Still struggling

[gm72]

...about how to go about growing out the swordtail fry. Dual 20 gallon tanks? Or maybe go with larger tanks and have them be more than just growout tanks? I can get (what I think is) a fantastic deal on an All Glass 38 gallon tank, stand, and hood/light combo for $169. The 20 gallon long tank/stand/combo is at another store and is $199. Now, I'd have to spend extra money on the 38s of course, for filtration (with a tank that size I'd really like to go with the Eheim 2028s vs a HOB). BUT, that extra 18 gallons is pretty significant, I think.

Sweating about this now, what do you folks think? Here's what I think my options are:
1. Single 20 with a separator for girls/boys.
2. Dual 20s for girls/boys.
3. Dual 38s for girls/boys and other buddies.

AAAAAAARRRGGGHHH! I am so addicted. Help me. Do they make meds for MTS? :sconfused: :stongue: :sbiggrin:

[cocoa_pleco]

MAN, i wish. I want a MTS nicotine patch or chewable gun!!

I just got a cool idea. Say you get a 20g with TWO dividers, one 2" to the left of the middle, one 2" to the right, separate the sexes, lets sale males on the left, female on right, and put a good canister filter like a fluval 205 in the small space between the dividers so no fry get sucked up?

[Zerileous]

i really like that idea cocoa. I don't know much about swordtails, but can you sex them at birth or do the fry have to grow out some? Unless you can sex them immediately, what's the plan for the unsexed ones?

[Lady Hobbs]

How about a 20 gallon long with separator? You will not be able to sex them as juvies but you can keep different age groups together.....for instance, newborns on one side and older on the other.

[gm72]

So many options.

Zerileous, swords can't be sexed until the male develops his sword (as far as I know, anyway. The fry are about a month old now and I can't tell any differences yet). Right now the 16 fry are together in a 10 gallon. As soon as they start to show signs of sex (well, actually before signs of sex, that's the point of separating them, but anyway) they will be separated. I would guess that happens around the 2-3 month mark, so I think I've got about 1-2 months to figure this out.

Cocoa, pretty cool idea. I hadn't though of that before. Centralized canister. Hmmm.

My thought is that the 10 will remain the fry tank and will be the mating tank. Put a male and a few girls in there, get babies, transfer the adults to one of my other tanks, raise the fry, sex and separate, repeat.

I think I'm leaning toward a 20 long with separator. Dual AC30s, one per side. Sexed girls one side, boys the other.

So many cool options, thanks so much for the ideas!