platy

cmps

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I have a silver-like with black spot platy, and an orange one too.
I am hoping she is pregnant, because she is getting round, but is it bad that she got pregnant by the orange..or what?
She is always hungry too. I'll feed her and when she eats, she doesn't leave any food floating around, She doesn't not have constipation, because her stool is fine.
But, if she is pregnant, how many times a day can she be fed, without making her too huge to where she won't have a hard time during delivery day, and how long does the pregnancy last? :huh:
 
Nope, it doesn't matter what colors Platies get pregnant by. It will just effect how the fry look. However, this is off topic, but you really should have 2-3 females per male, so one female doesn't get totally harrassed and stressed out by the male. :)

Anyhoo, you can look for a gravid spot, which is a dark spot near the anal fin on the female. In some colors you can't see it, so if you can't, don't worry. If you can, see if it's big and dark. You might even be able to see little parts of fry, like the eyes. Though I would certainly say she sounds pregnant.

You can feed her 2 times a day, or maybe even 3. Just make sure to alternate her foods, like not all High-protein foods. And really, you can't make them so fat they have troubles delivering. However, I will say, if the male only bugs her, she can has stress problems and then birthing issues. Any way you could seperate her into a seperate birthing tank? (Preferably not a trap or net). Then, once she gives birth this could also double as a fry tank.

If you want to set-up that tank, here's some basics. I might think of more later and add on. :)

Temperature is good anywhere from 75-78 F or so. I think a sponge filter is best for a fry tank, so that they can't get sucked up. It's worked well for me in the past, so I would recommend it. Otherwise, you could use a HOB, or other filter and just cover the intake with a breeder net, or Pantyhose, or something similar so they don't get sucked up.

Ornaments can be anything you want...Plants are good, as are rocks, wood and general places for them to hide. Thick plants seem to be a favorite with mine. They can disappear into there, and fool their brothers and sisters as to where they are! Sand is the best substrate. With gravel, they can sometimes get stuck in between the pieces and get crushed. Bare bottom also works, and some find it easier to clean.

Fry need good water quality, and they are sensitive so lots of water changes! Daily ones are okay, once every 2 days is okay too. Just make sure the tank is always clean. You can do water changes using a airline tubing siphon you make, or a turkey baster so you don't suck up the little babies. Acclimation to the tank is impotant too. Take a loooong time...and they'll be better off.

Also, fry need to be fed often! 3 times a day at least, more if you can. When they are first born, Tetramin Fry Food or Hikari First Bites are best for them. Baby Brine Shrimp is good suppliment to this, or you can just feed that but it's best to vary. Once they grow up a bit, you can add in finely crushed flakes and Freeze-dried, frozen, or Live foods, such as Bloodworms, Brine Shrimp, Tubifex Worms..etc. However, don't feed them just this. These are all high protein foods, and they can cause them to be constipated or get bloated. Fry are sensitive. You can also try small pieces of blanched veggies, like cucumber, zucchini, peas...etc. As they get older, you can feed them the same foods, but bigger. And eventually you can cut down to however many times a day you usually feed your fish.

Just keep in mind, Platy fry can breed at 3 months, so it's best to seperate girls and boys as soon as you can to prevent brother/sister inbreeding. If it accidently happens, for the first few generations, they should be fine, but as it gets further down the line they will have deformities, and not be as strong. So seperate as soon as you can. :D

Oh yes, and Platies are pregnant for about a month. :thumbs:

Best of luck, and sorry if this is too much info! :X
 
thanks for the info....and no, a lot of info...is never enough, when it comes to taking care of something you love to do.
wanna hear something funny..it reminds me of regular lovers......my platys argue during the day :grr: , and then at night...they become lovers again :wub: lol.
 
Okay, good. I didn't want to scare you off with all the info, or anything! :p

And that is so cute with the Platies...usually mine are more aggressive at night time though, so maybe mine are messed up. But that is still adorable with your's. Platies have so much personality. :wub:
 
Thats a lot of great information. I hope to have an empty 20 gallon soon and I am thinking about breeding some platties.

Great post Annastasia :cool:
 
Heh, thanks Barracuda. :*)

A 20 gallon is a pretty good sized tank, but I'm sure the Platies will be happy. Perhaps you should just consider one trio, seeing as you could have 60-100 fry per month. I'd reccomend you start out with that, and see how it goes, because remember....all the fry need to be raised and have homes.

Unless...you are talking about the 20 gallon for a fry tank. That's also a great size, but you'll need a couple sponge filters. Or you could get away with one bigger one, though they aren't always the best idea because they can push the fry around. Your choice though. :) Also, since it's a slightly bigger tank then the ones I am talking about, you may be able to get away with a water change every few days, but if you want to play it safe (I'd reccomend this) you should do a water changes everyday. Just a small one though, so the water isn't very different from the tank. Fry can be shocked easily. Also, another thing you may want to consider, is dividing the tank into 2, 10 gallons one for male and one for female. Just a thought, though you wouldn't really have anywhere to put newborns...If you were really serious, I'd have maybe a 10 gallon for youngins', and then the divided 20 for once they get older. And as they get older, and you sell them, there will be room for new ones. Just a thought. :p

Have fun raising, and best of luck! :thumbs:
 
I hope to get that 20 gallon and two 10 gallons very soon. My plan was to only have 3 platties like you suggested. I already have one female that I got from a friend who was shutting down the tank and she is in my main tank right now. I want to put her, along with the other 2 (im thinking 2 females, 1 male?) in that 20 gallon maybe with some snails and then use one of the 10 gallons for the baby platties.

What filter do you recommend for the 20 gallon with the parents and the 10 gallon with the fry?

Thanks B)

EDIT: Sorry cmps, I wasnt trying to steal this thread :blink:
 
Okay, sounds great. :D

Basically any filter you want for the community with the parents. For the fry tank, I'd say a couple sponge filters, or maybe an AquaClear where you can stick a net or pantyhose over the intake. Any filter you think you can make fry safe it good. :)

Also, are you planning on letting the female have babies in the big tank? Because a lot may get eaten there, thanks to the other female and male.
 
Annastasia said:
Also, are you planning on letting the female have babies in the big tank? Because a lot may get eaten there, thanks to the other female and male.
[snapback]907135[/snapback]​

Nope. I plan is to move the female into the fry tank when she is close and then remove her back to the other tank.
 
Barracuda518 said:
Annastasia said:
Also, are you planning on letting the female have babies in the big tank? Because a lot may get eaten there, thanks to the other female and male.
[snapback]907135[/snapback]​

Nope. I plan is to move the female into the fry tank when she is close and then remove her back to the other tank.
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Just make sure the other tank is well cycled- and take whatever cycled it OUT when the babies go IN. Also, I'd like to recommend TETRAMIN BOTTOMIN as a fry food. I've used it with amazing results. Growth rates go from excellent to absolutely rediculous. I have platy fry that went from free swimming specks to half inch fully-platy-looking (Even orange like my others) in FIVE days. I swear to god. Its extremely crumbly, but only when fish hit it, otherwise it stays intact. The first ingredient is Skim Milk. It seems to really grow their bones fast. Snails also grow like rockets on it. Its cheap if you consider the weight Vs flake food. Check it out. Small yellow bottle. Loaches etc on the picture.

Oh by the way I dont know if this is your first time with fry- they dont exactly swim super well. Your filter will eat them, so tie a piece of sponge onto the intake with elastics to keep it from sucking them up. If you are using an air driven sponge filter this is not an issue.
 
Bottom fish food? I suppose that could be good, but you might want to suppliment in Baby Brine Shrimp, and Hikari First Bites or Tetramin Fry food when they are young, flakes and frozen/freeze-dried/live when they are older. I would never recommend you just feed them one thing, as they need a variety to grow well, along with High-Proetin foods. :)

And Spanishguy, why would you take whatever cycled it out when you put the fry in? You don't want them in a un-cycled tank for sure. They can't survive the cycling process. Unless you were talking about fish, however I would say a fishless cycle is better, and no fish are harmed in the process. :)
 

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