just wondering how much trouble I'll have

nyrmel · 07-26-2008, 05:51 PM

Ok I know I have been gone for a bit work has been so nuts lately that I havent been able to pop on during lunch to keep in touch and when home head to bed once all the chores and such are done. things should slow soon and i can come back more to really post things instead of reading quickies on the sly!
but a question I have some fry (mentioned them in a panic awhile back when i found out i brought a momma home from the LFS) Ok i have had several bathes now some mollies some guppies (i brought home 3 females but have lost 2 when i was on vacation and I think hit some kind of spike) other than losing the 2 females about 3 weeks ago (on back to back days)the tank has been pretty steady for about 6 weeks. I would guess I have some where between 15 and 30 fry of varing sizes ranging from maybe 1/8 of an inch to the first ones that are 3/4's and in maybe 4 to 5 batches of a few each. I think some are mollies and some are guppies since they where born with differeing coloring some clear and have been turning dark (black) either in spots or from the tail forward in varing degrees (The first where like that) and some born well golden yellow in color and the body shape just a bit different.
My Question is how old will they be before I'll be able to tell first what breed of fish they are and second waht the gender is. i have someone who is willing to take females off my hands since with all these fry i will have a tank that is way over stocked when they reach full size. I am also eager to know when i will be able to tell thier final coloring. Some are almost 2 months old but it is amazing how much they have grown.
Any thots on this would be great My freind is excited to add a few fish to her tank as well as it is newly cycled and thou much bigger than mine very empty.

Splash Spooky · 07-27-2008, 11:44 AM

I would give the fry to my friend telling her that she can bring back the males if any show up. I have been able to figure out mine before they start to breed but it takes awhile. The male guppies kind of get a shimmer to their boddies and grow more finage. The females grow bigger. With the platies the males have the godopodiam which is more like a spike while the females have a nice curved fin under them 10 weeks or more, probably more like 12 weeks.

nyrmel · 07-27-2008, 12:56 PM

ah but part of the idea to give her females is to keep them from breeding in either tank and I am looking forward to having a few more adult fish but 12 weeks huh ok so about one more month ill keep everyone updated

onefish2fish · 07-27-2008, 02:05 PM

ok. i would say your best bet is to keep the adults around with the fry because they will eat off alot, if not all of them. sounds mean but this will keep your tank population lower. second, female guppies can hold sperm inside them and be pregnant all over again. third, ive heard somewhere that mollies and guppies will crossbreed so having male guppies and female mollies or vice versa will just put you back in the same situation, so i suggest either keeping the adult fish around to lower your population levels.. giving some away.. or letting them grow in a seperate tank and throwing them in your koi pond

orb4me · 07-27-2008, 02:26 PM

I like Splash's idea, let you friend figure it out. I wonder if by the time you figure out what they are, if you wont have even more?

nyrmel · 07-28-2008, 11:45 PM

yah if that becomes the case I will take faster action I think gollies might be interesting or would they be muppies??? I will deal as I deal and after the first panic I havent tried to split them I had to hard of a time squinting to try to find the fry. I think that is why i dont already have several hundred fish the adults are pigs
lol as for the koi um hmm I might get in trouble for that my son would have a fit. yall have a great night and ill check back with updates soon