2 Male Platys?

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Striken7

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I'm interested in adding some Platys to my 20gal freshwater tank. To not overcrowd, I was looking at sticking with getting two. I'm not really interested in fry at the moment, so I was going to pick out two males specifically.

I've seen this recommended in a few places, but also seen other reports where two males were overly aggressive with each other. Other places I've read that I would need to get at least three.

Anyone with any experience that can weigh in on whether 2 male Platys is a good/bad choice in general? (I know aggressive behavior can still be individual fish specific).
 
Id say 3 is better in case they get nippy with each other. I have a trio in my 46g and the 2 brothers are always out to get one another while the 3rd unrelated tries to get their attention (fails) so theyre always chasing each other around.
 
What is your GH? You should be able to find it on your local water providers website. What other fish do you currently have?
 
Id say 3 is better in case they get nippy with each other.

Thanks. That's another nod toward 3 being preferable. If it really does make enough of a difference, I can just see about upgrading my filter to compensate. You didn't explicitly say, but is the third one also male?

What is your GH? You should be able to find it on your local water providers website. What other fish do you currently have?

I don't even need to go anywhere to find it. I "make" all my aquarium water starting with RO water. Rest assured everything about this tank is suitable for Platys as a species. I'm really just looking for insights into their behavior and if sticking with 2 males would be more likely to give me problems.
 
It might. @Byron may be able to help here as well :)
 
Yes all 3 sharing my 46g are male. I have 3 females in a separate tank who get along very well without bickering.

3 platy boys can work with a lot of plants to block view if they happen to bicker. Try buying all at same time and make sure they're each the same size if you can too.

With any livebearers, good filtration is a must. They're poop machines.

You coud alternatively go with 2 or 3 females.... but find someone who separates them once able to be sexed to get "clean" females, so no chance of fry. Its hard but its an option.
 
3 platy boys can work with a lot of plants to block view if they happen to bicker. Try buying all at same time and make sure they're each the same size if you can too.

With any livebearers, good filtration is a must. They're poop machines.

You coud alternatively go with 2 or 3 females.... but find someone who separates them once able to be sexed to get "clean" females, so no chance of fry. Its hard but its an option.

I will definitely be buying all at the same time (in about a month). I ordered a new filter which will be here on Thursday; figured it would be an improvement to the tank whether I add 2 or 3.

I had considered getting females but didn't see any benefit to go along with the risk of carried eggs, plus I read males on average are supposed to be slightly smaller (and less bio-load).
 
In my experience the poop about exactly the same amount, so same bioload.
 
Platies are constant grazers. Also constant poop.

BUT, outside of suckermouth type fish and snails, you wont find many other small fish that can pack away soft algaes off plants.

I had a sword plant i bought covered in dark green sheets of algae. Within a day my platies had it all cleaned up. They pick at hair algae too. Of the livebearers, theyre pretty good. More laid back than mollies who can be more bullish. A little more outgoing than guppies (who are really awesome too). I keep both genders. Fry is easy for me to deal with as i keep predatory fish as well who eat a few here and there, but any i can save i scoop out and raise until at least 2 months old and find homes for them. I keep a 5 gal bucket/tote and i just place a cycled sponge filter in it when in use.

You cant save all fry, otherwise you have too many and they will get sick from being crowded over, but a small handful is nice and enjoyable. Its bittersweet sending them off to new homes though.

You could keep a second sponge filter in the main tank always running. Then just move it over to the tote or tank you place the fry in.
 

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