How many?

[Juggernaut22988]

How many platies should I buy the first time?

I am thinking at least 3 (1 male and 2 female)

I have a ten gallon

With my allowance now, I can get about 9 platies max



I want my platies to breed (the more the better!)

SO HOW MANY

 

[MAM]

3 is a good number to start with, but as long as you keep the 2 females to one male ratio, you could get 6. since platies are small, if youre filter is strong enough and you check your water and do regular water changes and such, you could get 9 (keeping 2 females to every one male, so 3 males and 6 females). but ifyou plan to breed them and keep the babies, just go with the three, you'll have a full tank in a short time and it won't cost you so much. chances are good that one of the females you bring home will be prego anyway, just be sure before you go that YOU know how to tell the diff between males and females. sometimes the clerks dont' always know themselves, even in a reputable lfs.
hope this helps! enjoy your platies! let us know what you end up getting.

 

[SneakBetta]

I thought that since platys are an inch you could get about 10. Only start off with 2-3 to begin with to make sure you're tank is good enough for them to live.

 

[aernympha]

i would just get 3 for now and be painet and wait for those babys then ur have more platies rather than buying loads of adults and having no room for the babys!! also u might want to get soem other fish tan just platies!! but they are kool fish and mine give birth regaly and i way to many baby platys!!!!!

 

[cassandra]

yah the more the better, but you don't want to over stock your tank i would get 1 male and 3-4 females, the male will have a hay day lol

 

[BettaBoyz]

Platties breed. a lot. just buy the three and watch the little family grow. oh, and the on-the-side affair as well ~^ perhaps the platties and some scavengers; cories or loaches or ghost shrimp or Apple snails work well. and mayhaps a big predator so you have some way to keep the babies in check other than euthanasia.

hey, it's free live food

-feels cruel-

 

[Juggernaut22988]

Okay, I will get three then (1m and 2f)

I just went to my lfs

These are the types of platies they have..

Mickey Mouse
Red Wag
Sunset
Sunburst
Golden
Red
Rainbow
Assorted (mixed breeds)


Which one is the best in terms of survival and which one is best in terms of value?
So far, I kinda like the Mickey Mouse and Sunset.... but I really dont know what is best for beginners!!

 

[juliethegr8t]

Those types of platies are just color varities - there isn't gonna be much of a difference between their hardiness or any other health aspects. Just pick out some that you like the colors. Remember though, unless you don't care about color, you're going to get random patterns if you cross breed colors. Most people don't care, and I'm one of em! I personally think it's more exciting to not know what colors your fry will be.

 

[SneakBetta]

Oh yeah! I forgot that the platys would be having babies . That means you shouldn't get 10 of them. If you do get other fish besides platy, you have to really watch for the fry to be born so that the other fish won't eat the fry.

 

[allnatural]

I have several platies, and most of them are bigger than an inch! I would get just three. If the fry have a lot of places to hide, you will probably get a few survivors that are not eaten. That way you can slowly get to the number of platies that you want.

 

[Juggernaut22988]

I will have my platies, by next week

I wanted 2 sunsets and 1 mickey mouse but the store was out of sunsets so I have to wait a week before going back.

I figure I should put all three fish into the tank at once and not let one in and wait a week before the other 2 come along
Is that a good idea?