Its All Been Happening Last Night

[EllieW]

Just before work this morning when feeding my fish I saw a few (what looked like) baby mollies and baby platys

I didn't have a chance to catch any and isolate them as I had to rush to work. Just wondering if there is any chance any of them surviving in a community tank.

When I left they were in a very leafy plant

 

[iffles]

Firstly congrats on your molly and platy fry!

Secondly, they have a chance of survival (especially the molly fry cos theyre usually quite big), but it also depends on the other fish in the tank. Some fish hunt down and eat the fry more than others due to their instincts (to chase and eat anything smaller that looks yummy ). You can help the fry by putting a layer of large marbles on the floor of the tank and putting in some more decorations that they can hide in. I have 10 platy fry surviving in my tank at home, but there weren't any other fish in the tank- just 3 platies. Java moss is excellent for fry to hide in and also provides some food (microorganisms like to hide in java moss). I also attempted to feed them by mixing some finely crushed flake in a cup of water and squirting it down into the plants and lower down in the tank.

Good luck with the fry!

 

[EllieW]

Firstly congrats on your molly and platy fry!

Secondly, they have a chance of survival (especially the molly fry cos theyre usually quite big), but it also depends on the other fish in the tank. Some fish hunt down and eat the fry more than others due to their instincts (to chase and eat anything smaller that looks yummy ). You can help the fry by putting a layer of large marbles on the floor of the tank and putting in some more decorations that they can hide in. I have 10 platy fry surviving in my tank at home, but there weren't any other fish in the tank- just 3 platies. Java moss is excellent for fry to hide in and also provides some food (microorganisms like to hide in java moss). I also attempted to feed them by mixing some finely crushed flake in a cup of water and squirting it down into the plants and lower down in the tank.

Good luck with the fry!

Oh cool I thought the response would be I haven't got a chance.

I'll go out in my lunch hour and try and get some java moss from somewhere.

Thanks

 

[iffles]

It really depends on the other fish in the tank. If you can catch them, there will be higher survival rates, but I found that impossible, so I just tried to give them the best chance I could. In some books i've read they say the fry don't have a chance, but usually at least a few will survive (I have 10 survive out of about 40).

 

[EllieW]

It really depends on the other fish in the tank. If you can catch them, there will be higher survival rates, but I found that impossible, so I just tried to give them the best chance I could. In some books i've read they say the fry don't have a chance, but usually at least a few will survive (I have 10 survive out of about 40).

I don't think Id have a chance of catching them either. Think i'll leave them this time and see what happens and if they all go ill know next time to get them quick.

Hoping they are good at hiding.

 

[iffles]

Yeah they are actually . They also seem to have territories in my tank (one owns the marble area, another lives under the rock, etc.) and after feeding time, they go back to the same places strange.

At first I could only see one, and I thought the others had been eaten. They are also very fast to escape from other fish (and your net!), but their stamina isn't great, so I moved the decor into a sort of heap in the middle so they wouldn't have to swim too far to go to another hiding spot. Also do you have those pots that plants usually come in- the black plastic ones with holes in them? I know they don't look great, but they like hiding in them, cos the adults cant go through the small holes

Anyway, good luck with the fry .

 

[EllieW]

Yeah they are actually . They also seem to have territories in my tank (one owns the marble area, another lives under the rock, etc.) and after feeding time, they go back to the same places strange.

At first I could only see one, and I thought the others had been eaten. They are also very fast to escape from other fish (and your net!), but their stamina isn't great, so I moved the decor into a sort of heap in the middle so they wouldn't have to swim too far to go to another hiding spot. Also do you have those pots that plants usually come in- the black plastic ones with holes in them? I know they don't look great, but they like hiding in them, cos the adults cant go through the small holes

Anyway, good luck with the fry .

Oh right, thats a really good idea about the little plant pot. I want to go home now and sort my tank out

Thanks for your help

 

[iffles]

Good luck