Is this amount of fry normal?

  • Get the NEW AquariaCentral iOS app --> http://itunes.apple.com/app/id1227181058 // Android version will be out soon!
Nepherael

Nepherael

AC Members
May 11, 2012
1,070
0
0
Warsaw, IN
Real Name
Brandon
I have a marbled Molly female I've had since I started the hobby a few months back. I found a big marbled male for her and she gave birth a couple days ago. She's about 3 inches long maybe a bit less and she birthed close to or over 90 fry! There was a total of 30 that were dead but there is at least twice that many alive. I've never heard of such a large brood and I wondered if anyone knows if that's normal or if I got lucky?

On top of that there may have been more because she dropped a dead fry so we put her in a breeder net all night, woke up and the fry were in there so she could have eaten some.
 
SubRosa

SubRosa

AC Members
Jul 3, 2009
5,643
1
62
Large female Swords can drop 200, but 90 is a pretty good sized drop for Mollies, as they have fewer but larger fry.
 
Nepherael

Nepherael

AC Members
May 11, 2012
1,070
0
0
Warsaw, IN
Real Name
Brandon
Nice, it really surprised me. I have another female about 3/4 of the marbled's size that only dropped about 30 so that's why it blew my mind.

I'm pretty excited because my lfs said they'd buy all Molly and guppy fry from me.
 
G

garyfla

AC Members
Apr 23, 2010
427
0
0
81
Hi
By the end of the year you'll lose interest in the numbers lol.Most livebearer can reproduce in as little as 6 weeks .
The tough part is growing high quality ones . Requires a LOT of water warm temps and LOTS of food.
The really tough part is marketing lol Good luck though and keep up the enthusiasm!! gary
 
Nepherael

Nepherael

AC Members
May 11, 2012
1,070
0
0
Warsaw, IN
Real Name
Brandon
I hear ya Gary. I've had a rough time of it. I raise fry at 80 degrees with LOTS of food. I think that's good. I used to go 78 then I put it together in my head that warmer water equals a faster metabolism equals faster growth.

The issue now is gonna be if my lfs doesn't want 60 at once, do I wait a couple weeks and hope they want them or start trying to ship >.<
 
X

XanAvaloni

AC Members
Nov 13, 2009
1,242
0
36
I doubt if you will have any trouble selling all the fry you want to the LFS. They use them as feeders for the carnivorous saltwater fish.

You might want to just keep them long enough to be able to pick out those with striking or unusual coloration, very fast growth rate,etc, and keep those as future breeding stock or to sell. But agree (from experience) that you will likely go from "O Joy, we have fry!" to "O geez, we have fry AGAIN???" in a fairly short time. Congrats on the big brood. :)
 
G

garyfla

AC Members
Apr 23, 2010
427
0
0
81
hi
what I found difficult in raising any type of fry is "stunting " they release chems in to the water so the bigger grow
much faster. .Obviously the more water the more dilute the retardants . The best way to combat this is serious water changes and separation of the fry by size at a very early age . Obviously the larger fry will get the most food .
I raised swortails for many years and the difference between the groups was amazing regardless of the size of the tank. On daily water changes I could get 2 inches in under two months with less than 25 perc ent retards.
As to marketing,particularly livebearers they wanted them at least an inch preferably mature with reds being preferred. and the bigger the better for sales lol Most wanted to give me credit and not cash. So lots of legwork going from shop to shop not to mention gasoline!! lol Most wholesalers sell these for under a quarter each so imagine what they will pay you ??
The fry do make wonderful live food for many types of egglayers and generally disease free. and you might as well cull the "runts at a very early age , save the space for the better ones. So plan on raising some type of carnivore at the same time BTW The warmer the water the quicker the fry will mature ratther than grow With swords I often had sexual maturity in under 6 weeks it is also possible to regulate the sex ratio by ph changes I found males far more marhetable . good luck Hope I didn't dampen your entusiasm too much?? gary
 
SubRosa

SubRosa

AC Members
Jul 3, 2009
5,643
1
62
garyfla said:
hi
what I found difficult in raising any type of fry is "stunting " they release chems in to the water so the bigger grow
much faster. .Obviously the more water the more dilute the retardants . The best way to combat this is serious water changes and separation of the fry by size at a very early age . Obviously the larger fry will get the most food .
I raised swortails for many years and the difference between the groups was amazing regardless of the size of the tank. On daily water changes I could get 2 inches in under two months with less than 25 perc ent retards.
As to marketing,particularly livebearers they wanted them at least an inch preferably mature with reds being preferred. and the bigger the better for sales lol Most wanted to give me credit and not cash. So lots of legwork going from shop to shop not to mention gasoline!! lol Most wholesalers sell these for under a quarter each so imagine what they will pay you ??
The fry do make wonderful live food for many types of egglayers and generally disease free. and you might as well cull the "runts at a very early age , save the space for the better ones. So plan on raising some type of carnivore at the same time BTW The warmer the water the quicker the fry will mature ratther than grow With swords I often had sexual maturity in under 6 weeks it is also possible to regulate the sex ratio by ph changes I found males far more marhetable . good luck Hope I didn't dampen your entusiasm too much?? gary
Click to expand...
You're dating yourself Gary! It's been more than a few years since you could get Swords for a quarter a piece!
 
Nepherael

Nepherael

AC Members
May 11, 2012
1,070
0
0
Warsaw, IN
Real Name
Brandon
Well now I understand why I'm having such a size difference. This is too complicated lol. Can't I just give em some clean warm water and a lot of food >.< I guess this'll be a learning experience for a long time to come.

My biggest problem is deciding who to cull. I mean some are obvious but it does suck to kill something. It was a good call telling me to raise a carnivore. Then I won't feel as bad because I can attribute it to circle of life.

I actually do pretty well. I've never had the cost broken down but the last time I brought 9 fish in, a mix between angels and livebearers, I got $18. It is in store credit but my lfs is only 2 miles away and they said they'll take all the livebearers I've got (I have a feeling they're gonna regret that)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
zoomed.com
hikariusa.com
aqaimports.com
Store
Top Bottom