Platys, Swordtails Or Guppys?

[Spishkey]

ok its that time of the month where ive been paid and will allow myself to buy a few more fish!

so question is guppys, swordtails or platys?

i have about 12 sunset/orange platys already (adult) and around 100 fry (which im looking to give away/sell once big enough)

now if i got dalmation platys would they be likely to breed with the sunset ones? or do they only stick with their own 'colour/markings' type? (surely if its a platy it will breed with any other platy no?) also is it true swordtails breed with platies? or is that mollies?

could i add guppys with platys, do they live together ok?

ive heard gups dont last that well these days (its been 20 years since i last kept guppies and boy have they changed colour and size!!!!)

what is the difference between endler guppies and normal guppies? are endlers 'hardier'?

 

[Spishkey]

anybody?

 

[fish48]

platys can breed with each other and with swordtails the pet shop platys and swordtails are crosses between each other.
Guppeys and platys will be fine living together. A endler is a type of guppy and will cross with normal guppeys I find both endler and guppys are very hardy.

 

[5teady_2012]

You can mix any livebearer together, most serious breeders wont mix endlers with guppies though for strain reasons, although you can get some beautiful fish off mixed endlers and guppies.

Endlers are much smaller in size than guppis. (the male is even smaller than the female).

 

[Jazzzz]

I find guppies are very weak i mean weak

 

[fish48]

I find guppies are very weak i mean weak

Where did you get your guppies from?

 

[puppyjess123]

Yep same problem they are weak i find the girls weaker not sure but all my girls died but my boys are still alive.

 

[layne2000]

Yep same problem they are weak i find the girls weaker not sure but all my girls died but my boys are still alive.

I'm not buying any more guppies. I really believe the inbreeding is making this once hardy little fish into a very weak species that seldom live to a good age like they used to years ago.

Mollies are very hardy and there are some wonderful colours out like the speckled or Dalmation Mollies as they are otherwise called, Swordtails are another lovely looking fish that graces any tank. Both tuxedo or pinapple swordies are good breeders like the Mollies and you will soon have some fry to rake care of if you wish.
As said above, most livebearers will live quite happilylive together in a community tank.

 

[5teady_2012]

Swordtails and platys, you just cant beat them.

 

[OldMan47]

You already have platies so any platy you get will breed with them. They care not at all about color. To a platy, another platy of the opposite sex is a potential mate. Endlers are not guppies but they do require the same care. They tend to like their water a little warmer than a guppy but will do fine at guppy temperatures. They are tough as nails if they are pure endlers. In some places, it can be hard to find an endler that is not a cross with guppies but I would guess that the endler part would make the hybrid cross tougher than an overly inbred guppy. The picture in my avatar is a pure endler.
The question that bothers me more than these is why you want to get more fish when you don't have room for the fry that you already have.

 

[Spishkey]

You already have platies so any platy you get will breed with them. They care not at all about color. To a platy, another platy of the opposite sex is a potential mate. Endlers are not guppies but they do require the same care. They tend to like their water a little warmer than a guppy but will do fine at guppy temperatures. They are tough as nails if they are pure endlers. In some places, it can be hard to find an endler that is not a cross with guppies but I would guess that the endler part would make the hybrid cross tougher than an overly inbred guppy. The picture in my avatar is a pure endler.
The question that bothers me more than these is why you want to get more fish when you don't have room for the fry that you already have.

where do i say i dont have room for the fry i have?


i simply dont wish to keep 100 of the same fish and want something different.

 

[Spishkey]

sorry in my haste i forgot to thank you all for the information so far.

am still no nearer making the descision though!

i dont wish to mix endlers with guppies. i too am very upset at how much guppies have changed over the years. it sadens me that they are so weak now and really hope then that these 'endlers' are kept pure and not weakened like the guppies. the endlers look like very beautiful fish!

i think i may go for the swordtails, they look beautiful with their tails. do both male and females have the long tail?

 

[layne2000]

sorry in my haste i forgot to thank you all for the information so far.


i think i may go for the swordtails, they look beautiful with their tails. do both male and females have the long tail?

No, only males have the long sword.
There are some beautiful species of this breed available now. You will be spoilt for choice

 

[5teady_2012]

sorry in my haste i forgot to thank you all for the information so far.


i think i may go for the swordtails, they look beautiful with their tails. do both male and females have the long tail?

No, only males have the long sword.
There are some beautiful species of this breed available now. You will be spoilt for choice

This correct indeed..

However, be aware and this is starting to happen more often as well, females can turn in to males, they tend to get slimmer and then grow a sword, they change sex due to harrasment and stress from other males, i have had this a few times now and all 3 who changed sex died, probably because the change was too much to cope with.

 

[layne2000]

However, be aware and this is starting to happen more often as well, females can turn in to males, they tend to get slimmer and then grow a sword, they change sex due to harrasment and stress from other males, i have had this a few times now and all 3 who changed sex died, probably because the change was too much to cope with.


Hi 5
Ive had this a few times too. Its a strange transaction to see. Luckily my shemales as I call them all survived