More Fish Or Should I Stay At The Limit?

[HCpetraitis]

I was wondering if I should get more fish. Now this sounds kind of ridiculous but, I was thinking of going to the Petsmart and looking for an already pregnant fish. My reasoning for this is so I do not have a male in my tank. (I have all females- 1 black molly, 2 white mollies, 1 creamsicle molly, 2 MM platies) I have a ten gallon tank. So, if I was going to get a fish then all of my females wouldn't suddenly become pregnant with the one male in my tank. I have a total of 6 adult fish and then an additional 6 fry. (But, the fry might be given to my friend for a gift) Would this be too risky or should I go through with my plan? Also, any tips for me on the pregnant fish would be great. I was either thinking an orange and white molly or a platy with a lot of colrs. Any pictures of fish you like would be great too! Thanks!

 

[TheSims3Dude]

Personally, if you have 6 adult fish I would just leave it at that, I heard somewhere that like per gallon of water is like 1 fish (depending on how big they are).... or something like that... lol I'm not good with it exactly, but IMO I wouldn't get anymore fishies, not for now at least..

 

[OldMan47]

How long have you had your fish HCPetraitis? All of the fish that you have can carry sperm packets for as much as 6 months so you could very well already have 6 pregnant livebearers in the tank. Your tank is already fully stocked so more fish does not sound like a good idea. I have some fry and a single female in a 10 gallon and it is almost too crowded. Next week after she gives birth again, she is going back to her permanent home and the fry are going into a 55 gallon to grow bigger. The 55 has had water in it for about 6 weeks waiting for me to move fish and filter to it. Meanwhile, I have kept the female in the tank for a picture series I am doing on the mother's pregnancy. She usually lives in a 120 gallon community tank but is way too hard to photograph in that tank. She just goes around the whole tank and I can never get an in-focus picture of her in that tank.

 

[HCpetraitis]

I've had these fish without a male for probably 8 months. None of them can be pregnant because my black molly gave birth a month ago, my white molly aborted at 3 weeks, my MM platies both have never been in a tank with males except when they were in the breeder with their brothers and sisters. Thanks for the advice. I think I'll stick to the fish I have and not get anymore. Is there a possibility if I got a 20 gallon I could get another female?

 

[OldMan47]

A 20 gallon would give you some room for a few more fish. At that point the question becomes whether you want more of the same fish or you want to try branching out and getting something you have never had before. I always seem to want to try something new when I find myself with an empty tank.

 

[HCpetraitis]

OK I was thinking of adding some color and getting dalmation mollies and maybe a blue platy.

 

[OldMan47]

I love the dalmatians and have seen good and not so good blue platies. The intense blue ones are some real charmers IMO.

 

[HCpetraitis]

Yea thats what I was thinking also.