Ideal Breeding Conditions?

[KrystaK]

I've had live bearers for a while. I've had a pair of Platy's (One black and orange, the other solid orange)since June. I've had a trio of Mollies for over two months now. (I had a pair since mid October)
Anyways, the mollies have bred a few times, but not like the prolific breeders everyone says they are. And the platy's have never bred (And yes they are a male and female)

So I was wondering what the ideal conditions for breeding were? From water conditions to lighting to heat and decorations, and aprox ratio, I'm aware it should be a 2:1 ratio at least. But yes. I want to know what I'm doing wrong...
I always assumed it was because I have a high pH level tap water that caused them to not want to breed, but they can't be that picky can they?


Thx

 

[the_lock_man]

I've had live bearers for a while. I've had a pair of Platy's (One black and orange, the other solid orange)since June. I've had a trio of Mollies for over two months now. (I had a pair since mid October)
Anyways, the mollies have bred a few times, but not like the prolific breeders everyone says they are. And the platy's have never bred (And yes they are a male and female)

So I was wondering what the ideal conditions for breeding were? From water conditions to lighting to heat and decorations, and aprox ratio, I'm aware it should be a 2:1 ratio at least. But yes. I want to know what I'm doing wrong...
I always assumed it was because I have a high pH level tap water that caused them to not want to breed, but they can't be that picky can they?


Thx

Your water sounds ideal, because it's wet!

Flippancy aside, common livebearers prefer hard water with a high pH, so you shouldn't have a problem getting them to breed. What is often more of a problem is getting fry to survive.

Do you see the female's belly getting bigger periodically? If so, then they are breeding, it's just the fry are quickly becoming lunch. If not, then presumably the one or other of the platies is sterile. In my own experience, when I had platies, I never even saw a fry. But I did see the female getting bigger, and displaying typical birthing behaviour.

 

[OldMan47]

The platies are likely breeding. Ideal conditions is a tank large enough and a temperature around 74F, 23C. Your water quality should be fine as long as you do periodic water changes. If you are simply not finding fry, try moving the female to her own birth tank and provide lots of cover. After 6 weeks, if you find no fry, maybe she really is not breeding with success, Until you try that you won't really know.

 

[Dieses Madchen]

I had three fat females that got skinny overnight. No fry. Hope they were tasty.

 

[KrystaK]

Yeah, my breeding Molly (The other one is new, she was prego when I bought her but hasn't dropped since) Anyways, she's as fat as she ever gets now, so should I maybe move her over to my five gallon? I have two fry that survived from the store bought molly in there now.

I'm assuming I don't have enough cover in the tank then, since I've never seen any fry. And with the female platy it's difficult to tell,she was extremely skinny for a while, but she has plumped up to a normal size, I'm waiting to see if she gets any bigger.... But the male may be unable and he's such a spunky guy too, that's just to bad if it's true

 

[OldMan47]

A typical female molly is not a voracious fry eater but it does vary by individual. My thread on a molly's full drop cycle was shot with the female in a tank with her fry from one drop to the next. You can see from the pictures that she pretty much ignored them. I am sure she must have eaten a few though.