I just had a thought....

HI there, I just had a thought... doesn't happen very often! Lol, I am keeping platys and guppies for the first time (the tanks I lost in the fire had no live bearers) and I was wondering if my fish breed, and we are talking guppies here so I should say - WHEN my fish breed, how do I stop the fry being sucked into my filter? It does have a tube grid on it, but the gaps would be large enough for fry to get sucked in, and even though I am not separating them and most will get eaten, I would preffer them not to get mangled in the filter, I would much ratherthat the ones that won't make were gone in a gulp rather then being traumatized in the filter. Can I wrap a the toe off a pair of tights round the tube - will this still allow enough filtration and not bugger my filter?

 

get a sponge filter

 

yep if you get a piece of panty hose or something and tie itaround the intake with a bit of thread, that should do it. But I think you would do better to get a breeding trap or net, so the other fish don't eat the fry. Also then you wouldn't have to mess w your filter.

 

What type of filter do you have? Also you can buy a pack of bags made for the aquaclear filters to hold filter stuff and wrap it around your intake tube. That's what I do and it's fine so the guppies can't get sucked up and twice a month I take it off and just rub my hand over it to get some of the junk off. Works great, better than a sponge filter I think. Need more help on how to do it let me know.

Austin

 

All of those ate good suggestions but I find that my guppies are strongenough from the start not to get sucked into the filter.
Carol

 

I am not entirely sure what filter I have - it works though, the filter itself sits inside the hood of the tank, a long pipe comes into the water and sucks it up and a short outlet drops it back in again after it goes through the top - that has like plastic bits in nets in it and some wooly stuff and black pellets in a net also - on the pipe that sucks up the water there is like a guard tube that has slats in it, but they gaps are quite big, my other fishes are OK with it - non of them would fit anyway through the gaps, but I guess I am being a little worried about the fry as they will be so tiny.............. also how do it tell if the guppies are pregnant - the two females look quite round but not overly so? Should I try to post a pic of them?

And also - whilst I am here rabbiting on, how do I tell if my platys get in the family way?

 

You can also get sponges that fit over the intake tube that will keep the fry from getting sucked in.

 

I got a pair of tights (I believe in the US they are called panty hose - In case I have confused anyone) and tied it round the filter - after making sure it would all still suck properly, it works fine.... and I am fairly sure both of my guppies are in the family way and that one of my platys is too - still not sure how to tell though?