guppies to dropsy. However, you have pointed out how the babies can die in the box as well. I have provided 'hiding' spots and decor for them to hide out.
Should I just crush those bottom feeder wafers for them to munch on? That is hoping the others won't get to those first.
I've had fry since end of September with only 3 guppies thriving and now from what I can see 3 balloon mollys, but there could be more hiding. The mollys are almost a week old.
Should I just crush those bottom feeder wafers for them to munch on? That is hoping the others won't get to those first.
I've had fry since end of September with only 3 guppies thriving and now from what I can see 3 balloon mollys, but there could be more hiding. The mollys are almost a week old.
Foods for babies are varied - special fry food like Hikari First Bites, crushed flakes or pellets, boiled egg yolk run through a sieve, live foods of all sorts.
Feeding the babies might be better as tiny amounts numerous times per day.
Water changes as needed, but routinely like every other day. Having an aggressive water changing plan will really help keep you fish and babies safe.
The babies will have to use their innate sense of survival to be bold enough.
If you have males and females of each type of the fish BM and Guppies, you are fine for future babies.
Go ahead and use the breeder net just rinse new water through at least one time but preferably AM / PM daily.
The tank is cycled, or not yet?
Feeding the babies might be better as tiny amounts numerous times per day.
Water changes as needed, but routinely like every other day. Having an aggressive water changing plan will really help keep you fish and babies safe.
The babies will have to use their innate sense of survival to be bold enough.
If you have males and females of each type of the fish BM and Guppies, you are fine for future babies.
Go ahead and use the breeder net just rinse new water through at least one time but preferably AM / PM daily.
The tank is cycled, or not yet?
