Will My Fish Breed When I Don't Want Them To?

Kris T · Apr 28, 2009

I'm a first-time tank owner. In a few weeks I'll be ready for fish. Some species sound as though they breed easily and often. I wondered if this is generally aa problem?

I have a 200L (53 gallon) tank, and one or two pairs of fish breeding would overstock my tank, wouldn't it? What's the answer? Or is this not a problem at all because I'm missing something?

lilfishie · Apr 28, 2009

providing you have other fish aswell, then fry shouldn't be a problem, the other fish should keep them under control

azzaknight · Apr 28, 2009

depends what fish you want. liverbearers breed really easily and the babies are bigger than ov egglayers. egglayers tend to look after the babies most times so depends what you want.list what fish you want and you will get more responses.

england · Apr 28, 2009

go for a sex only tank if you don't want to be over run with thing's like guppys :good:

dthoffsett · Apr 29, 2009

nelly said:
go for a sex only tank if you don't want to be over run with thing's like guppys

Just thought I'd add that most livebearer females can store sperm for up to 6 months, so unless your LFS keeps the sexes separate you are better off getting all males. If you want livebearers that is. :good:

jonnyf84 · Apr 29, 2009

Just thought I'd add that most livebearer females can store sperm for up to 6 months, so unless your LFS keeps the sexes separate you are better off getting all males. If you want livebearers that is.

i'm not sure this would be the best idea as even peaceful livebearers like guppys and endlers would be very boystrous in a all male community, the weaker or smaller males would have there fins nipped, they would be likely to hide and be skittish and wouldn't feed very well. With a tank your size you could easily keep a fish that would eat fry, you have plenty of space so you have lots of options. If you are planning on having a tank with few hiding places or plants then it is likely that the parents will eat most of the fry anyway, or you could simply remove and kill them. I would go for a all female community and after the first couple of months you will be fry free and have a happy community.

crazychris · Apr 29, 2009

I wouldn't worry too much as any babies would probably be eaten by the fish, including the parents. They're unlikely to survive unless you have a lot of plants and floating ones, that they can hide in until they're a bit bigger.

saz326 · Apr 29, 2009

As above.

If you keep a shoal of tetra - they will spawn and have eggs but the tiny eggs would be eater by the parents and other fish. If fry hatch then they too would be eaten. You may get a lone survivor if you are lucky. You could then either raise it and keep it or sell it on.

Many shops will take unknown fish babies or guppies or other "feeder fish" and sell them on as live food. Some shops will pay up to a 3rd of the resale value for a known fish as long as it is large enough to be sold on.

All fish will try to breed and its a good sign that they are happy and thriving. They may survive but more likely they will be eaten (if its a community tank!).

Just steer clear of species like mouthbrooders (unless you get a single male or female) and some larger cichlids as they would protect their young and raise fry until overstocked.

Tropical-Fish · Aug 1, 2009

Well All Fish Breed but you could buy a new tank for the babys because the mam will just eat the eggs of the babys and they wont be any babys and no one wants that do they :blush: