What do you do with all your fry?

[parrotlover77]

hello,

I have a pair of kirin parrots. They are on their successful breeding/fry set #3. We have a spare 40 gallon for grow out (first set of fry are there right now), and will be moved to a new 75 tank. Than we have to move the #2 fry's to that 40 gallon tank. Last night set #3 hatched. These Kirin parents are extremely horny and lay eggs about once a month. I have had fish for quit a while, but never had a pair that successfully had fry, until now.
Question: for fishkeepers who have had a very successful breeding pair, what do you do with all the fry? I can't get another tank at this point. I have 4 right now. Do you give away the fish? Sell them? Let them die (i have to ask)? I can't assume everyone has 10 fish tanks and grow them all out and keep them around. I am assuming I will have to separate the parents to prevent any more breeding, but what does everyone do here?

 

[AaronKWolfe]

Some people sell them , some people give them away, some people use them as feeders, and some people keep them. When I had fish that bred super readily I tried to sell them or give them away and if nobody wanted them I just fed them to my other fish.

 

[NoodleCats]

Once theyre eating adult sized foods and are large enough to be housed in a tank of compatible tankmates, i would start finding them homes. This depends on the type and size of fish of course.

Ive given away juvenile fish for free, just due to lack of space. Maybe some ended up as feeders (they were livebearers) or a nice pet, who knows, but i dont mind if people are looking for feeders too. Serves a purpose. Not fry who need special care though. Independent fish who can live just fine with same sized tankmates.

I work on usually letting the community tank deal with most fry, and ill save a handful to raise at random. This way, there is a balance and i dont get overrun. I try to keep with my space limits.

 

[duanes]

One of the best ways to move fry, is to take them to local aquarium club auctions and swap meets.
Although the Covid epidemic has stalied many of these events temporarily, in Kansas City there is The Heart of America Aquarium society that has auctions and other such events (and you usually don't need to be a member to bring fry).
Often at meetings there are mini-auctions, where people bring BAP (breeders award Program) and excess fry to.

 

[Karen and Jonah]

Wow., I would not know what to do but it would be exciting to see.

 

[parrotlover77]

Thanks everyone. I am such a softy, so it is hard for me to figure out what to do. I don't want to feed them to my fish. I don't want to give them away to fish stores. I think when push-comes-to-shove I will sell them. It will be hard though.

 

[twentyleagues]

Thanks everyone. I am such a softy, so it is hard for me to figure out what to do. I don't want to feed them to my fish. I don't want to give them away to fish stores. I think when push-comes-to-shove I will sell them. It will be hard though.

If your plan is to sell you might want to get feelers out now. Contact lfs see if they'd be interested in getting some off you. And if you are on a local forum you can post a looking to sell when old enough thread to gauge interest.