What To Do About Breeding?

[aparker2005]

Hey everyone.............since I'm about to be getting a 75 gallon tank, I wanted to have mostly mollys, guppies, and platys as my main fish, and have cory's and clown loaches as others. However, I don't need to be having baby fish every month. My female molly just had about 15-20 babies, and my guppy had babies today and I've already spotted 6. These are my family and I's favorite fish, but is the only solution to get all males? Just wondering!

 

[matty101]

hmm well...in a 75gallon, many fry will survive if bred so you must choose. All males and you may see some nipping and chasing.A ratio of 1male:2females may help reduce but still.

 

[Chuka1212]

I would get a semi-predatory fish to eat the fry... a nice nutritious snack for them. I can't think of to many that would do well in a livebearer tank, unless your water is acidic/soft. I have seen angels, rams, etc go crazy over fry. Or you could isolate females when they are quite pregnant into a net breeder type of apparatus, then give the fry away or use them as feeders.

 

[*Fishkies*]

I would say get ALL FEMALES!! Males will pick at each other can sometimes cause problems with infections if they pick at one another to much. Also keep in mind though that the females you buy may also already be pregnant, so then you would still have to find a way to get rid of them, but a few lfs should take them for free at least. Or you could sell them as feeders to other people. This might also make you some money too.

 

[lilfishie]

males are usually fine when kept in groups of at least 5