Overrun With Fry

[scwoody]

Natural selection does not seem to be taking care of my platy fry and my tank is in danger of becoming overrun. I think I have some 18 of them (from 4 mums from the LFS) and they're getting fairly big - well, too big for a meal for the other fish, me thinks!!!

So, solutions? Do you take them back to the LFS? Do you make up some batter (only joking!! They're not that big!!)?

Many thanks in advance.

 

[tom_os]

some people on here might take them off you, i would but i have no room.

post a topic in buy/swap and sell section and see if anyone is intereted. where are you from?

 

[OldMan47]

My own experience with livebearers is that as the population starts to seem too much, less and less fry survive. It is sort of self limiting in many ways. There are always fish big enough to want a fishy meal if you are willing to give them away to people who will use them to feed large cichlids. I find that I can usually move things around between tanks well enough to let my fry get big enough that the LFS really wants them.

 

[Rooster]

This is one of the realities of the passtime (I hate to call fishkeeping a hobby !)
If your tank doesnt contain enough "nature" to balance the system (ie other fish with teeth) then you are going to have to cull at sometime... or get some teeny condoms ;-)

 

[Inchworm]

or get some teeny condoms ;-)

Hi scwoody

This situation often leads to getting more tanks and then really getting caught up in fishkeeping. Many members who start out like this then move on to keeping egg layers that are less likely to overrun their tanks.

Have you talked to any of the lfs owners near you? Chain stores don't usually buy fish from people who raise them, since they are obligated to get their stock from certain distributors, but the independent ones often do. Sometimes they will pay cash, but you can often get a better deal by taking store credit. Either way, they get healthy, locally raised fish, and you get rid of your problem.

 

[Tolak]

Try contacting a local club; http/fins.actwin.com/dir/clubs.php

The club I'm with gets calls like this on a regular basis. Mention any aquatics items you might be looking for, trades are never out of the question.