Livebearer Troubles

[glolite]

Hi Spish

I've always been able to keep guppies but not mollys. Our water is hard at pH 8 to 8.5.

Recently a guy at my lfs said to put a pinch of aquatonic salt in the filter media and repeat after rinsing out the media. I currently have 3f and 1m molly doing well and have already dropped one lot of fry.

Some other people suggest a brackish tank, which, I believe increases the water hardness? I think, correct me if I'm wrong, that guppies can be kept in brackish water too if they are acclimatised slowly by adding a little more marine salt at each water change.

Just a thought.

 

[OldMan47]

If you are having trouble with platies, swordtails are more aggressive but aquarium varieties share a lot of genetic material with aquarium platies. Most of the nice colorful platies and mollies have been developed by crossing the wild species and choosing colors from the platy side to bring into the swordtail side. I would guess that whatever has prevented you from keeping platies will affect swordtails as well.

 

[~T~]

I'm the same mate. Lucky if they survice a few months. Endlers are the only ones I dont seem to have a problem.

 

[crazychris]

I'm the same with platies. Keep buying them and they live a few weeks or months then mysteriously die! Nothing is bullying them at all, water parameters are fine and and they seem very healthy before they die. When my last platies die I'm not buying any more. All other fish live years for me usually. I can keep everything else I buy, gouramis, bettas, loaches, corys etc. Had platies from different LFS too so am baffled!

 

[tropic_john]

hello,
spishkey
i have had lots of livebearers and i think they are very easy to look after just follow these instructions to make sure your fish last a good life and maybe you can even breed some of your own!!:

(1) Make sure you set-up your tank correctly first get your tank and fill it with tap-water leave your water at least 1 week then get a water check from one of your local pet shops make sure your results are ok (if not treat your water with safe water for another week then get another water check) then its go go go from there!!

(2) Add your gravel and some live plants if possible (wash before placing into tank) and any other ornaments etc....

(3) Leave the water another 24 hours before you attempt to add fish.

Some parts of that message were very wrong.

 

[OldMan47]

Spishkey is an experienced aquarist Tropic John. She just has some trouble keeping livebearers. I really wish I could figure out what her problem is because she does so well with other fish.

 

[Spishkey]

well the last lone platy is looking far too healthy lol, shes really hanging on in there (all alone bless!) tomorrow im going for some swordtails (what ratio m to f should i buy? 3f to 1 m?) and maybe a couple of platys. fingers crossed!!

 

[OldMan47]

The 3 F to 1 m is a good ratio for swordtails or platies.

 

[Spishkey]

well we're home, got 7 swordtails and already i think there will be trouble, i pointed out exactly which fish i wanted (2 m 5f) got home, it seems she caught the wrong one at the end, i have 3m and 4f! so may have to go and exchange. 3 are high fins, 2 tricolour? and two albino(pink eyed?) fingers crossed eh??

 

[Harlequins]

Good luck

 

[Spishkey]

one female down already others looking good though so maybe it was stress??

 

[tropic_john]

I know you're experienced spish, but have you tried looking around the hiding places of the tank for anything that shoudn't be there i.e Rotting plants, rotting fish or maybe the stores all get their stock from the sam source and they have a parasite at the source or smething

T_J

P.S how are your two oscars getting along? I've been following that story thread

 

[Harlequins]

Sorry to hear you've lost one,hope the rest settle in well

 

[Spishkey]

I know you're experienced spish, but have you tried looking around the hiding places of the tank for anything that shoudn't be there i.e Rotting plants, rotting fish or maybe the stores all get their stock from the sam source and they have a parasite at the source or smething

T_J

P.S how are your two oscars getting along? I've been following that story thread

i freshly set up this tank with a cloned filter just for the swords, no chance of rotting plants either, have gone for fakes in this set up, have bought from a different lfs!!! fingers crossed they are doing well, one of the females seems to have squared off overnight so im awaiting babies too!!

oscars are doing great...they keep scaring the life outta me though, thought they'd ate their new thermometer the other day (theres a thread in emergencys about it, was in a right panic! unfortunatly one of them has an anchor worm at the mo so am currently treating the whome tank!!

 

[OldMan47]

If you have a female getting ready to drop fry, you will want to establish a good top water cover. Swordtail fry often end up at the top of the tank rather than on the bottom like guppy fry.