Red Coral Platy Question

[starsatnight]

hi there! i started my first tank in february and things are going well with my gouramis, loaches and golden barb. i am so loving the fish that i'm about to start a 10 gallon tank for my bedroom.

i saw some red coral platy's today at the lfs and have to say they are the cutest things i've ever seen! i don't know much about platy's other than they breed like bunnies. can anyone help me with good sites to research? red corals seem to be tough to track down info on.

i'd like to know if a 10 gallon is big enough for 3 or 4 platys. does anyone know how big the red corals get?

thanks very much!

 

[helterskelter]

Treat them like any other platy, if you dont introduce any other fish then you also should get coral red fry and the parents may eat a couple, but if well feed they will leave most alone.

As for general care treat as any fish with weekly water changes and filter maintenance will be fine.

Size, well they can get to 2" plus your your very lucky, but the coral red I've seen are generally quite small 1" is about average.

 

[starsatnight]

helterskelter - thanks for the info... much appreciated. i'm happy to know that they'll be just perfect for a 10 gallon!

 

[CathyGo]

I assume you're talking about the dwaf platies. If you aren't just ignore me. I find that they don't like a strong curent at all. They are also very efficient fry eaters. Mine are all hugely fat from swordtail fry at the moment. They will eat stuff off plants like fry do because of their size but don't hurt the plant. They keep my java moss free of any food or crud. They seem to school and a group of 6 in a 10 gallon looks great. Their also very hardy. I haven't ever had them stress once I realized they hate the strong current like my bettas do.

 

[starsatnight]

I assume you're talking about the dwaf platies. If you aren't just ignore me. I find that they don't like a strong curent at all. They are also very efficient fry eaters. Mine are all hugely fat from swordtail fry at the moment. They will eat stuff off plants like fry do because of their size but don't hurt the plant. They keep my java moss free of any food or crud. They seem to school and a group of 6 in a 10 gallon looks great. Their also very hardy. I haven't ever had them stress once I realized they hate the strong current like my bettas do.

thank you CathyGo! they are dwarfs! that's why i couldn't find any info about them. thanks again for the name correction - searching "dwarf platy" brings up so much more info about them than i'd be able to find previously. schooling fish... hmmmm i'm thinking of getting a male and a female and see if they populate the tank for me! the lfs is charging 10.00 each for them. i little pricey for platies - if you ask me! but they're so adorable. i don't think i'll be able to resist.

 

[ilikebunnies311]

well if those platys are like others its best to put two females to one male. that way the male isnt just harrassing one female and so she wont be stressed out. but yeah you should put them in a school they are much better and more active that way.

 

[afishdude]

my god i payed 99 cents for my dwarf platies from lfs