Help. They are multiplying.

[GoneFishin']

First of all greetings everyone.
I just got my first tank about two weeks ago. I got it because my wife bought a Betta for our boy and I was feeling sorry for the fish swimming in such a small, filthy, bowl. So I got him a 10 gal tank with all the trimmings. Including the real bubble diver.
Next at the stores' advice I added three Platies to cycle the tank with. From their behaviour I determined that I had two males and a female. Anyway the other day I was doing a water change when I saw a small fry zipping around the tank. The wife thought I was smoking something because this guy is really good at hiding. Then yesterday I made a believer out of her. That brings up my question. What are his chances of not being eaten? What does he eat? He has been in there for about a week and is now about 1/4" long. In addition to the four fish mentioned above, I also added a Kuhli Loach the other day. Is my little fry going to end up a snack? Oh and the female looks like she is going to have some more. Am I going to have a population boom? What do I do with all these little fish?
Any advice would be much appreciated.

 

[dixaisy930]

Welcome!

I'm very proud of the little guy lasting that long. If you wanted to guarentee that he'll make it, you could get a net breeder and keep him in there. By now, I would have thought she would have had the rest already. One of two things could have happened...either the rest got eaten, or they're just as good as their brother at hiding. It really varies with live breeders how many they have...sometimes they'll have as little as five...and sometimes it can get into the twenties pretty easily (this depends on age, size, health, etc of momma ) If you keep the platies together, you'll have babies coming out your ears. You might also want to consider tanking back one of the males and getting another female instead, because a lone female with two males will get stressed from all of their "courtship" . I've seen their courtship, and it wouldn't do anything for me if I was a fish. As for the babies...you could get another tank, but that option won't really work after awhile, since they'll crowd that one too after awhile.. Check with some of your lfs and see if they'll buy the fry from you when they are big enough (usually three or four months). You didn't think that fish could make you money, huh? (I wouldn't quit your job though )

I'm also surprised the guy is doing well in a tank that isn't fully cycled yet. Are you doing regular water changes and such?

And here's a little extra help that you didn't ask for, but might find helpful
Adding that many fish to an uncycled tank probably wasn't the best idea (but we've all had those ), but as long as you do partial water changed often, you shouldn't have a problem. Platies are very hardy fish (and good hiders ), so they should be fine. I'm not sure (and someone correct me if I'm wrong) I think the Kuli Loach might get too big for the 10 gallon (I really can't keep the different loaches straight). I also think the like buddies, but I think your tank has enough occupants as is.

Hope all goes well with the fish.

 

[OscarCichlid]

A Kuhlii loach stays small but requires a tank of at least 50 gallons.
Kuhlii Loach Info

 

[gadazobe]

Get ready for the population explosion Platies reproduce about every 28 days (I think ) without the need for a male. Once pregnant, a female will keep a personal "supply" of sperm to last about 3 months. If you're interested in keeping the fry, then you better separate them from the main tank (this is how mts starts ) or leave them there to take their chances (survival of the fittest).


mts = multiple tank syndrome

 

[Sinuhe]

I kind of diasagree with dixaisy with the part about putting fish in an uncycled tank. If you only add only few fish, monitor the values closely, and do partial water changes, the fish will probably be fine. I'm cycling my third new tank in a couple of months, all with fish, and at no point have I monitored any ammonia or nitrite spikes. Probably because of my frequent water changes and live plants. And I haven't lost a single fish. Also, the tank is going "cycle" every time you add new fish, anyway, since the bioload will change.

 

[GoneFishin']

Thank you all.
I wish the folks at the store had told me that Platies were such prolific breeders. I feel sorry for my other male. The alpha male chases him around the tank if he even gets close to the female. So he spends most of his time bothering the Betta.
I would try to separate the fry from the tank. But most of the time I can't even find him/her. This little guy is hiding well.
I monitor the water daily. So far everything is looking good. The nitrites peaked and fell to zero a few days ago. The nitrates are at >20ppm currently. So I hope the cycling is going well. I have had a couple of bacteria blooms. But that is my fault. I haven't quite figured out how much to feed these fish. They always look hungry. Especially that wimpy Platy. He keeps on nipping the Bettas' fins. But I am getting the system down.
Anyway, thanks everyone.