Current Events > My fish keep spawning..:o(

(+) Yeah! (+)

I looked in my fish tank today and saw that it was super dirty . I asked myself how did my tank get so dirty. So I went to clean it out and it wasn't dirty but all these little tiny fishlets (lol). I think I need to break up my mated pair...but I don't know if that would be harmful.
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I had this happen before as well.
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glitteringfairy posted...

I had this happen before as well.

Yeap..but I rehomed the last time they did it. I was thinking I was going to have more time before they did it once more.
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fishlets LOL.

gona have to remember to use this term.
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I've been an aquarium keeper for over 20 years, fresh and saltwater, so I may be able to help you out. What is the species of fish?
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They are convicts.
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cjsdowg posted...

They are convicts.

Prolific live breeders. The only thing i'd be concerned about is your hand reaching in the tank and getting nipped by the super protective female. You can get a breeding net for the top corner of your tank and divide the male from the female without too much stress involved, you aren't going to cause anything like emotional stress because fish don't have the capacity to feel things like that.

Really though, you can get another tank as a nursery and make a decent profit selling the juveniles, as generally 12 to 15 will reach an inch long and be considered ready to be transported to other tanks.

Java moss can act as good bottom substrate that the babies can thrive and grow in if you don't want to do the breeder net thing.
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Give them some condoms then.
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MabusIncarnate posted...

Prolific live breeders. The only thing i'd be concerned about is your hand reaching in the tank and getting nipped by the super protective female. You can get a breeding net for the top corner of your tank and divide the male from the female without too much stress involved, you aren't going to cause anything like emotional stress because fish don't have the capacity to feel things like that.....

I have too many tanks already lol. But I might scope some out and put them in the safest tank I have. I have a tank with a rope fish and Knife fish. I know these might eat them. But the other tank has a turtle in it.
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ArtVandelay posted...

fishlets LOL.

gona have to remember to use this term.

:)

blahblahfatbomb posted...

Give them some condoms then.

I don't think it works like that lol.
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Well they don't have hands so you need to put them on yourself. There's YouTube videos showing how to do it.

I'm not going to look. Cause I really hope there isn't.
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cjsdowg posted...

MabusIncarnate posted...

Prolific live breeders. The only thing i'd be concerned about is your hand reaching in the tank and getting nipped by the super protective female. You can get a breeding net for the top corner of your tank and divide the male from the female without too much stress involved, you aren't going to cause anything like emotional stress because fish don't have the capacity to feel things like that.....

I have too many tanks already lol. But I might scope some out and put them in the safest tank I have. I have a tank with a rope fish and Knife fish. I know these might eat them. But the other tank has a turtle in it.

Yeah, definitely not with the turtle. I'd be confident to introduce them in larger numbers, at least 7, when they reach a half inch or so unless your rope and knife fish are relatively large. If your knife is 3 inches or smaller and the rope is 4-5 inches or smaller, the juvenile convicts should be safe.

I would look into a tank divider for your main breeding convict tank, or else they will just keep reproducing like horny rabbits. I worked for Petco as the aquatic specialist for 7 years, and of all the fish we had, besides platys, convicts reproduced in the tanks more than any other fish we carried, about 80 different freshwater species.
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Thanks
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i didn't know you were so big on fish, i think that's pretty cool
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Roxborough4Ever posted...

i didn't know you were so big on fish, i think that's pretty cool

Fish rock man lol.

It is funny how I got into them. I am turtle guy and I got some feeder fish for the turtles. Then I just couldn't send the fish them their deaths like that so I picked up a new tank. And since then I have been keeping fish.
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I made a thread a few days ago but no one cared, I just set up an aquaponic aquarium system, it's a standard fishtank on the bottom, and a deep plant pot on the top where the water filtrates through the plant root system in the clay substrate. The live plants on top thrive on the nitrate fueled fish water, and in turn, filters and replenishes the water with oxygen and it becomes a living, minimum effort ecosystem. In return, I get some fresh herbs like basil and oregano from the top and the fish in the tank below thrive in the planted system.
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MabusIncarnate posted...

I made a thread a few days ago but no one cared, I just set up an aquaponic aquarium system, it's a standard fishtank on the bottom, and a deep plant pot on the top where the water filtrates through the plant root system in the clay substrate. The live plants on top thrive on the nitrate fueled fish water, and in turn, filters and replenishes the water with oxygen and it becomes a living, minimum effort ecosystem. In return, I get some fresh herbs like basil and oregano from the top and the fish in the tank below thrive in the planted system.

Now that is something that sounds cool. I am thinking of getting a sump, not as cool as yours but I think it will help keep my turtle clean lol.
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if you got any pics feel free to post would like to see
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cjsdowg posted...

MabusIncarnate posted...

I made a thread a few days ago but no one cared, I just set up an aquaponic aquarium system, it's a standard fishtank on the bottom, and a deep plant pot on the top where the water filtrates through the plant root system in the clay substrate. The live plants on top thrive on the nitrate fueled fish water, and in turn, filters and replenishes the water with oxygen and it becomes a living, minimum effort ecosystem. In return, I get some fresh herbs like basil and oregano from the top and the fish in the tank below thrive in the planted system.

Now that is something that sounds cool. I am thinking of getting a sump, not as cool as yours but I think it will help keep my turtle clean lol.

This is essentially the system I got, just a bit larger. It's very easy to maintain once it's up and running.

https://www.amazon.com/Springworks-Black-Microfarm-Aquaponic-Garden/dp/B011IXR6QS/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1497859602&sr=8-9&keywords=aquaponic

Also, a sump system is pretty much the best you can get as far as filtration goes. Gravity forces 100% filtration at all times opposed to an overflow that will have dirty water pass over the top of the filter pad once it starts getting a bit built up. A sump is so much more efficient. Always have a manual syphon hose also to get the crud out of the gravel or rocks at the bottom, at least once weekly drain out 10% of the water through gravel cleaning.
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MabusIncarnate posted...

I worked for Petco as the aquatic specialist for 7 years

damn how was that job? I can imagine it being really fun or sucking completely
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ExMechaGodzilla posted...

MabusIncarnate posted...

I worked for Petco as the aquatic specialist for 7 years

damn how was that job? I can imagine it being really fun or sucking completely

I was the assistant manager, so I essentially looked over all of the departments. I got bit my snakes and lizards more times than I can count. Corporate walks happened 3 times monthly at least, they have a strict standard for things as little as algae build up.

Biggest issue I ran into was the grooming salon was full of females (not being sexist in the slightest) but when they had a problematic dog that got aggressive, they always called on me to resolve it and I have a lot of scars from bites as a result.

Siberian Dwarf Hamsters are the spawn of Satan, my fingers still cringe at the thought of those vicious little bastards.

Overall, a good experience and a cool place to work, but wears down on you over time if you can't tolerate regular pain from bites and scratches.
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Wow this place is full of interesting people.
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Those little things are lucky to be alive. I just noticed that my auto feeder wasn't working. I know it has been out for at least a week. I have to use auto feeders if I don't I will over feed since it is so hard to say No to them.
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MabusIncarnate posted...

I worked for Petco as the aquatic specialist for 7 years, and of all the fish we had, besides platys, convicts reproduced in the tanks more than any other fish we carried, about 80 different freshwater species.

a question for you that drives me nuts:

Every time I go to a pet store with fish tanks I find all these cool fish like the neon fish and the bala sharks, they're tiny and exotic and awesome. And they have like, 50+ of those suckers on a standard pet store fish tank.

But then I try to buy one fish the store personnel go like "OH MY GAAWWDDD you need a 50 gallon tank for one little fishy, or else it's inhumane!"


Really? You guys (stores, not you lol) keep 50 of these things in a single tank but then you insist I buy a tank 5x as big just for one? :/
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ROD posted...

Every time I go to a pet store with fish tanks I find all these cool fish like the neon fish and the bala sharks, they're tiny and exotic and awesome. And they have like, 50+ of those suckers on a standard pet store fish tank.

Bala Sharks are tiny while they young, but they can get a foot long. They is why they can all be in one tank while young. But neons.. they are just trying to pull one over on you.
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cjsdowg posted...

ROD posted...

Every time I go to a pet store with fish tanks I find all these cool fish like the neon fish and the bala sharks, they're tiny and exotic and awesome. And they have like, 50+ of those suckers on a standard pet store fish tank.

Bala Sharks are tiny while they young, but they can get a foot long. They is why they can all be in one tank while young. But neons.. they are just trying to pull one over on you.

Also, the filtration system per 12 tanks that these stores use are large enough to be used on a 300 gallon tank, when each system filters 90 gallons. Also, the fish are meant to be sold and are juveniles, but generally have a very short stay in the tanks they sell them in.

During training, and it's a surprisingly in-depth 40 hours of training and extensive 200 question exams to become an aquatic specialist, the primary focus is determining what a permanent habitat for the animals you are selling would be. While you are buying a 3 to 4 inch pleco, adult size can be as large as 3 feet. Same applies to a lot of catfish. There is a fish we sold regularly called a red tailed catfish, and we sold it at 4 inches. This is literally the same fish.

http://r.ddmcdn.com/w_622/u_0/gif/killer-fish-piraiba-catfish-pictures3.jpg

Now the problem, and the logic behind it is people blindly buy these little fish because they look cool, unaware of the monster sizes they reach. They get to big, and no store is willing to take them back, they release them into local ponds and lakes. What you get is what has become a epidemic in Florida with alligator gars. They were released as pets, have dominated the waters, and are killing off native species to extinction.

It's an effort to let people know what they are getting into and are prepared for the sizes of the fish they are purchasing. It should only apply to fish that get large, when it comes to tetras, platys, guppies, etc the only concern should be how many you are trying to put in the size of your tank. A good rule of thumb is an inch of fish per gallon of water, so 5 two inch fish in a ten gallon aquarium and whatnot.
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Funny you bring up that fish.

I had to re-home a Gar. And it was HARD to do. Later I found out that I could have sold him and made some money. But I am just happy to have him in a nice home.

I was told he was spotted gar from the Pet store he turned you to be a alligator gar and after years with one another he tried to eat my turtle.
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who pays for alligator gars?

I can catch those all day at a golf course around here
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yemmy posted...

who pays for alligator gars?

I can catch those all day at a golf course around here

Hobbyist, I forgot name of the site I found after I re-homed him but there were people selling them for 70 -150 dollars based on how big they were.
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I have a pretty big problem with a lot of fish, and even reptiles sold in the US. Something is off about pet stores being able to sell fish that get 5 feet long plus.

When I lived in Pennsylvania, I had a reptile stage where I had some geckos and whatnot. I went to a reptile show in 1999, and one vendor, legally, was selling baby green anacondas and reticulated pythons. These are snakes that reach excess of 25 feet, that they allow anyone to purchase as a pet without a permit. Why would that be legal? And now, again, Florida is developing a very scary large snake problem from people releasing these things into local forests and parks when they get entirely too large to safely handle and contain without spending thousands of dollars.
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MabusIncarnate posted...

cjsdowg posted...

ROD posted...

Every time I go to a pet store with fish tanks I find all these cool fish like the neon fish and the bala sharks, they're tiny and exotic and awesome. And they have like, 50+ of those suckers on a standard pet store fish tank.

Bala Sharks are tiny while they young, but they can get a foot long. They is why they can all be in one tank while young. But neons.. they are just trying to pull one over on you.

Also, the filtration system per 12 tanks that these stores use are large enough to be used on a 300 gallon tank, when each system filters 90 gallons. Also, the fish are meant to be sold and are juveniles, but generally have a very short stay in the tanks they sell them in.

During training, and it's a surprisingly in-depth 40 hours of training and extensive 200 question exams to become an aquatic specialist, the primary focus is determining what a permanent habitat for the animals you are selling would be. While you are buying a 3 to 4 inch pleco, adult size can be as large as 3 feet. Same applies to a lot of catfish. There is a fish we sold regularly called a red tailed catfish, and we sold it at 4 inches. This is literally the same fish.

http://r.ddmcdn.com/w_622/u_0/gif/killer-fish-piraiba-catfish-pictures3.jpg

Now the problem, and the logic behind it is people blindly buy these little fish because they look cool, unaware of the monster sizes they reach. They get to big, and no store is willing to take them back, they release them into local ponds and lakes. What you get is what has become a epidemic in Florida with alligator gars. They were released as pets, have dominated the waters, and are killing off native species to extinction.

It's an effort to let people know what they are getting into and are prepared for the sizes of the fish they are purchasing. It should only apply to fish that get large, when it comes to tetras, platys, guppies, etc the only concern should be how many you are trying to put in the size of your tank. A good rule of thumb is an inch of fish per gallon of water, so 5 two inch fish in a ten gallon aquarium and whatnot.

gotcha, thanks guys
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ROD posted...

gotcha, thanks guys

Thumps up.


MabusIncarnate posted...

I have a pretty big problem with a lot of fish, and even reptiles sold in the US. Something is off about pet stores being able to sell fish that get 5 feet long plus.

The laws with turtles are odd to me. Unless it for educational reasons you can't buy a turtle under 4 inches since little kids are known to put them in their mouths and get sick. But yet in many places you can just by an alligator snapping turtle who grows huge and and break brooksticks with on chop.
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cjsdowg posted...

ROD posted...

gotcha, thanks guys

Thumps up.


MabusIncarnate posted...

I have a pretty big problem with a lot of fish, and even reptiles sold in the US. Something is off about pet stores being able to sell fish that get 5 feet long plus.

The laws with turtles are odd to me. Unless it for educational reasons you can't buy a turtle under 4 inches since little kids are known to put them in their mouths and get sick. But yet in many places you can just by an alligator snapping turtle who grows huge and and break brooksticks with on chop.

Yeah, exactly. I don't know how many times I had to explain that to people coming into the store I worked at seeking out those baby red ear sliders. A baby turtle that a kid may get sick from putting in his mouth, no way! A snake that gets large enough to swallow a toddler whole, sure that's fine.

Makes no sense.
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Aww these things keep being cute. The parents have them all in corner tank keeping a watchful eye out on them. I have Parrot that wants them so bad(that part isn't as cute).
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