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catbyte

(35,769 posts)
Fri Feb 3, 2023, 04:35 PM Feb 2023

I have a population explosion!

Last edited Fri Feb 3, 2023, 06:30 PM - Edit history (2)

In addition to my 3 spoiled rescue felines, I have a large BiOrb aquarium with what I thought were 3 platies of the same sex and 5 Dwarf African frogs. I went to Arizona around the end of December and to my shock, came home to about 6 tiny fish swimming around. Since then, the population has increased to at least a dozen babies. I've had pregnant fish before and I could usually tell, but none of these looked pregnant. They were all about the same size so I thought they were all males. (Females are a little bigger.) Anyway, it's been fun watching them grow. I might have to take a few in to my local independent fish store (great reputation) because I don't know if my tank is large enough for all of them. The cats and I have a great time watching them.








Here's one of my froggies. They're entertaining, too.



Edited to add:

I just noticed, but the little blue blob just to the left of the bubble tube in the 3rd pic is my Neon Blue Dwarf Gourami. He's camera shy, so I don't have a good pic of him. Here are a couple of my snails -- they keep the tank really clean.

22 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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I have a population explosion! (Original Post) catbyte Feb 2023 OP
Great pics! Chicagogrl1 Feb 2023 #1
Nice photos..... secondwind Feb 2023 #2
Nice! AmBlue Feb 2023 #3
Ordinarily, soldierant Feb 2023 #6
Could you see the image at least? AmBlue Feb 2023 #14
Absolute;y. I could see it, and I could enlarge it soldierant Feb 2023 #18
What cool little creatures! I thought about getting some shrimp, but I didn't know if catbyte Feb 2023 #20
Nature will find a way........ getagrip_already Feb 2023 #4
Love these photos!!! calimary Feb 2023 #5
Lovely aquarium.... Karadeniz Feb 2023 #7
What a nice set up! Bayard Feb 2023 #8
No, they're silk. These BiOrb aquariums use lava rock as part of the filtration system, so catbyte Feb 2023 #9
Really? Bayard Feb 2023 #12
THey really are low maintenance and I love the "fish bowl" look. catbyte Feb 2023 #19
I looked at them last night Bayard Feb 2023 #21
When the cat's away the platies will play. Solly Mack Feb 2023 #10
At the risk of getting these fish banned in Florida, markodochartaigh Feb 2023 #11
Congratulations, grandma! littlemissmartypants Feb 2023 #13
He's about 1/3 of the pic from the bottom and to the left. He looks like a little brown blob with catbyte Feb 2023 #16
Found him! He's much smaller than I expected but he's cute. ❤️ littlemissmartypants Feb 2023 #17
You need to start a new handle fishbyte n/t. airplaneman Feb 2023 #15
I used to keep an aquarium. Texaswitchy Feb 2023 #22

AmBlue

(3,441 posts)
3. Nice!
Fri Feb 3, 2023, 05:39 PM
Feb 2023

I also have a population explosion, of Cherry Shrimp! I started out with just three, ended up with WAY too many in a 2.5 gallon tank no less!

https://photos.app.goo.gl/NAmy5Tz1vkR445kg6

P.S. Sorry for just a link, but I haven't figured out how to post photos. Perhaps someone will enlighten me!

soldierant

(7,903 posts)
6. Ordinarily,
Fri Feb 3, 2023, 06:04 PM
Feb 2023

an image URL will do it. But I went to your link, and could not grab an image URL. It only offers link URLs. So you need to ask someone who knows the app.

soldierant

(7,903 posts)
18. Absolute;y. I could see it, and I could enlarge it
Fri Feb 3, 2023, 11:08 PM
Feb 2023

way past the screem. I could focus in on where the shrimp were mostly congregated.. I just couldn't find a way to harvest an "image URL" Normally I can do that by right-clicking on the image and finding "Copy image URL" in the dropdown menu. And normally pasting that URL into the body of a comment or a post brings it right up. Sometimes it doesn't, and I've learned to preview before posting to make sure.

There are public sites you can upload pictures to from your computer or phone which will generate a URL for the image. I can't think of one, because I have access to a private blog site which has a media library but which I'm not authorized to share access to. Daily Kos has an image library to which you can upload if you have a username and [assword there, and after uploading, you can right-click on the image there and be offered "Copy Image URL." If you use Disqus, any picture you post to a comment there is assigned a URL, and you can right click and collect and use that URL - for your pictures or anyone else's - to post the image here. All that is probably TMI and yet not enough. I do apologize. (I've been called "the queen of workarounds" and this may give you a feel for why.)

catbyte

(35,769 posts)
20. What cool little creatures! I thought about getting some shrimp, but I didn't know if
Sat Feb 4, 2023, 09:23 AM
Feb 2023

they would like the lava rock substrate of this aquarium. There were some really striking blue shrimp I saw on the Live Aquaria website. Maybe I'll give them a try.

calimary

(84,319 posts)
5. Love these photos!!!
Fri Feb 3, 2023, 06:00 PM
Feb 2023

Last edited Fri Feb 3, 2023, 08:23 PM - Edit history (1)

Look at all those little fishies!



Just noticed the snails. That’s a really nice little ecosystem you’ve set up there!

THANKS for the photos!

catbyte

(35,769 posts)
9. No, they're silk. These BiOrb aquariums use lava rock as part of the filtration system, so
Fri Feb 3, 2023, 06:36 PM
Feb 2023

there isn't enough of a substrate for plants. I use silk because plastic plants can scratch the frogs. I think silk plants look better anyway. These BiOrb aquariums are so easy -- you just change the filter cartridge every 6 weeks or so, and I do partial water change every week or two. It's almost no maintenance. I've had this tank for about 8 years.

Bayard

(24,145 posts)
12. Really?
Fri Feb 3, 2023, 07:00 PM
Feb 2023

I might have to check those out. I'd love to have another aquarium, but so busy with all our other critters.

catbyte

(35,769 posts)
19. THey really are low maintenance and I love the "fish bowl" look.
Sat Feb 4, 2023, 09:18 AM
Feb 2023

The company has other shapes, but I like this one the best. The style I have comes in different sizes from 4-16 gallons. (I have the 16-gallon) Here's their website, but you can get them on Amazon, too.

https://us.biorb.com/

markodochartaigh

(2,063 posts)
11. At the risk of getting these fish banned in Florida,
Fri Feb 3, 2023, 06:55 PM
Feb 2023

I would point out that a close relative of the platy, the swordtail, Xiphophorus helleri, is a sequential hermaphrodite. Platys and swordtails often interbreed and the fish sold as either may actually be hybrids. It might be that you had an interesting situation in your tank while you were gone.

littlemissmartypants

(25,483 posts)
13. Congratulations, grandma!
Fri Feb 3, 2023, 07:04 PM
Feb 2023

Baby fish are so much fun! I used to have a mated pair of African Jewel Cichlids. They were so much fun to watch especially because of the way they nest. I used to trade their babies for other fish and stuff at my local fish store. Great pictures, too! But I can't find the frog. Thanks so much for sharing this. ❤️

Texaswitchy

(2,962 posts)
22. I used to keep an aquarium.
Sat Feb 4, 2023, 02:40 PM
Feb 2023

Live bearing fish will have babies.

Sword tails and platies will have babies together.

I even had a few guppies with a sword tail .

I had the little Cory catfish also.

Miss my aquarium.

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