Moss Posted February 14, 2023 Share Posted February 14, 2023 (edited) Hi everyone, On January 1st, I responded to a FB Marketplace ad for water sprite plants. When I got there, the guy gave me a big bucket of plants for $5. It looked like he just pulled out all the watersprite from his tank, and I am guessing it had been sitting around for a while. I took it back to my classroom (I’m a teacher) washed many of the good looking plants and planted some in a number of my aquaria. There were still lots left, so I set up another tank, dumped them in there (no substrate, no filter, just a light) because I figured they would grow infusoria and my students could look at those under the microscope. Last weekend (about 6 weeks later) I decided to wash out some of the mulm and decaying plants, so I scooped out the green plants and then netted out the crud. When I looked in the net, I found a wee fish flapping in there. It must have been an egg, or a very tiny fry, when I got it on New Years Day, because I saw nothing like that while working in the bucket and sorting/washing plants. Anyways, I looked more and found another 5! Does anyone have any guesses what they are? I have contacted the guy who sold me the plants, but he hasn’t responded yet. The fish are now in my quarantine tank eating live brine shrimp, daphnia and fine flakes. They seem to be doing OK! I’d love to hear your thoughts on what they might be. 😊 Edited February 14, 2023 by Moss 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaneFishGuy Posted February 14, 2023 Share Posted February 14, 2023 possibly gambusia - aka "mosquito fish" - I could be wrong if they are just a young species that hasn't colored up. I'm also not 100 percent sure on the tail structure but that could also be an age thing or just photo angle. I have a stock tank pond full of them and they seem to hide and thrive know matter what conditions you throw at them - I can see them surviving in a bucket like that. They are super prolific breeders as well.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biotope Biologist Posted February 14, 2023 Share Posted February 14, 2023 Mosquitofish are livebearers so we can eliminate that possibility. At this age with the egg yolk still in the stomach it’s impossible to say. Id be willing to bet it’s a gold fish or minnow fry. But we may need to wait a few weeks for it to mature for a positive i.d Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheSwissAquarist Posted February 14, 2023 Share Posted February 14, 2023 Lucky! Can you come and work at my school @Moss? Tail structure is a bit off for it to be livebearer, reminds me more of a danio or a tetra. Goldfish is a possibility @Biotope Biologist, but their fry tend to be relatively transparent until they get to the 2.5 angels inch mark. What species of fish were in the vendors water sprite tank? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moss Posted February 15, 2023 Author Share Posted February 15, 2023 Thanks for your thoughts, everyone! I’d love it if they were goldfish. Actually, I’m super stoked to look after them whatever they are. But, I am dying to find out! I have messaged the watersprite guy, and he is driving me nuts by just saying stuff like “too early to tell” and stuff like that. I just sent him a message and asked “ can you please tell me what kind of fish were in that tank?” Here are the photos from his original Marketplace post. Maybe some fish visible in these photos are a possibility. The fish are doing great now. I have brewed up some live brine shrimp, have given them some frozen daphnia, and a bit of ground up flakes. They are eating well, swimming around and looking happy. There are 6 of them! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moss Posted February 15, 2023 Author Share Posted February 15, 2023 Hmmmm, Cherry Barbs perhaps? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nabokovfan87 Posted February 15, 2023 Share Posted February 15, 2023 (edited) On 2/14/2023 at 7:16 PM, Moss said: Hmmmm, Cherry Barbs perhaps? Could be. I see what looks like a serpae or black skirt tetra too. Can you take more photos at night with only the tank light on? Edited February 15, 2023 by nabokovfan87 can't spell serpae Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheSwissAquarist Posted February 15, 2023 Share Posted February 15, 2023 I can also see a Serpae in there… do these pics resemble them? Top pic is Black skirt, bottom is serpae i think. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moss Posted February 15, 2023 Author Share Posted February 15, 2023 They do look like the photo on the bottom labelled 3-4 week old Black Skirt Tetra Fry. I’ll take more photos tonight with just tank lights on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheSwissAquarist Posted February 15, 2023 Share Posted February 15, 2023 Is the anal fin as stretched as on the picture? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moss Posted February 16, 2023 Author Share Posted February 16, 2023 Tonight’s photos 🙂 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biotope Biologist Posted February 16, 2023 Share Posted February 16, 2023 I’m like 90% sure that’s a goldfish fry… something important about tetra. They all have adipose fins. Which are small fleshy fins: 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheSwissAquarist Posted February 16, 2023 Share Posted February 16, 2023 On 2/16/2023 at 6:11 AM, Biotope Biologist said: I’m like 90% sure that’s a goldfish fry… something important about tetra. They all have adipose fins. Which are small fleshy fins: I see what you mean, but it’s looking a bit barb-like in my opinion, and last time I checked it is impossible to keep tetra and Goldifsh in the same tank. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moss Posted February 17, 2023 Author Share Posted February 17, 2023 (edited) Tonight’s photo… Edited February 17, 2023 by Moss 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moss Posted February 21, 2023 Author Share Posted February 21, 2023 Goldfish? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nabokovfan87 Posted February 21, 2023 Share Posted February 21, 2023 We're gonna need a bigger boat. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biotope Biologist Posted February 21, 2023 Share Posted February 21, 2023 (edited) On 2/15/2023 at 9:11 PM, Biotope Biologist said: I’m like 90% sure that’s a goldfish fry… Make that 99.99% 😋 I was thinking when I took another look at the marketplace ad’s fishtank that the watersprite in their tank was just kinda haphazardly put in there. I think what may have happened was they brought the plants in from the pond/tub for the winter and some goldfish eggs were on it. Edited February 21, 2023 by Biotope Biologist 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jwcarlson Posted February 21, 2023 Share Posted February 21, 2023 Some people get unwanted duckweed with their plants. Others get unwanted duckweed eaters. The world has a way of evening things out. My only hangup is the 6 week timeline. Are the original pictures really 5-6 week old goldfish fry? Assuming goldfish eggs are like most other fish eggs I am aware of (hatching within a week or so). I guess in my head they would be bigger at that age. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheSwissAquarist Posted February 21, 2023 Share Posted February 21, 2023 On 2/21/2023 at 5:09 PM, jwcarlson said: original pictures really 5-6 week old goldfish fry? Assuming goldfish eggs are like most other fish eggs I am aware of (hatching within a week or so). I guess in my head they would be bigger at that age. They haven’t had the easiest start in life - might be down to that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moss Posted February 22, 2023 Author Share Posted February 22, 2023 I bet you are right about their rough start in life. I got the plants on Jan 1. He was expecting me after 12 pm. I got there at 12 pm on the nose. He went inside and was gone a few minutes. Wouldn’t be surprised if he was out yanking plants from a pond… 6 weeks later I found fish, and a week after that I posted photos here. So if the eggs were just laid and took a week to hatch, those first photos are 6 week old fry. I also wondered if they were a bit small, and thought their development must have been slow due to lack of food and probably pretty poor water quality. They are doing great now though! They love their live baby brine shrimp and frozen daphnia. They seem to be growing fast and are plump and active. Thanks, everyone, for your comments and thoughts on this fun and unexpected adventure! I hope I’ll have these guys for many years to come, and I’ll always remember their bumpy start. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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