New tankmates & on vacation.

[spittinfly]

Well I got some females for the Mollies last night. One quite pregnant Dalmatian and one Black Molly. I also picked up 2 Chinese Algae Eaters, don't know what sex they are. Man was the guy at the LPS very rough. He was smacking the rock decor around the tank so hard I thought he was going to squash a fish! He went to bag them up and held the top of the bag and spun the bottom with the fish in it around. He also grabbed a cichlid by mistake when he was scooping them out and I didn't see what kind it was but he said that I didn't want that one cause it would eat my Mollies? Is that normally possible?

Well anyways, I am going out of town for 3 days. Is it ok to just leave the pregnant Molly in with the rest of the fish (3 platy's and 3 mollies)? I don't have a breeder box or tank yet. It would be nice to have some fry but if not out of this batch I won't be too broken up.

It's funny, it looks like my Calico (M) Platy is kind of protecting her from my other two male Mollies by chasing them away. Is that correct or is he trying to be her special man?

 

[theotheragentm]

If there are hiding places, some fry are likely to survive. Leaving the tank alone for the three days should be fine.

 

[spittinfly]

Thanks. I have a whisper 30 HOB filter do I need to worry about the slits on the intake tube sucking up the little buggers?

 

[theotheragentm]

Put a stocking over the intake. That will keep them out of there.

 

[spittinfly]

I was wondering if I should do that with a little glad-lock plastic bucket to make a breeder box. Cut the sides out to leave a frame and shove it into a stocking? Could work right?

 

[theotheragentm]

The only problem about making your own is that the holes should be there to circulate the water, but it's hard to get hole sizes right for allowing flow and not letting fish out. Try taking a cheap 7-11 plastic cup, cutting off the botom and putting a stocking over the bottom?

 

[spittinfly]

Maybe I'll come up with something or go get a breeder box. We'll have to see.

Thanks

 

[Blazeherd2306]

Most fish stores sell net-like containers that you place on the inside of the tank to keep fry in (I can't remember what they're called). Or you could always buy a tank divider to separate the fry from the other fish.