# Looking for a Bigger Guppy



## Lee_D (Jun 11, 2010)

Does anyone have any suggestions as to what I could raise in a 120 g tank that would reproduce as aggressively as a guppy, be easy to maintain, and grow to 3-4 inches in length?

Lee


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## solarz (Aug 31, 2010)

Mollies? Swordtails?


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## Lee_D (Jun 11, 2010)

I've currently got a 120 g that has a huge mass of guppies in it (Endlers Actually) that gives quite a spectacular effect. I started out with a bag of a half dozen from one of the auctions. I'm looking for suggestions as to something that might give the same effect but in a bigger fish (Lots of Biomass with some colour). Mollies might do it but but I think Swords might be a bit to small.

Lee


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## solarz (Aug 31, 2010)

Lee_D said:


> I've currently got a 120 g that has a huge mass of guppies in it (Endlers Actually) that gives quite a spectacular effect. I started out with a bag of a half dozen from one of the auctions. I'm looking for suggestions as to something that might give the same effect but in a bigger fish (Lots of Biomass with some colour). Mollies might do it but but I think Swords might be a bit to small.
> 
> Lee


You need to provide pics!

Maybe this will help:

http://www.tfhmagazine.com/details/articles/7-forgotten-livebearers-full-article.htm


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## Kimchi24 (Mar 22, 2013)

I hear Convicts breed like rabbits.


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## default (May 28, 2011)

Hands down platies! They breed a little later, but when they start, they're like rabbits. And they can get quite large, bigger fish with more eggs!


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## BillD (Jun 5, 2006)

How can swords be too small? They get much larger than platies,.


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## grgrn (Jan 14, 2016)

BillD said:


> How can swords be too small? They get much larger than platies,.


I agree I have seen swordtails that were 3 to 4" in size. To reach that they need to be reared properly, fish that are kept in crowded conditions rarely reach their potential size.


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## default (May 28, 2011)

BillD said:


> How can swords be too small? They get much larger than platies,.


Edit: nvm, the op has commented on the size of swords. On that note, swords get pretty big! Everything listed so far has been roughly around the same size. The largest specimen of the three I've seen, would be mollies.


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## Kimchi24 (Mar 22, 2013)

grgrn said:


> I agree I have seen swordtails that were 3 to 4" in size. To reach that they need to be reared properly, fish that are kept in crowded conditions rarely reach their potential size.


well hot damn! 3-4 inches? that's a big swordtail! If OP is looking for livebearers, this might be the way to go. I know that there are quite a few people that breed either yellow labs and convict cichlids as feeders as they are prolific breeders and grow to a fair size. I dont know if these are for feeders or not but I dont think too many livebearers will give you consistent 3-4 inch fish.


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## Lee_D (Jun 11, 2010)

Ok, yes, I'm busted. I was thinking of Feeders. I'll be getting an Arowana in a couple of weeks and I was looking for something a bit bigger than guppies to feed it. I didn't think such a concept would go over to well in a forum like this.

My first thought was feeder gold fish. 20 cents a pop. So I bought $4.00 worth which got me around 25. I put them into a well cycled 120 g tank and they proceeded to die off at an alarming rate. A month later I have 7 living goldfish, and a bunch of snails. Eight bushynose plecos also fell victim to whatever came in with the goldfish. Thus ended the goldfish experiment. I now think it much safer to grow my own Arow treats.

The article by Solarz was very interesting. I wasn't necessarily thinking livebearers however the article mentioned Ameca Splendons which would likely do well with the previously mentioned Pleco's and they seem to grow quite large. One of the major byproducts in my pleco tanks is hair algae and they might be useful in keeping that specific plague at bay. The fry are also born quite large so they may not be an issue with the inlet on the FX6 filter on the tank.

Platies sound like a good possibility. A bit small but they certainly have the benefit of lots of colour. I'll take a run to the pet store this weekend and maybe pick up half a dozen. They might be good in the 125 g tank. I'm not sure about Swords. They strike me as being mostly tail.

Lee D


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## solarz (Aug 31, 2010)

Lee_D said:


> Ok, yes, I'm busted. I was thinking of Feeders. I'll be getting an Arowana in a couple of weeks and I was looking for something a bit bigger than guppies to feed it. I didn't think such a concept would go over to well in a forum like this.
> 
> My first thought was feeder gold fish. 20 cents a pop. So I bought $4.00 worth which got me around 25. I put them into a well cycled 120 g tank and they proceeded to die off at an alarming rate. A month later I have 7 living goldfish, and a bunch of snails. Eight bushynose plecos also fell victim to whatever came in with the goldfish. Thus ended the goldfish experiment. I now think it much safer to grow my own Arow treats.
> 
> ...


Actually mollies also eat hair algae, and I suspect are a lot easier to find than what was in that article.

For fries, why not cover the inlet with a sponge prefilter?


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## Kimchi24 (Mar 22, 2013)

Lee_D said:


> Ok, yes, I'm busted. I was thinking of Feeders. I'll be getting an Arowana in a couple of weeks and I was looking for something a bit bigger than guppies to feed it. I didn't think such a concept would go over to well in a forum like this.
> 
> My first thought was feeder gold fish. 20 cents a pop. So I bought $4.00 worth which got me around 25. I put them into a well cycled 120 g tank and they proceeded to die off at an alarming rate. A month later I have 7 living goldfish, and a bunch of snails. Eight bushynose plecos also fell victim to whatever came in with the goldfish. Thus ended the goldfish experiment. I now think it much safer to grow my own Arow treats.
> 
> ...


Busted? lol nah, I breed fish for feeders too. IMO, its a better way cause you aren't buy sickly fish that may carry diseases. What Kind of arowana? If its a silver, its gonna be huge and is going to need massive feeders. While it is growing, I suggest cultivating earthworms (african/european nightcrawlers), Crickets, marbled crayfish, and convict cichlids. If you have a 120, you can get the convicts quite big before feeding them. That is if you go the live only route. The best way to feed your arowana may be filets of tilapia or prawns.


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## Lee_D (Jun 11, 2010)

It's an Asian Arowana. I think it will arrive the week after the long weekend. I'm told it will be six to eight inches. I currently have three 120 g tanks that are mostly Endlers. I don't expect they will last long.

The Aro will start out in one of the 120's and then sometime this summer I will get a larger tank from Miracles. That will give me 3-4 big tanks to raise feeders in. I'm hoping i can get it to eat pellets so I can feed it that when I am home, and if I go on vacation I can just throw in a few feeders and it can have food when it gets hungry.

I took a look at the livebearers mentioned on the weekend and they all appear small. The Arow will likely out grow them by the time they were ready to harvest. And yes, my mistake, swordtails are bigger than I thought.

I've never been very fond of African Cichlids as I have always liked planted tanks. It looks like now may be a good time to give them a try. Auction season is fast approaching. I'm pretty sure I will find what I am looking for there.

Lee_D


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