Baby fish appeared in my tank

Hi! I've had this community tank for about a year. It's a 10 gallon tank. The first photo I attached are the fish we've had in there since the beginning (added a couple at a time in phases) there are a sunrise platy, a Mickey mouse platy, a glofish moonrise pink tetra, a glofish electric green tetra, a guppy, a zebra danio and a glofish electric green danio. Yesterday I went to feed the fish and wanted to do a water change when I spotted a baby fish! I got all the fish at Petsmart and as far as i understood none of these fish could breed together.... I thought that it was only one, but but ago I spotted 2 more. So far only seen 3 in total. Should there be more? Which of my fish are the likely culprits? Will the babies be eaten? I've watched and the adult fish swim by them with little interest. I don't have another tank to move them to. And now I'm scared to clean the tank and it really needs it! Advice, answers, speculation... whatever ya'll got for me, I'll take! Thanks in advance!




Can't figure out how to edit my post, but just wanted to clarify that I have a 10 gallon tank, not 5!

 

100% the platys. Because livebearers are breeding machines and that’s the only fish you have two of

 

Welcome to Fishlore

Some one may have mated before you got her if both of your platys are girls and she was just waiting until she was comfortable before growing these babies. Strange but it does happen in the fish world.

Fresh clean water is the best thing you can do for all fish but it is even more important when they are babies. I do hope a much bigger tank is in your plans for the near future. If there were babies one time I suspect at some point there will be more.

If it is time for a water change just attach something to the end of the siphon to keep the little ones out of it.

 

Your two platys must have bred, Platys can cross. As for the water change it should be fine, Ive never sucked up a fry. And also fry tend to move quite fast.

 

You're saying she could have been pregnant for almost a year and just had the babies?! That happens? Is it more likely one is male and the other female and I did not know?

Is there any danger that any of the fish I have could eat the fry?

And what could I attach at the end of the siphon so they don't get auctioned out of the tank?

Th

Welcome to Fishlore

Some one may have mated before you got her if both of your platys are girls and she was just waiting until she was comfortable before growing these babies. Strange but it does happen in the fish world.

Fresh clean water is the best thing you can do for all fish but it is even more important when they are babies. I do hope a much bigger tank is in your plans for the near future. If there were babies one time I suspect at some point there will be more.

If it is time for a water change just attach something to the end of the siphon to keep the little ones out of it.

anks so much for your help!

 

You're saying she could have been pregnant for almost a year and just had the babies?! That happens? Is it more likely one is male and the other female and I did not know?

Is there any danger that any of the fish I have could eat the fry?

And what could I attach at the end of the siphon so they don't get auctioned out of the tank?

Th


anks so much for your help!

Yeah it is possible for that to happen. The fry can get eaten by any fish in the tank but as long as it has enough places to hide it should be fine

 

I have heard that guppies and mollies can cross breed, so maybe it's the same thing. Platys and guppies are live bearers. The babies can't breed though, so... sad. But it's probably the platys. Crossbreeding like that is very rare.

 

Congratulations!

 

You're saying she could have been pregnant for almost a year and just had the babies?! That happens? Is it more likely one is male and the other female and I did not know?
Not quite as likely

Is there any danger that any of the fish I have could eat the fry?

Big fish eat little fish so without hiding places to go to just about any fish in a tank will eat fry, even the one that just gave birth.

And what could I attach at the end of the siphon so they don't get auctioned out of the tank?

Thanks so much for your help!

A piece of netting or just about anything the fry can't fit through. The best thing to do though is be very attentive when siphoning to make sure the little ones steer clear of the end of the tube. If you are siphoning into a bucket just check it before pouring it out to make sure no fry are in it.

 

Your tank is too small for the Tetras alone, much less all the other fish you have. Platies and Guppies cannot cross. The babies in the photo are definitely Platy. Females can withhold their eggs for many months waiting for appropriate temperature and food conditions, and the spermatophores are often stored for over a year. I cannot see the analfins of the Platies well enough to sex them.

 

Your tank is too small for the Tetras alone, much less all the other fish you have. Platies and Guppies cannot cross. The babies in the photo are definitely Platy. Females can withhold their eggs for many months waiting for appropriate temperature and food conditions, and the spermatophores are often stored for over a year. I cannot see the analfins of the Platies well enough to sex them.

I was told a 10 gallon tank was adequate for those 7 small fish I have... is that not the case?

 

An air stone may be helpful? I’m no expert but they can’t be too unhappy if they’re giving birth
And congrats! Adorable

 

I was told a 10 gallon tank was adequate for those 7 small fish I have... is that not the case?

Your first post tells us this is a 5 gallon tank. Is that not correct?

 

Your first post tells us this is a 5 gallon tank. Is that not correct?

It's a 10 gallon tank! I realized my error after I posted but couldn't figure out how to edit so I added the correction that I have a 10 gallon tank not 5 gallon! The correction is at the bottom of my post.

An air stone may be helpful? I’m no expert but they can’t be too unhappy if they’re giving birth
And congrats! Adorable

What is an airstone? Does it help the fry?