question for experienced Endler Livebearer owners/breeders

[Cgy_Betta_Guy]

I have 2f/1m endler since May and finally decided to move them into my quarantine/breeding 15 gallon last night since one of the females was a bit plump... within a few hours she had popped out a couple fry and I now have 16 healthy fry schooling together in the tank. Too bad I hadn't done this earlier when I still had a good breeding stock of 3 males and 4 females. 2 of the males disappeared one day (no bodies evident) and 2 of the females just died for whatever reason. They have been pregnant before but I never moved them to another tank.

My question here is that I noticed that near the end of her labor she popped out 4 still born /unfertilized fetuses. Is this normal for the endler or other livebearing fish or did my moving her while carrying cause her to prematurely drop before she was ready and the fry were fully developed?

 

[bs6749]

Livebearers have been known to release young prematurely when they are moved or when they are in bags coming from a fish store, etc. The babies weren't "unfertilized fetuses" because a fetus is the result of fertilization. The could have been still born, but chances are they were just born prematurely due to the move.

 

[mgamer20o0]

what bs6749 said..... the stressed most likely caused it. for the most part they dont eat the fry so in no time you will be over ran.

 

[Cgy_Betta_Guy]

Thanks for the responses. Sorry I had meant to say underdeveloped fetus since as you said a fetus is result of fertilization. The eyes and head were distinguishable but the rest of the body didnt seem to be developed at all and almost looked like they were shriveled. These disembodied heads just dropped to the tank bottom and there was no discernable movement so they were most likely dead or under developed/premature. Anyways its been 4 weeks as of yesterday and the brood sits at 11 males and 7 females from that drop. The males just began to color up yesterday and have been separated from the females in another tank. One of the mothers of the brood is showing signs of popping again and is in with the rest of the females and I expect her to drop any day. I will soon be over run by Endlers!

 

[neilanh]

I went from 4m/5f to over 200 in a period of 2 or 3 months. I wasn't trying to control them, though.