Saving livebearers fry

[Tommy10]

I have some livebearers in my 26 gallon tank, if they have babies how can I save some. First off can not get another tank for the as i do not have the space so that is not an option. I need to know how to save them in the same tank as the big ones.

The guy at my LPS (he is actually very knowledgable on fish) said if i float some bushy plants at the top will save lots and thats how they do it at the store. Any other suggestions?

Thanks

 

[mike gergley]

that will work when they are first born, they hang around the top. when they get older the move near the bottom. I would put in some hiding places on the bottom and the floating plants and some of your fry should survive

 

[Tommy10]

Perfect, thanks

 

[henningc]

If you want something more temporary than plants go with home made spawning mops. You can make them float so they go top to bottom. You can read how just look it up. I do this with my Swordtails. Feed the adults well and provide cover.

 

[BBradbury]

Livebearer Fry

I have some livebearers in my 26 gallon tank, if they have babies how can I save some. First off can not get another tank for the as i do not have the space so that is not an option. I need to know how to save them in the same tank as the big ones.

The guy at my LPS (he is actually very knowledgable on fish) said if i float some bushy plants at the top will save lots and thats how they do it at the store. Any other suggestions?

Thanks

Hello Tom...

I float Anacharis (Egeria densa), Pennywort, Duckweed and Hornwort in my Livebearer tanks. The more floating plants, the better for the females and the fry. You can start feeding all the fish in the tank a little more and a little more often. It's been my experience with Livebearers at least, that well fed adult fish show little or no interest in the fry.

B

 

[Tommy10]

Ok, are those all fake plants? Also i dont have babies yet but I think one of my platies is pregnant

 

[Tommy10]

how does this look?

 

[siva]

Plants they can hide in is your best bet in a community tank. Hornwort and java moss are great, and also provide infusoria for the young fry to feed on. I have dwarf water lettuce floating for fry as well and they hang out up in the roots and it works quite well. Only downside to that is it will block a lot of the light to the tank so depending on what else you want to grow in there it may not work so well for you.

 

[siva]

Ok, are those all fake plants? Also i dont have babies yet but I think one of my platies is pregnant

If you have any females that have ever been in the presence of a male since they reached sexual maturity, then they are definitely pregnant.

 

[Shanetweedz]

Amazing looking tank good aqua scaping idea for my new 30

 

[Tommy10]

Amazing looking tank good aqua scaping idea for my new 30

Thanks a lot theyre all fake but look good i think anyways

 

[Tommy10]

If you have any females that have ever been in the presence of a male since they reached sexual maturity, then they are definitely pregnant.

How can I tell the difference between male and female?

 

[siva]

The males have a gonopodium and the female have a standard fin.

 

[Tommy10]

Thank you

 

[mjs500doo]

I use a brooder box myself with high success. Our natural births seem to really cut natural survival numbers. Even fully equipped with protection top/bottom of the tanks. This way I can just empty my brooder box fry into the brooder tank an return momma back home. Works quite well. We sell our fry.

 

[Tommy10]

I think I'll leave them in the tank and let nature take its course. I don't want to many to survive