Help with stocking arithmetic

[meadeam]

  I have a few small tanks; 5.5, 10, and 29.  The 10 Gallon is currently housing a batch of 20-25 molly fry who survived long enough to grow too large to eat.  They are still in the 10 gallon growing but will obviously need to be moved soon.  That is problem #1.

The 5.5 gallon is being used as a hospital tank at the moment.  I expect the fish in there to pass, or be returned to the 10 or 29 soon.  I would like to house a single betta in the 5.5 eventually. and use one or more indoor tubs for quarantine/treatment of sick fish.

In the 29 are a school of 10 assorted neons, 5 corydoras, 1 bn pleco, and 1 adult male molly (the progenitor of the batch of fry).  I would love for this tank to have a hillstream loach or small school of otos as well as more mollies or a larger single fish.

What do I do with all of the molly fry?  For the sake of argument let's say there are 25 of them.  I'd be full up with just mollies if I distributed them throughout the 3 tanks.  I am not opposed to adding another small tank; I've considered a Flex 15 because of the form factor and all-in-oneness of the design.  

For reference, all existing tanks are moderately to heavily planted.  The 29 is very adequately filtered with an Oase Filtosmart 200 (up to 55g), the others have cheapo HOB filters I am willing to replace.  All have Fluval aquasky lights.  I am currently doing 50% water changes weekly.

 

I might have got them all in one photo... I count 23. 

Edited November 12, 2021 by meadeam

[Flumpweesel]

Will your LFS take some of the fry - mine does but you don't get anything for them unless they are something special. 

In fairness to the shop though it sells them on really cheap so it helps people out on both sides.

If any females go in with the male you will be at this again soon enough.  

[JettsPapa]

I agree with taking them to a locally owned fish store.  While they might not give you anything for them, they might give you some store credit, or cash if you're really lucky (I found one that pays me cash for plants, shrimp, and guppies).

[meadeam]

The chains won't take them.  There is one LFS I can try but I am not hopeful.  

 

 

 

[meadeam]

I think I am going to go the indoor tub route as I have also been considering propagating plants, both aquatic and hydro grown terrestrial plants.  I have no experience with it but it could be fun.

[Scapexghost]

If you could pick up the 15 you could probably get away with keeping all the fry and being able to get the other fish you want. The pleco, otos/hs loaches' and cories to an extrent won't take away much swim space from the mollies so you could get away with putting most if not all the mollies into the 29 if your willing to do the water changes. I would probably put 15 in the 29, 7 in the 15, and 3 in the 10.

[meadeam]

On 11/12/2021 at 3:56 AM, Scapexghost said:

If you could pick up the 15 you could probably get away with keeping all the fry and being able to get the other fish you want. The pleco, otos/hs loaches' and cories to an extrent won't take away much swim space from the mollies so you could get away with putting most if not all the mollies into the 29 if your willing to do the water changes. I would probably put 15 in the 29, 7 in the 15, and 3 in the 10.

good options as well.  I just can't have too many fry perpetuate in those tanks, so I'd be relying on other fish cull further fry.  A single fry eating species in addition to all the adults will do the trick I hope.  I really like Gouramis and would love to keep them as singles. 

[JettsPapa]

On 11/12/2021 at 8:09 AM, meadeam said:

. . . I really like Gouramis and would love to keep them as singles. 

You can do that with dwarf gouramis.  In fact, they will often kill other gouramis (and sometimes other fish also).  Unfortunately, they are more prone to health issues than other species.

Most, if not all, of the other commonly kept gourami species are social, and do best in groups, though they are often kept alone.

[meadeam]

Gourami are an enigma.  I've read so much contradictory info on keeping them.  I may try a single dwarf though.