# Uhm, Help!?



## Emmilyy (Feb 21, 2010)

Okay - so, Thursday night i brought home some swordtails - 2 males and 3 females (they're in a ten gallon tank - i plan on switching them to a 30 i have, but it needs to be changed to freshwater & set up) 

Anyways - i got them thursday. Friday morning, i noticed on of my females dropped some fry. Okay - i knew that was probably going to happen. I've had swordtails and other livebearers before, but its never happened so soon after i'd gotten them! Then, Saturday morning my other female dropped her fry!WHAT!? So my tank was over run with them - and they were all starting to get eaten! So i quickly set up a smaller (3 gallon, i think) tank,(i filled it with water from the ten gallon) and put as many of the fry as i could catch into it. I caught a little less than 50 of them. but i know there's still some in the main tank. 

I really don't know what I'm supposed to do from here! i want them to live, obviously! My parents went out and got me some fry food - so I hope they'll eat that. I crushed up some flake food and dried bloodworm earler and gave them a tiny bit and I'm pretty sure they ate a little.. Should i be feeding them like 4-5 times a day? 

I just really need some advice about how to care for them. I dont know how soon i can set up the gallon tank.. Its still full of saltwater & rocks and i need new filters for it, not to mention new lighting! I want to put the adult fish in the big tank, completely empty the ten gallon except for a few plants,and raise them in that, but i dont know if i can and i've read its not good to move them around too much! and the tank they're in now is dirty and needs to be cleaned already! ugh, completely lost.


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## hXcChic22 (Dec 26, 2009)

We've moved our fry several times... they are hardier than you'd think!
We have over 30 molly, platy, and guppy fry in a 15 gallon Rubbermaid tote. If you want to get a cheap setup, that's an option. Use some gravel and cycled water from your other tank, about half to get it started, and either buy a new filter and heater or use the ones from the old tank. I would try to get these fry into a new tank ASAP, they will grow faster if they have more room. 

Fry will also easily get sucked up into the filter intake. Try covering the intake with pantyhose or fine fishnet stockings, they will still let water through but be small enough to keep them from getting sucked up. Feed them the fry food 3-5 times per day, and once they get a little bigger you can switch them to finely crushed adult flake. 

As for cleaning the fry tank if it doesn't have a filter, is to use a gravel vaccuum and VERY carefully, siphon the bottom to clean up poop and uneaten food, and then replace the water with dechlorinated tap water. 

If you need to move the babies, my suggestion is to get a bowl or something, put some of the tank water in it, then net them all into that and move them, rather than netting tem a few at a time and running them to the new tank. 

Start looking for a local fish store that will buy them from you once they are bigger for store credit. Most places won't give you cash. If that fails, advertise them on Craigslist. Make sure they are cheaper than at pet stores, since they are so small, and people will be more likely to buy them.


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## Emmilyy (Feb 21, 2010)

thank you thank you for the info & advice! the filter in the tank they're in now is not on yet, because i couldn't find anything to cover it with - i'll find something tomorrow morning! My dad told me to put all the adult fish in the small tank and let the fry have the ten gallon, but 5 full grown swords is too many fish for that small 3 gallon, I think! 

I've been looking on kijiji for another tank to buy for them.. if i cant get my 30 gallon up and running. 

At what age should they be big enough to put in with the adult fish without the risk of them being eaten, do you think?


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## hXcChic22 (Dec 26, 2009)

As long as there are plants for them to hide in when they feel threatened, I'd say half an inch is big enough for them to go in with the adults. Plus, once they get into a bigger tank their growth will just explode and soon they will be half the size of their parents.


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## Emmilyy (Feb 21, 2010)

will it take them long to grow to half an inch? I just replied to a few adds on kijiji for some tanks.


You said they will grow faster in a bigger tank? Do you think it would be okay to put the adult fish in that small tank - until i can get them a bigger tank, and let the fry grow bigger in the ten gallon so they can all be put together faster?


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## hXcChic22 (Dec 26, 2009)

I would leave everyone where they are for now. You'd much rather lose some babies than the adults, and a 3 gallon is way small, even for one adult, IMO. 
How big are the fry? We have never had swordtail fry but considering you said there are about 50, I'd guess they are pretty tiny. 
Our molly fry took about a month in a breeder net and then a 10 gallon to reach half an inch. Our platy fry, who were even smaller, took about the same but the one we put in seems to get along fine in our 30 with his parents and others like mollies. (We put him in when he was even smaller than 1/2 inch.) 
If you can either buy a 10 gallon or get a rubbermaid (ours is about 15 gallons) and set it up like I suggested, they'll still grow quickly, just maybe not as fast than if they were in a 30. If you put more fake plants in the big tank, they can go in even smaller than 1/2 inch.


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## Emmilyy (Feb 21, 2010)

okay - they'll stay where they are. thanks! 

I think I'm freaking out so much because when i was younger i tried to raise guppy fry, and it didn't work out good at all  but i've been researching alot more. Here's a pic of my tanks. 

(that we before my second female had her fry - so there weren't as many in the tank)


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## hXcChic22 (Dec 26, 2009)

Make sure that you get a heater for the fry tank especially, they need to be kept a little wamer than adults do.


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## Emmilyy (Feb 21, 2010)

Okay - what kind of heater would they use? 

The light in my ten gallon tank heats the water up ALOT so i don't use a heater in there, either. It would be too warm.


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## hXcChic22 (Dec 26, 2009)

For that 3 gallon you could get a 50 Watt heater (which would actually be more than enough) but it would also work for a 10-15 gallon if you buy a tank in the future of that size. You're probably fine until you get it, I see that on the thermometer on the 3 gallon it says between 80-82 degrees, which is fine for the babies. 
Better safe than sorry, though... a drastic fluctuation of temperature could kill them very quickly. Don't get an undergravel heater, they usually suck (such as the Hydor Mini Heater). Just buy a basic glass tube one. Usually Petsmart has them for the best prices. 
http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2752191&lmdn=Fish. This one is 50W and costs $18-$20.


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