# What do you do with them?



## pyewacketsid (Apr 4, 2011)

I've never kept livebearers before, but I plan to once my tank is cycled. I'm choosing them because they're attractive and well-suited to my water (very hard and high pH).

Seems like most of the threads in this section are about fry. What do you do to control the population? It's neat that they reproduce, but will they do so beyond what the tank will support? Do pet stores take them?

Or is it not an issue unless you're working actively to keep the fry from being eaten? Do the parents eat them?


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

swords and platies eat babies, but they don't always get them all, especially if they have lots of cover. Mollies, limia, and some goodieds generally don't eat fry, so their number gets higher and higher. LFS and some petlands will usually take them for store credit, but only once they reach adult/salable size. The chain stores will sometimes take salable fish, but they won't give you anything for them. 

Other people sell on craigslist or aquabid (you can post local pickup, but most sellers ship). The best way to raise fry is usually in a second tank. You put the pregnant momma in until she births, then put her back in the main tank. 

You won't make much on common fish, but selling fry for credit can offset some of your supply costs.


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## funlad3 (Oct 9, 2010)

Or, if you don't even want to worry about it, you can make it a community tank with other types of fish. You'll NEVER see a fry!


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## pyewacketsid (Apr 4, 2011)

*laugh* Well, all right then! Thanks for the replies, that's very helpful.


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## tropicalfish (Mar 4, 2011)

Certain pet stores will take them, you just have to ask around to find one that does. Keep the fry (the baby fish) isolated for as long as possible because keeping them with adult fish will stunt their growth and possibly get the fry eaten. To control the population, keep either one of each type of fish, or be sure to only get 1 gender to keep them from breeding. 
Good luck with your tank!


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## Unknown10101 (Mar 5, 2011)

Depending on the fish, they may not be eaten. I have livebearers who give birth and my tank and almost all of them survive! I have a community tank with clown loaches, corydoras, other livebearers, and danios.


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## egoreise (Mar 16, 2011)

funlad3 said:


> Or, if you don't even want to worry about it, you can make it a community tank with other types of fish. You'll NEVER see a fry!


Agreed!

And if you want a few of the to survive, add a cluster of hornwort for them to hide in. The smart fry will live.


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## Lanette001 (Apr 7, 2011)

Ya, every now and then there will be one or two babies, but not many. I have mollies and platies in the same tank. The platies will eat their babies and the molly babies and the mollie will eat the platy babies and sometimes their own babies. However, some of them make it  But if you don't try to save them, you won't end up with 40-60.


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