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Found in Local Pet Store, What is it?

Started by Guest_pes142_* , Mar 24 2008 02:03 PM

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15 replies to this topic

#1 Guest_pes142_*

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Posted 24 March 2008 - 02:03 PM

I found this in the goldfish feeder tank of my local pet store. It is certainly not a goldfish, i was curious if anyone knew what this was.

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#2 Guest_fishlvr_*

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Posted 24 March 2008 - 02:09 PM

Either Gambusia affinis or Gambusia holbrooki. Looks like a nice female that's slightly gravid. You can see a small black "gravid spot" by her anal fin. You could get anywhere from 50-200 babies.

Edited by fishlvr, 24 March 2008 - 02:09 PM.

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#3 Guest_pes142_*

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Posted 24 March 2008 - 02:15 PM

50 to 200! that is a lot. Will this fish fin nip my platies? I wanted to put it in my ten gallon, would it be a bad mix?

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#4 Guest_Newt_*

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Posted 24 March 2008 - 02:19 PM

Yeah, mosquitofish are nippers. They can be hard on any fish that's not big enough to eat them.

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#5 Guest_fishlvr_*

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Posted 24 March 2008 - 02:19 PM

50 to 200! that is a lot. Will this fish fin nip my platies? I wanted to put it in my ten gallon, would it be a bad mix?

I've kept them with guppies, platies, swordtails, etc without a problem. They do like to nip at fins, but most other livebearers won't put up with it. It's the slower moving fish you have to worry about them fin-nipping.

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#6 Guest_itsme_*

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Posted 24 March 2008 - 02:20 PM

50 to 200! that is a lot. Will this fish fin nip my platies? I wanted to put it in my ten gallon, would it be a bad mix?

Yeah, they don't play well with others. If you're attached to your platies, use her as a feeder for something larger.

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#7 Guest_pes142_*

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Posted 24 March 2008 - 02:25 PM

I am not really that attached, i am looking to get rid of them/have them become food this summer. I am buying a larger tank, and hopefully getting some small sunfish. I guess she will go in with the platies, and we will just have to see what happens.

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#8 Guest_fishlvr_*

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Posted 24 March 2008 - 02:31 PM

I am not really that attached, i am looking to get rid of them/have them become food this summer. I am buying a larger tank, and hopefully getting some small sunfish. I guess she will go in with the platies, and we will just have to see what happens.

I didn't see your tank size. They definitely won't do well with others in a ten gallon. Although, I put a gravid female in with my bluespotted sunfish so that when she had her babies they could eat them, and the bluespotteds keep her in the corner of the tank.

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#9 Guest_pes142_*

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Posted 24 March 2008 - 02:36 PM

Well, i added it to the tank, and to my suprise, the gambusia is being bullied by my two big female platies. i expected the other way around. If things get bad, i have an extra tank here i will move it to, but i would rather leave it in the tank, and see if things cool down.

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#10 Guest_threegoldfish_*

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Posted 24 March 2008 - 02:45 PM

I have a female that I found in the feeder tanks who is actually very, very shy. When I first put her in my office tank, she had about a two week war with the male flag fish but now they all pretty much hang out. I had one fry survive out of the couple of batches she dropped and he's an obnoxious turd who is going to be cichlid food when I remember to bring in a bag to take him home in. He harasses everything, especially the swamp darters, and isn't shy in the slightest.

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#11 Guest_pes142_*

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Posted 24 March 2008 - 02:53 PM

Like i said, so far, she seems to be playing nice. I can only hope that this continues, as i think this is a very cool looking fish. I will take the fish out if she causes trouble, but i have my fingers crossed.

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#12 Guest_Newt_*

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Posted 24 March 2008 - 02:59 PM

The more Gambusia there are, the more obnoxious they get. I have a lone female in with some dace, and she gets along with them just fine. But I've seen what they do in groups; they're like little fishy gangs.

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#13 Guest_pes142_*

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Posted 24 March 2008 - 03:21 PM

One more question about them. Do they ever change color? Or will this fish just be the bland fish i have now for the rest of its life. If it is an ugly fin nipper, it might have to become dinner for someone else.

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#14 Guest_Newt_*

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Posted 24 March 2008 - 03:34 PM

What you see is what you get. They stay gray.

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#15 Guest_pes142_*

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Posted 24 March 2008 - 03:44 PM

alright, then i guess the life of this little fish is contingent on good behavior. As long as she gets along with everyone else, she can stay. The minute that it starts to nip, it becomes a feeder.