Live bearers as feeders?

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Pooshybear

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Jun 11, 2009
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I've raised and breed some mollies before, however, I need to start up a "farm" if you will. My problem is that I have predatory fish, they will not take pellets, and worms are not always available IE the store I can get them from often is out of stock for weeks. This was quite the scare when I had to feed them what bugs I could find outside. Before anyone suggests feeders, my LFS has really gross feeders that have probably every known aquatic disease and parasite.
My plan is to get a alot of mollies or guppies, and get as many fry as possible. Mollies were fairly prolific, but from what I have heard guppies are even more so. They will be housed in a 5 gallon tank, I plan on getting 3 males and 6 females, since fry usually "sink" for gravel I have covered the bottom with small rocks so they can slip through the cracks and not get eaten by their parents. Once the fry are conceived, their parents will have already become food (save for 1 male and 2 females).
 
is feeding off the parents the best idea? if you do wont that only leave you with sibling guppies to breed for more stock?
 
Ok you'll want a much bigger tank, a 10 gallon would be best. Plant the tank heavily with java moss and use a spong filter or fry-proof a HOB. Get as many females as possible, as they are ussually cheaper and can produce tons of fry with only 2 males.
 
bunnyhunter42 said:
is feeding off the parents the best idea? if you do wont that only leave you with sibling guppies to breed for more stock?
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which will lead to inbreeding and deformities. He should stick with geting rid of the fry by moving guppys who are about to give birth into a seperate tank (5g) and moving them when it's over.
 
Multiple tanks would probably be the best bet. I'd get maybe 4, 10 gallon tanks (Petco is have a $1/gallon sale).

Tank 1: Breeding tank
Tank 2: Growout Tank
Tank 3: Male Tank
Tank 4: Female Tank

If you are planning to eventually feed the females or the kids and just getting a few replacements for the breeding colony, then forget what I said and just get a growout tank and a breeding tank.
 
I'd think all you need are two 10g tanks... breeding tanks & grow-out (feeding) tanks... how big do your feeders need to be? Sponge filters are cheap.

Fry go either to the bottom or to the very top next to the corner/edges. You could do floating plastic plants for easy removal to net fry for transfer to the grow-out tank.
 
fishycat said:
I'd think all you need are two 10g tanks... breeding tanks & grow-out (feeding) tanks... how big do your feeders need to be? Sponge filters are cheap.

Fry go either to the bottom or to the very top next to the corner/edges. You could do floating plastic plants for easy removal to net fry for transfer to the grow-out tank.
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Yeah, I didn't know what size he need them for.

You should get water sprite to float. It'll provide a safe heaven for fry. It would also end up feeding them with micro-whatever that they'll eat!
 
Sprite is a good idea - or just a clump of java moss. Most times people find it easier without the live stuff... infusoria FTW!
 
Also, I don't know what kind of fish you have but some people keep marmokrebs and feed the babies to their fish. They are a self cloning crayfish. Each one will have it's own set of baby crays.
 
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