# So... Livebearers... Some friendly advice :)



## Chazwick (Aug 24, 2005)

Hey there,
My tank has been feeling really empty lately, which it is... so i got thinking, how about another fish? I've thought of tonnes and have talked to my fish mentor about it.. and i've come to a desicion:
Two female swordtails.
Now, i know most of them are pregnent when your first get them, but that's no problem, my LFS would be happy to take them off me, unless the parents eat them, which i don't mind... and the breeding thing is the whole reason to not get any males. Ya' know.

So, i wanted to know anybodies experiance of these beautiful fish? 

PS: And don't even worry about my Betta, he is the friendliest little thing ever... when i added new tetras, that were tiny, he was fine with them.. So this should be a blast.


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## Lydia (Feb 6, 2005)

They are docile and pretty. All I have is females (the dad male died and the baby males got eaten or died) and they get along well with my other fish (gouramis, danios, etc.). They like plants to hide in, but also like free space to swim in. Every once in a while you will see them swim up close to the edge of a plant leaf and then jerk their body very quickly along the edge, almost like they are scratching an itch. It looks very weird at first and the first few times I saw it I thought they were scratching because they have ich or something like that. But they didn't....apparently they just do it for the fun of it or something like that, lol. They will graze on algea some too. They like flakes, mosquito larvea, dried bloodworms, dried baby shrimp, and frozen food. They will pick at algea flakes and bottom feeder pellets too. A great fish IMO and IME.


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## Chazwick (Aug 24, 2005)

Wow thanks alot... i don't have any plants, because A) i'm crap at looking after them and B) it takes up too much room in the tank, but i do have two veery nice little cave hideouts, that are a perfect size for the swordtails (my tetras hang out in them somtimes).. which is a great way to get away.
I'm really excited about getting them... because all the fish i have at the moment, are my first ever batch, so it'll be great experiancing the introduction of new fish to my community. Plus, i think they'll being alot of 'colour' in the tank.. as the fish i have at the moment are mainly blueish


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## Hamm35924 (Jun 13, 2005)

my betta was fine with the tetras but got along very badly with my molly. so i dont know if its a livebearer thing or what.


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## osteoporoosi (Jan 27, 2005)

Are you puttin them into the 8 gallon with the betta? This is not a good idea, the females will probably nip and stress out the betta. Plus they require way much more space, 40 gallons or so (max. size 4-5 inches!) and cooler water than the betta.


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## fishboy (Feb 26, 2005)

osteo- swords will be fine in ~25gallons of water


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## Chazwick (Aug 24, 2005)

Yes, they are going in the tank with the betta and neons...
BUT, If there's another fish you could recommend (that is easy to get, of course), then i'd glady get them instead (though i'm only looking to get two!) 
That would help alot.
I'm getting them about 4 and have to leave in about half hour... so i could do with the advice NOW.


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## MyraVan (Jan 19, 2005)

Probably too late for you, but I wouldn't get fish at all. I'd get inverts. Either one apple snail (but note that bettas don't always get along well with apple snails, some will attack the snails, so you'd have to be prepared to take it back if there were problems) or some shrimps.

My 10 gallon has:
6 neon tetras
2 apple snails
6 cherry shrimps, hopefully more soon!
one baby rosy barb, not sure how it got there; it will go into the tank with the other rosy barbs when it's big enough
assorted small pest snails
lots of thriving plants


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## Fish Friend (Sep 10, 2005)

*i'm the fish mentor* HAHAHA


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## Chazwick (Aug 24, 2005)

I already went with an apple snail that recently died, and wouldn't want to get another one - yet.
As with shrimps, them and bettas are a huge NO-NO.
Instead, me and my lesbian lover (inside joke! lol) got two mollies a black one and a silver-ish one, named Domino and Cheesecake, they have been in for about 10mins and have setteled down really well.... My betta had abit of running away from them the first 5 mins, as they are so active and were following Firefly around.. but everythings fine


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## MyraVan (Jan 19, 2005)

Chazwick said:


> As with shrimps, them and bettas are a huge NO-NO.


Really? I don't have bettas, but I have heard of plenty of people who keep them together with success.


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## osteoporoosi (Jan 27, 2005)

Shrimps are fine with a non-aggressive male betta, females don't mind them at all. Mollies(sailfins especially) grow huge, and are schooling fish. They are enourmous waste producers too, I'm afraid that your tank is overstocked.


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## Lydia (Feb 6, 2005)

Mollies only grow to 2 inches IME, and they aren't as strictly schooling as, say, tetras or danios. I don't mean to contradict you, osteoporoosi, that is just my experience with them.


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## Chazwick (Aug 24, 2005)

My tank is a little overstocked, but i dont care, it's not like i'm sticking them in a small jug like some people find appropiate. All my fish are happy and healthy (plus, the mollies and my betta have really warmed up to eachother), i clean the tank every other day (water changes), clean the gravel and filter weekly and everything is smoothly. 
My new fish are just so beautiful, i'll post some pics when i can


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## Fish Friend (Sep 10, 2005)

you think yours is overstocked..you should check out all the harrassment/beating up/calling me names/saying i should give up fish keeping i get off this one forum (myfishtank.net!!!!) it annoys me soooo much..they call me ****y..say im too young..ahh, and the rest. i prefer this forum..its more friendly.., sorry, i know this os off topic BUT


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## Chazwick (Aug 24, 2005)

I agree on that.. and i know my tank is overstocked. But considering, it looks fine, the fish are in top condition, my tank is clean... my water parmeters are fine.. i'm happy 
Plus, it's not like i'm gonna add any more fish  I like it just how it is since adding the mollies, far more life now !!


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## fish_doc (Jan 31, 2005)

Sorry, but I think its ironic that you say you dont care your tank is overstocked but your signature banner complains about dying fish. 
Its kind of a mixed message you are sending out there.


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## Chazwick (Aug 24, 2005)

I never really meant that i didn't care.
And having a slightly overstocked tank, but looking after it.. and cleaning it constantly and dying fish, whilst causing millions of deaths is a different matter.
It's ironic that your name is Fish_*Doc* and even you couldn't realise they're not so similiar after all...


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## osteoporoosi (Jan 27, 2005)

Overstocking a tank slightly is a different matter, but you have many fish there that grow too big, 8 gallons is practically enough for just a single betta.


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## fish_doc (Jan 31, 2005)

> I never really meant that i didn't care. And having a slightly overstocked tank, but looking after it.. and cleaning it constantly and dying fish, whilst causing millions of deaths is a different matter.
> It's ironic that your name is Fish_*Doc* and even you couldn't realise they're not so similiar after all...


If you really meant that you didn't mean you didn't care there was no need to get so defensive. You saw what you wrote and saw the response I gave. You just needed to say you didnt fully explain yourself and not go into attack mode.

By the way overstocking and dying are both a form of abuse to the fish. Although they are at different levels it is still abuse. Its like saying I only lock my kid in a closet all the time its not like I beat him. So why am I being arrested. Plain and simple - Abuse is Abuse at all levels.


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## Chazwick (Aug 24, 2005)

Yes, well when i get my other tank in a short while, i'll probably be moving my mollies over to it, and i'm sorry if i "attacked" you, just wasn't really in a good mood.
I just assumed by your post you were indicating that i was "abusing" my fish.


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## Fish Friend (Sep 10, 2005)

i thought you said you couldnt get anymore room for a new fish tank chaz?


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## fish_doc (Jan 31, 2005)

Its no big deal. It it really bothered me I would have changed the verbage, deleted or locked the thread. Since I am the mod of this area. 

And more tanks are always more fun.


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## Fish Friend (Sep 10, 2005)

i have 2 tanks now (see sig) but i want more...more..moreeeeeeeeeee (and bigger )


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## Chazwick (Aug 24, 2005)

Fish Friend said:


> i thought you said you couldnt get anymore room for a new fish tank chaz?


No... that's BS. You said "Why get two small ones, just replace your first one and get one big one?" 
And i said "no, i don't have room for a BIG one"

I can get a few 5GALS, though, it turns out for my b-day (april) I'm allowed to get another animal... or a tank... and i'm considering getting:
A) A leopard gecko, or
B) a tarantula.
Instead of another tank.

My tanks complete anyway, and i'm happy, cause it looks good... and all my fish have been healthy throughout.


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