Success. Now what? Anyone need fish?

[JimH]

About 4 months ago I started a 72 gallon fresh-water tank with a dozen inexpensive fish.  After a few months, once the water came to balance, I expected to introduce more exotic species.  

After about 6 weeks I found two additional Black Mollies -- little guys -- swimming about the tank.  I went away for a few days during Christmas and came back to about two dozen additional Red Wagtail Platies.  Then I went away on a nice cruise for two weeks and came back to a Platy population that appeared to have doubled, including a new batch of Mollies.  They can no longer be counted.  During the whole time I lost only one adult.  It appears that the vast majority of new-borns survived without any special care, as my tank is now over-populated.  As they grow even this relatively large tank is going to be taxed.  I did nothing special.  Even used a rotary vacation-feeder while I was away.  They have been fed with nothing but flake food.  All are now 6-10 weeks old and rapidly growing.

The problem now is what to do with these fish.  The retail stores I spoke with will not take them.  I can't see destroying them.

Any advice?

[HFBfounder]

Re: Success. Now what? Anyone need fish?

The Houston Aquarium Society will be having an auction in March. That's where I'm going to take all of the fish I can't sell.

I learned this lesson as well. I now no longer keep same species male and females together unless I want more fish. It's kind of like that movie the gremlins. It's kind of cute and even exciting when they first multiply. Then when your entire tank/room is filled with them and they are tearing down the local movie theater and driving cop cars... cute, not so much. :?

[HFBfounder]

Re: Success. Now what? Anyone need fish?

By the way, welcome to the Box!

[guppymax]

Re: Success. Now what? Anyone need fish?

Sure I would be happy to take whatever you do not want. Are you coming to the next LHA meeting?

guppymax@msn.com

max

[wvgdiscus]

Re: Success. Now what? Anyone need fish?

That is the way it works. When you dont wont them to breed, they will, when you wont them to breed they just laugh at you.

Walter

[JimH]

Re: Success. Now what? Anyone need fish?

I guess most of you live up north.  Unfortunately, I live at South Shore Harbour on Clear Lake, so bringing the fish to an LHA meeting during the work week would probably be infeasible.  Attending a meeting is not out of the question though, since I travel half the distance for work -- to Baytown.

[JimH]

Re: Success. Now what? Anyone need fish?

One more thing on this....I started with just two of each type...so that each would have a little bit of familiar company.  I believe that both of the Red Wagtails are female, so they must have been pregnant when purchased.  From what I understand, some live-bearers can give birth on multiple occassions without seeing a male.  I would not purchase just males either, since they would probably be aggressive without females (we know how that goes....)  That said, I don't see a workable solution with livebearers, so in the future I'm going to stay away from them, unless I learn of some that are particularly difficult to breed.  Imagine if I had started with just the two in a 10 gallon tank?  Maybe that's what it takes to get them to feed on their own young.

[guppymax]

Re: Success. Now what? Anyone need fish?

There are cichlids that will eat your livebearers and keep the population under control or wipe them out completely if that kind of solution is acceptable to you. You could cull your livebearers into a cichlid tank.

Did you try AquaZoo there on Highway 3. They sometimes take in unwanted fish. Pet World on Garth Road in Baytown is another one. This kind of solution tends to bid down the value of your fish in your own mind and takes the fun out of the hobby for me.

max

[ken/mark]

Re: Success. Now what? Anyone need fish?

My son Mark and I are new to the Houston Fish Box and been enjoying the discussions.  We reaise mollies and platties.

Jim we live not to far from you and could use your spare mollies and platties.  We live near the dog track on I45.  If you still have the spare fish please email us at kensteblein@aol.com.  Mark is getting his school friends interested in the fish so we give many away to his friends.

[guppymax]

Re: Success. Now what? Anyone need fish?

Welcome, old friends Ken & Mark.

max

[HFBfounder]

Re: Success. Now what? Anyone need fish?

Hi guys, Welcome to the Box!

[PhishPhreek]

Re: Success. Now what? Anyone need fish?

Jim - my first love was platties and I would love to have some of yours to mix in with my salt & pepper (hi fin)

Can't stand mollies -  #@$&  plague rats

I just moved from Dickinson down to Texas City and lost most of my sicklids because the one cold weekend we had this year was the one I chose to move - so I have a couple of 45s setup and no fish for them.

I usually make a trip to Clear Lake 3 times a week.....
Can I trade you some java moss or daphnia culture ?
I can offer some jack dempsies if you really want to control your fish population  

[JimH]

Re: Success. Now what? Anyone need fish?

I've been in touch with Ken & Mark (who replied earlier to this post) and will be offering them whatever they want.  If there are Platties left over then we might set something up.

[guppymax]

Re: Success. Now what? Anyone need fish?

I am glad you found a solution and wish you the best of luck with whatever fish you get next. Keep us posted.

max

[ken/mark]

Re: Success. Now what? Anyone need fish?

Phishphreek, Jim and I will be hooking up soon.  But in the mean time we do have spare platties that we will be glad to share with you to breed with your Hifins!  We have mostly the bright red platties and a few sunsets.  Keep us in mind when you have extra hifins, we only have a few.  Our stock may have some hifin blood in them.  You live in Texas City, we are in Hitchcock just down the road.  Here is our email address if you want to connect this weekend kensteblein@aol.com.

We would love some daphanie culture if you could spare some.  Have a 50 gallon barrel of green water and just need some daphanie or modiana culture.  later, ken/mark