- Guppies. One of the most beloved aquarium fish for both beginning and experienced hobbyists is the guppy
- Mollies
- Platies
- Swordtails
- Endler’s Livebearer
- Two Types of Livebearers
- Caring for Livebearer Fish
- Enjoying Livebearer Fish Care.
What is meant by livebearer fish?
Definition of live-bearer : a fish that brings forth living young rather than eggs especially : any of a family (Poeciliidae) of numerous small surface-feeding fishes (such as a molly or swordtail).
Is a Molly a livebearer?
This care guide deals with the Family Poeciliidae, which includes mollies, platies, swordtails, guppies and mosquito fish. They are called livebearers because the females retain their eggs until they are fully developed and give birth to free-swimming fry.
What is the biggest livebearer fish?
Most of what was said about Sailfin Mollies also applies to Yucatan Mollies. As the largest commonly found livebearers, they need a minimum of 30 gallons of space. Males can reach up to 6 inches, though are usually smaller.
What livebearers can live together?
But, many betta owners do keep bettas and endlers livebearers together without a problem, and they can often be some of the best tank mates for your betta! Here are a couple of reasons bettas and endlers livebearers can live together.
Can you keep livebearers with tetras?
YES! Guppies and neon tetras make excellent tank mates when the conditions are right However, if the conditions are wrong there may end up being some trouble in the aquarium.
How do you feed a livebearer?
Caring for Livebearers Livebearers are omnivores and require both algae-based foods as well as meaty foods. A varied diet including algae-based flake food, along with freeze-dried bloodworms, tubifex worms, and brine shrimp will provide proper nutrition to a wide range of different livebearer species.
How do I stop livebearers?
- Buy only one gender of fish, preferably males. If you don’t have male and female fish together, there is less chance for baby fish to appear
- Choose egg-laying species rather than live bearers
- Adjust tanks conditions to make breeding less comfortable.
How long are livebearers pregnant?
Once mated, gestation takes around 28 days A single female can give birth to between 5 and 80 fry depending on age and her size. Larger broods are occasionally reported. Pregnant or gravid females are very easily identified by their gravid spot.
Is Platy a Molly?
The main difference between a Platy and a Molly is that they belong to different species The Molly is from the Poecilia family and the Platy from the genus Xiphophorus which means they cannot interbreed. If you wish to learn what makes up the Molly and Platy family and how to tell them apart, please read on.
Can Molly and Guppy cross breed?
Guppies and Mollies can easily create hybrids if they are kept in the right conditions There are two names for two types of hybrids. A hybrid fry from a male Guppy and a female Molly is called Golly, whereas a fry from a male Molly and a female Guppy is called Muppy.
Which is better Molly or Platy?
One of the biggest differences in them are physical traits. Mollies are sleeker than Platies , and Mollies have a mouth that faces upwards. They also have different tank requirements, diets, and ways of bearing fry. One thing they do have in common, though, is the fact that they’re both very easy to care for.
How long do killifish live for?
Most killifish live 2 to 5 years in aquariums Perhaps the most fascinating thing about killifish is their different spawning methods, which separate them into three basic groups: annuals, semi-annuals and non-annuals. In the wild, annuals live in temporary pools that dry up each year for periods up to 6 months.
How do you breed a Livebearer fish?
To breed livebearers simply put a few male and female fish in the same tank The most successful ratio is 1 male to every 3 females. Males will constantly attempt to breed with the females. Having a lower number of males allows the females to have space and avoid being harassed during pregnancy.
What is the easiest fish to breed?
- Guppy Fish. Guppy Fish
- Endler’s. Endler Guppy
- Molly Fish. Molly Fish
- Platy Fish. Platy Fish
- Swordtail Fish. Swordtail Fish
- Least Killifish. Least killifish are great fish to breed
- Angelfish
- Ram Cichlids.
How many livebearers can you have in a 10 gallon tank?
The Aquarium With that in mind, a 3 to 5 gallon aquarium will safely house a trio of Endler’s Livebearers or fancy guppies, a 10 gallon tank is sufficient for platies and most mollies , but you will need a minimum of 20 to 30 gallons for swordtails and sailfin mollies due to their larger size.
How long do you keep baby fish separated?
If you’ve opted for a separate tank to keep the fry isolated from the adult fish, separate the mother as soon as you can after you’ve noticed she’s pregnant. You generally have between 24 and 30 days to make accommodations for your new fry once the mother shows signs of pregnancy.
Are Endlers livebearers schooling fish?
Endler guppies are not schooling fish and as such do not need to be kept in groups. An Endeler will be perfectly happy living alone or in an aquarium with other ‘community’ fish. Ideally, Endlers should NOT be kept in a pair as the male will constantly harass the female.
How can you tell if a livebearer is pregnant?
Look for the gravid spot on the fish’s abdomen near the rear tail. The spot should appear large and dark when her eggs are fertilized You will know your fish is close to giving birth when the spot becomes nearly black.
Are goldfish livebearers?
The first thing to know: there is no such thing as a pregnant goldfish. These fish do not carry live young within them until gestation , and they do not give birth to live fish. Goldfish are an egg-laying species.
How do you know when a livebearer is about to give birth?
The Eyes of the Fry and Signs of Impending Birth To accommodate the developing eggs, the mother’s body expands, becoming deeper and broader. A few days before delivery, she develops a bulge below the gills, her outline becoming fairly square in this region, while the gravid spot has enlarged its area.
Can molly and goldfish live together?
Mollies are also another peaceful breed of fish! However, they are not recommended to be placed with Goldfish , which may not make any sense due to their temperaments being similar. This is due to the matter that Mollies have a tendency to become aggressive towards Goldfish!.
Are swordtails mollies?
The swordtail belongs to the group of livebearer fishes – scientifically classified as Poecillidae – to which the mosquito fish, the guppies, the mollies and the platies belong.
What is the smallest type of molly?
Shortfin Mollies are generally the smallest of the two groups, measuring up to 3 inches long, and they don’t boast the showy finnage of the fish in the other group. Within the Shortfin Molly group, you also have Balloon Mollies that have rotund bodies and arched backs.
Are there any fish that give live birth?
Livebearers are aquarium fish that retain the eggs inside the body and give birth to live, free-swimming young Among aquarium fish, livebearers are nearly all members of the family Poeciliidae and include guppies, mollies, platies and swordtails.
Which tropical fish can crossbreed?
The “big four” of livebearers in the hobby( guppy, Molly, platy, swordtail ) belong to either the genus poecilia or the genus xiphophorus. Those within a genus should be able to crossbreed.
Can fish have babies in a tank?
Some aquarium fish carry the eggs inside of them When the eggs are fertilized, they eventually hatch inside the mother, and the babies emerge in a live birth. Other types of fish lay hundreds of eggs in nests within the aquarium, in this case, the males fertilize these eggs, and then they hatch into live fish.
How do you force fish to mate?
Most fish species are stimulated to breed in the springtime when the water warms up and the daylight lengthens. You can replicate this anytime in your home aquarium by doing water changes, increasing the temperature setting on the aquarium thermometer, and gradually increasing the length of time the lights are on.
Can you mix Endlers?
If you intend to cross breed fancy and endler guppies, you can, though I strongly advice not to do it Although the fry of these hybrids might look really interesting, their gene pool will be altered. This might cause health issues and genetic mutations in the long run.
How do fish get pregnant tropical?
In most cases, the female drops eggs in the water which are immediately fertilized by sperm from the male Another way is for fertilization to occur within the females body before she drops them into the water. With the third and final method, the female retains the eggs within her body and the young are born alive.
Do tetras eat baby guppies?
Tank Mates for Tetras and Guppies As tetras and guppies are both peaceful and friendly fish, they can easily be kept in the same aquarium.
Can Molly live with tetras?
Which Fish Can Live with Mollies? Choose molly fish tank mates that also enjoy hard, alkaline conditions. This includes other livebearers like guppies and platies, tank raised tetras and barbs , danios, and even african cichlids (so long as they are peaceful species).
Can I put guppies with Glofish?
Black Skirt Tetras Glofish – Tetras grow up to 3 inches max, are omnivorous, peaceful, and work well in community tanks. They will get along with any other peaceful fish species, guppies included If you want a type of Glofish for your guppy tank, this is pretty much the only species you should get.
How often do Endlers give birth?
They give birth to live fully-formed young (fry) approximately every 23 days as their “livebearer” name suggests, rather than laying eggs. Female Endlers (and many other Poeciliid livebearers) can store sperm from prior matings, so may continue to produce fry for up to a year when males are not present (known as.
Do Endlers breed with guppies?
Yes, as you have found out first hand, guppies and endlers will cross and produce offspring The offspring are not sterile and can be used to develop more guppy/endler varieties. Because of this, the Endler’s Livebearer is not its own species, and is actually just a unique guppy variant.
How long do Endlers take to mature?
Endler’s livebearer fry mature extremely fast, and most will reach breeding maturity at approximately two months of age The males will take on adult coloration at around 4-5 weeks of age, though the females seems to mature slightly slower.
Can fish recover from the shimmies?
Treatment. There is no treatment for the shimmies as such, but once environmental conditions improve, affected fish usually get better without problems It is important not to try and change things too quickly though, as sudden changes, even to the better, can be so stressful that they end up making things worse!.
What do I do if I find baby fish in my tank?
If you find baby fish in your tank, don’t panic! The first thing you should do is remove any adult fish so they do not eat the babies or move the baby fish to a separate tank where they can grow in safe environment.
Do guppies give birth all at once?
Typically, the fry are delivered one at a time, although they may appear in quick succession with pauses between groups of babies The baby guppies are usually born curled into small balls, just as they matured in the female’s womb in this compact shape.
How long can a molly hold sperm?
There is no way that they can successfully interbreed. However, mollies can store sperm for about 6 months.
Can you put platies and mollies together?
Yes, platies and mollies can live together Both species are known for their peaceful and friendly natures, so they will get along well in a community tank. Platies and mollies also have similar water and tank requirements, so you won’t have trouble meeting both of their needs simultaneously.
Can platies crossbreed?
Guppies are from the Poeciliidae family, while platies are from the Xiphophorus. This means, guppies and platies can’t crossbreed , so no matter how hard you would like to have a guppy platy hybrid, it is impossible.
How many platies should be kept together?
How many platies should be kept together? A group of three to six platies is a good starting point As with most livebearers, the males constantly want to mate, so try to keep at least two females for every one male to give the girls a break.
Citations
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/live-bearer
https://www.buildyouraquarium.com/livebearing-fish/
https://www.fishkeepingworld.com/livebearers/
https://www.fishlore.com/profiles-livebearers.htm
https://www.aqueon.com/resources/care-guides/livebearer