Platys Help Required

[Midmania]

Hi,

I hope someone can help. We have just set up a tropical tank. We have a selection of Platys, Neon and Glowlight tetras, and Guppies.

I have a Platy which seems to be guarding a spot constantly which is next to a tall living plant. Everytime a male goes anywhere near, it tends to be agressive towards them. Female fish however are allowed to go near this spot. My wife has seen 1 little baby fry, but that is all. The only thing is that I am not sure that it is from the Platy. It does not seem to look pregnant as in it is not fat.

Can anyone help by offering any suggestions about why she is guarding this area?

Many Thanks,
Midmania.

 

[snowyangel]

Maybe just an agressive female who's territorial as well. I had an agressive female and she would always been mean to only the females, and I also have males that enjoy certain plants more often then other spots. I've never heard of a livebearer protecting a spot, say to guard fry, b/c I'm sure they'd rather eat them. So most likely just stating her territory.
About seeing another fry, guppies are just as fertile as the platies. Did any of your guppies look pregnant? It could possibly be a guppy fry too.

 

[Midmania]

Hi,

Thanks for your reply.

I was told that this fry was Orange ..... the same as the Platy. I am not sure about how colours are normally passed genetically.

I have noticed that there could be 2 pregnant Guppies, but their bellies are bigger than the rest, and that the spot is bigger than the others. Not sure how far gone they are, but I am keeping an eye on them.

Interesting times.

Thanks,
Midmania.

 

[snowyangel]

Not a problem . An all orange fry states that its defintely a platy. All guppy fry start out a grey colour and are transparent. Here's my guppy fry just to show you:

 

[Midmania]

Right thanks for that, very confused now I think all we can do is keep an eye on them. We have put the pregnant loking guppie into a breeding tank and will see what happens. If only the glow light hadnt eaten the fry we might have a better idea of who's it was.