Unplanned babies!!!

[Pisces68]

Help, babies popping up everywhere!!! Im very new to fish keeping. I just set up a 50 litre tank with a male fighting fish, 6 neon tetras, 2 corydoras, 1 sucking catfish, & a bristlenose. I upgraded from a 15 litre tank. Xmas eve I added 4 female swordtails, 24 hours later I discovered 1 baby swordtail. I immediatley rescued him & set up the 15 litre tank again, taking water from the 50 litre & topping that back up. Now 5 days later I just discovered 4 more babies in the 15 litre tank all the same size as each other but about 1/3 of the size of the first baby I rescued. Would they have been born at the same time? They would have to have been, the 4 new adult swordtails came from the pet shop & I found the first baby only a day later. So I'm thinking the 4 new ones I just spotted must have been scooped out of the main tank when I got the 15 litres of water out to set up the small tank again without me even noticing they were there?! There's something fishy going on!!

 

[fishytank]

they are live bearers

The sword is a live bearing fish and this is common and they can reproduce every 20 to 30 days. As far as the babies, they may be born a few days a part usually not the case (usually within hours).If you have more than 1 female it is possible more than one momma. I usually let nature take its course no intervention from me if the babies survive I have more.

 

[Pisces68]

Thankyou for your reply, Ok so at least 1 if not all 4 were pregnant & they can have multiple batches of babies for months. So without a male & not wanting to breed, should I just leave any new babies in the tank? Wont they all get eaten though? Is it likely any will survive? With the babies rescued, how long before they can be safely returned to the main tank, age & size?

 

[fishytank]

Happy to help if I can.... Correct. no male = no babies, as for them surviving depends on types of fish you have. I keep community fish and shrimp, mine are not aggressive I'm sure a few baby fish and shrimp are eaten due to their size at birth. I don't worry about saving them myself. Depending on your tank mates you could probably return the baby fish back to the tank when they reach 1/2 inch or larger. (try feed brine shrimp fresh or frozen as this will increase their size quicker. I've been keeping fish for 30 to 35 years but not all at once on again off again.