# Free Fry Frenzy!



## sarah5775 (Jul 12, 2006)

Hey. I am a new fish momma and I'm so enthused!

About a month ago one of my guppies dropped eight fry! (my first time having a drop) I kept them in a breeding net. Then I evicted my betta from his five gallon and used it as a fry tank and she dropped again- about ten, I'd say.

And I have to say- I kept the first batch in a net breeder and that really does stunt their growth- the older ones are only slightly larger than the newborns.

Anyway, I went to the pet store yesterday and they gave me baby fish. They had eight juvie silver mollies, ranging in size from 1/3 inch to almost 2/3 inches, and three little marbeled mollies. I couldn't believe they gave them to me free- they were almost sellable size. These are now in my 29 gallon tank along with my three platies, two grown mollies and four guppies. They also gave me three 'misc. fry- the person didn't know what they were except that they were some kind of livebearer- I'm guessing swordtails, but platy is possible.

It pays to have a good relationship with the lfs guys, I guess!

So...anyway- I go to a different pet store today. Totally by chance. My dad had to pick me up and had to go shopping so he offered to let me browse in this new one. Well...they gave me about 20 baby gold balloon mollies and 2 black mollies- tiny, just born. They are in the five gallon tank with the guppies.


And I have another guppy ready to drop. She is in my OTHER five gallon fry tank, and I'm anxiously awaiting her babies.

All this after two years of unsuccessfully trying to get mollies to breed and having all the babies eaten or not born! Now I have guppies and they're breeding up the wazoo.

I am cycling two other ten gallon tanks to cope with the growing fry. Soon I'll be completely overrun!

But no worries- I called around and there are three (possibly four) different local fish stores that said they'd take them when they get bigger (though only one offered store credit) so as long as I can raise them up to decent size (the one guy said at least 2/3 of an inch for the guppies and slightly bigger for the mollies) I'm cool.

It's so awesome- seeing those brand new little things, just learning how to swim- discovering what food is for the first time....it is a thrill. But no one understands me- my parents and friends think I'm nuts to have so many tanks.

I will keep you posted on how things go.


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## TheOldSalt (Jan 28, 2005)

LOL! 
Welcome to the wonderful world of fish-raising.
You will indeed be overrun with fry if you do everything right, and most stores are surprisingly happy to get them from you. You see, these fish don't generally ship or acclimate well, so most shops are eager to get some that are home-grown in local water, since they are the ones that tend to survive better and sell better. ( if the colors are good. Don't take a bunch of junk to the store, as you won't be doing anyone any favors that way, including yourself. )


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## sarah5775 (Jul 12, 2006)

Which calls to mind a problem- what do I do with the ones who aren't pretty? I don't have a bigger fish to eat them, and I just can't bring myself to flush or kill them. Maybe I should set up a 'reject tank' where they can live out their lives, without worrying about them. Yes, I know I am a softie. I do have one friend who said she'd take some of my 'rejects.'

And when do guppies start to color up anyway?


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## ThatFishKid (Aug 9, 2008)

some of mine start to gain mild color (the tail only) at just under 1/2 inches. If you have colorful females, they can take quite a while to color up. Mine did at almost an inch, then gained most of their full color at just over 1" 1/4. The males are faster, and can get some lovely (though not complete) color at 1/2 inch. fins growth and body color can take much longer, depending on conditions. my fresh water males were fully grown before their fins truly filled out. My brackish males, on the other hand, are just over 1/2 and have signs of growth in all their fins, and are well on their way to full coloration. That should give you a good idea of what to expect, but nature will always break it's own rules, so yea.
Also, about killing or keeping your culls (undesirables). I agree that they are fine. I am also against killing a fish simply because it's less than beautiful. My exception to that is using them as food. At least they will die with a purpose. But unless they are severely deformed, your petstore may take them. simply keeping them in a dedicated "retirement home" tank of sorts would be a great idea as well.


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## Manthalynn (Aug 23, 2008)

ThatFishKid said:


> simply keeping them in a dedicated "retirement home" tank of sorts would be a great idea as well.


Just try to keep them seperated by sex! Nature seems to have an ironic sense of humor. The pretty ones you're doing everything right to, trying to get them to breed, won't breed. And the retired uglies will breed like rabbits just because you've neglected them.

Congrats on the free fish! I've raised my first generation of fry and it's so amazing to see them go from tinies to juvenile! I just had my second drop by two of my females and it's fun to compare the two batches, 6 weeks apart.


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## trashion (Aug 24, 2007)

IMO, if you intend to keep breeding your livebearers, you should really get used to the idea of culling the undesirable ones. I know it doesn't sound nice, but you'll be overrun with fish!


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## ThatFishKid (Aug 9, 2008)

a great way to take care of culls is do what i did: buy spotted climbing perch (my avatar)! I have 3 and they love getting an occasional guppy as a snack.


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## lohachata (Jan 27, 2006)

try this.......read up on keeping and breeding guppies and other livebearers.learn who is a cull and who isn't.put your culls in a separate tank and grow them out.yes..they will keep reproducing..when you get a goodly number od them you can sell them to shops for about 3 cents each.doesn't sound like much;but i have known people that have paid for their hobby doing it.and you can sell the good ones for for a buck or so a pair,depending on their color and quality.


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## Nagy07 (Jan 11, 2009)

awesome, ive never saw fry in a store tank, or else i would tell them they are gonna get eaten and try to convince them to give them to me lol.


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## SueM (Jan 23, 2004)

John means put them in a seperate tank & let them grow. Stores will not take fry, they need to be sellable.


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## elvis332 (Dec 29, 2007)

my first drop is almost 3 months old and a week ago my hi fin platy dropped


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## Nagy07 (Jan 11, 2009)

SueM said:


> John means put them in a seperate tank & let them grow. Stores will not take fry, they need to be sellable.


i know, im saying ive never saw any that the store fish had.


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