Hello. I'm happy to say that after some bad starts, I've successfully cycled three tanks without losing a fish thanks to the great advice received from members of this forum. Now, I appear to have a pregnant platty and am considering the best way to make room for the babies. Here's what I have at the moment:
One 5-gallon tank stocked with five zebra danios and one golden algae eater.
One 5-gallon tank stocked with five neon tetras, one golden algae eater, and a "surprise" baby platty that hitched a ride home in a bag when we bought some other fish.
One 34-gallon Red Sea aquarium being used as a freshwater tank. It's stocked with six zebra danios, three red wag plattys, one algae eater, and two small albino cory catfish. The pregnant platty is in this tank, and one of the male plattys follows her incessantly. The other male (who was supposed to be a female) totally ignores both of them.
I also have another 5-gallon tank that is not set up yet.
I think the pregnant platty is probably around 3 weeks pregnant, and I'm considering options. Needless to say, advice can be conflicting concerning breeding traps, nets, etc. So, I would love advice on which of the options below may be best.
1. Leave the pregnant platty in the 34-gallon tank and let nature take its course. This ensures "population control" but also goes against my grain. The other concern is that the filtration system in the Red Sea includes a grate that water passes through and the babies could be sucked into it. (Any advice on preventing that? Two danios have gone through already although they were unharmed.)
2. Leave the pregnant platty in the 34-gallon tank and use a breeding net or trap. I've read these can cause great stress to the pregnant fish and the timing has to be just before the birth, which is difficult to predict.
3. Trade tanks by moving the occupants of one of my cycled 5-gallon tanks to the 34-gallon tank. Then transfer the pregnant Mom to the cycled 5-gallon tank by herself (or with the little "bonus" baby platty). When she delivers, transfer her back to the 34-gallon tank and leave the babies where they are. But would the 34-gallon tank then be overstocked? And would being alone in a new tank cause too much stress on the Mom?
4. Set up the third unused 5-gallon tank. I could either transfer the pregnant platty to it right away and do lots of water changes, or try to get it partially cycled before she gives birth (but I don't think there's much time to accomplish that).
5. Other (low cost) ideas?
Thank you! I'm looking forward to any advice you may have.
One 5-gallon tank stocked with five zebra danios and one golden algae eater.
One 5-gallon tank stocked with five neon tetras, one golden algae eater, and a "surprise" baby platty that hitched a ride home in a bag when we bought some other fish.
One 34-gallon Red Sea aquarium being used as a freshwater tank. It's stocked with six zebra danios, three red wag plattys, one algae eater, and two small albino cory catfish. The pregnant platty is in this tank, and one of the male plattys follows her incessantly. The other male (who was supposed to be a female) totally ignores both of them.
I also have another 5-gallon tank that is not set up yet.
I think the pregnant platty is probably around 3 weeks pregnant, and I'm considering options. Needless to say, advice can be conflicting concerning breeding traps, nets, etc. So, I would love advice on which of the options below may be best.
1. Leave the pregnant platty in the 34-gallon tank and let nature take its course. This ensures "population control" but also goes against my grain. The other concern is that the filtration system in the Red Sea includes a grate that water passes through and the babies could be sucked into it. (Any advice on preventing that? Two danios have gone through already although they were unharmed.)
2. Leave the pregnant platty in the 34-gallon tank and use a breeding net or trap. I've read these can cause great stress to the pregnant fish and the timing has to be just before the birth, which is difficult to predict.
3. Trade tanks by moving the occupants of one of my cycled 5-gallon tanks to the 34-gallon tank. Then transfer the pregnant Mom to the cycled 5-gallon tank by herself (or with the little "bonus" baby platty). When she delivers, transfer her back to the 34-gallon tank and leave the babies where they are. But would the 34-gallon tank then be overstocked? And would being alone in a new tank cause too much stress on the Mom?
4. Set up the third unused 5-gallon tank. I could either transfer the pregnant platty to it right away and do lots of water changes, or try to get it partially cycled before she gives birth (but I don't think there's much time to accomplish that).
5. Other (low cost) ideas?
Thank you! I'm looking forward to any advice you may have.
