Molly Fry Are Driving Me Mad!

[attibones]

A while back, one of my mollies dropped a clutch of forty or so fry. This was the first time anyone had ever had fry in my tank, so I was a little over zealous about saving them all, which I regret completely now.

My fry tank is over run with the little guys who are maybe two months old now, so they are definitely overcrowding the tank. It should be getting daily water changes, but my sister doesn't believe me on this ("but we already cycled it!!"). Anyway, I moved five of them to one of my 55 gallons to see what would happen. Sent them in overnight. Almost immediately, the mother and the cherry barbs started to chase them a bit. Mom is a real greedy thing.

I'm going to let them grow out a bit more in the 55, and then take them to my LFS. Unfortunately, the LFS won't take them as fry so I've got a while to go, it seems. I'm only seeing four, though, so maybe they'll thin out a bit more? That sounds terrible, I know.

Any suggestions on getting rid of the remaining twenty or so?

Ads on Craigslist and my sister's Facebook are already in place. No fish clubs or friends with fish.

 

[Robbo89]

Strange, I've got 2 week old platy fry in my community tank (with the adults) who swim and eat along side their parents ! The chasing stopped a few days ago now and it's really quite funny seeing them so close Best of luck though!

 

[DerpPH]

Probably because you took them away from their mommy that she cant recognise her own young.
Just make sure there are some hiding places

 

[attibones]

Snare Drum, the female, eats everything in sight. The barbs follow her around when they are hungry because they know she'll find something to eat somewhere.

Probably because you took them away from their mommy that she cant recognise her own young.
Just make sure there are some hiding places

But I sort of want them to "go away." I think they are too big to get in her mouth, though. She made a huge meal out of them when they were born, that's for sure.

 

[DyArianna]

The last drop of molly fry I had we counted over 50. We left them right in the tank and they are also now cllose to 2 months old and we are down to about 8. We are due another drop any day now as I have already found 1 new one in there. These 8 will also be moved on to some friends shortly though.

 

[lolobunnz]

if you are really desperate in getting rid of these fry research clove oil and the uses and the correct way to humanely euthanize them. I would definitely go this route over the typical response you may see saying feed them to an oscar.

 

[attibones]

I don't necessarily want to kill the things, but I'm having a hard time finding appropriate homes for them.

 

[DerpPH]

Buy a predatory cichlid: oscars or p bass.

 

[attibones]

But I don't have room for those guys! That's a good idea, except I really like Oscars, and my tanks are not suitable.