pregnancy overload

Question
Hi Stephanie,

I recently started a healthy community about a month ago in a 30 gallon tank. I currently have 2 pregnant ghost shrimp, 1 pregnant neon tetra, and 1 pregnant swordtail. None of my fish are territorial which include: 2 angelfish, 2 loaches, 4 ghost shrimp, 2 neon tetras, 2 glow-lite tetras, 2 emerald corys, 3 algae eaters, and 1 swordtail. I need to know if I should get a breeding trap for each pregnancy, have the shrimp share one, or what? I also have a 2 gallon tank that can be used for breeding and a 12 gallon tank that could also be put to use. Help please (:



          A pet fish lover in need,

          Sean"

Answer
Hi Sean,
I found this question in the 'pool' of unanswered questions.
I'm Nathan, another volunteer expert.

I would recommend that you use the 12 gallon tank, as long as it does not have fish currently in it. You can buy the breeding trap for the swordtail, for it to drop fry in. (The trap should have a v-notch slot).

Set up the 12-gallon with lots of plants, and place the pregnant Tetra and its mate into the tank. The male will fertilize the eggs. you cannot use a breeding trap for egg laying fish, such as Neons. After the eggs hatch, you can feed them powdered egg yolk, liquid fry food, or baby brine shrimp.

The swordtail can be kept in the trap when its stomach gets very large. Avoid keeping it in the trap for over a week, it can get stressed. Once the fry are born, they will fall into the bottom, and then you can remove the parent. Be sure to watch her, to ensure no fish are bullying her, because she can get very stressed after pregnancy. You MUST get the breeding trap, if you want the fry to survive, because Angelfish love hunting down small livebearer fry.

Don't have the ghost shrimp share a trap, because they may eat the tiniest fish fry. Just leave them alone, and they will breed right on the gravel. If you are feeding the rest of the fish enough, they will most likely ignore the shrimp as a tasty snack. (If you REALLY wanted more shrimp, you could use the 2-gallon, but I would just let them be, they are easy to breed.)

Here are some links:
http://www.aquariumfish.nsinternet.com/neontetra.html
http://www.fishforever.co.uk/livebearers.html
http://aqualandpetsplus.com/Live%20Food,%20Ghost%20Shrimp.htm

I hope this helps, and best of luck!