Stocking Tank

[Sarah73]

@Colin_T not 5 to 6 platies. That is way over stocked! A filter for a 10 gallon can only have so much BB.

 

[Kraabi]

Aqadvisor is rubbish. Don't use it. And platies have heavy bio load. Three of them would be overstocked as they get 2-3 inches. I would take the female back.

I am definitely taking the female back! I’m debating on taking the new male back too.

 

[Colin_T]

You can have 10 platies in a 2 ft tank if you do weekly water changes and gravel cleaning. 5 or 6 platies in a 2 ft tank is fine. I don't care what other websites say, in my experience you can easily have 10 platies in a tank that is 2 foot long and holds 10 gallons. I use to keep 6 female livebearers (platies, swordtails, P. sphenops mollies) in 2ft long 10 gallon tanks and did a 50% water change each week and they bred prolifically. When the babies were a couple of weeks old I moved them into rearing tanks.

I used 2ft long 10 gallon tanks to rear up rainbowfish. I had about 50 fish per tank and they reached 2-3 inches and became sexually mature in 3 months, at which time they were sold. Platies don't grow as big as rainbowfish and the OP isn't going to be keeping large numbers, so 5 or 6 platies will be fine.

 

[Byron]

Kraabi, welcome to TFF.

Now, first thing...never rely on what staff in a pet store tell you unless you know the person is knowledgeable in fish. Most staff, especially those in chain stores, are not. Always research ahead, and today the best way is to ask on a forum like TFF. There are reliable web sites, and many totally unreliable sites. Anyone can start a website and be an "expert," but on a good forum like TFF you have peer review of what each of us posts and that is important so erroneous information is weeded out.

The safe minimum sized tank for platies (4 or 5) is a standard 20 gallon, measuring 24 by 12 by 12 inches (60 by 30 by 30 cm). You should use this as you basis.

Second, a 10 gallon is not sufficient space for platies, but you can manage this; three in a long 10 gallon (meaning it is 24 inches or 60 cm in length) is workable, but not more. Someone like Colin who has considerable experience or myself can "overstock" tanks somewhat because we know the ramifications and can see trouble almost before it happens. But it is always safer to "go with the flow" just in case; an emergency can occur without warning and when you push the biological envelope too far to begin with, you may not always be able to resolve things before it is too late.

Third, males only. There is absolutely no space in a 20g for a female livebearer. Fry will be produced monthly and not all will get eaten. And never assume any store will actually be willing to take all the fry...they will not in most cases. Stores will say anything to sell you fish.

 

[Essjay]

And never rely on a shop worker to be able to tell the difference between males and females even with species as easy as livebearers. Where gender is important, read up on how to tell the difference, choose the fish you want and make sure the shop gives you your chosen fish.

 

[Sarah73]

You can have 10 platies in a 2 ft tank if you do weekly water changes and gravel cleaning. 5 or 6 platies in a 2 ft tank is fine. I don't care what other websites say, in my experience you can easily have 10 platies in a tank that is 2 foot long and holds 10 gallons. I use to keep 6 female livebearers (platies, swordtails, P. sphenops mollies) in 2ft long 10 gallon tanks and did a 50% water change each week and they bred prolifically. When the babies were a couple of weeks old I moved them into rearing tanks.

I used 2ft long 10 gallon tanks to rear up rainbowfish. I had about 50 fish per tank and they reached 2-3 inches and became sexually mature in 3 months, at which time they were sold. Platies don't grow as big as rainbowfish and the OP isn't going to be keeping large numbers, so 5 or 6 platies will be fine.

Live bearers will breed no matter how crowded or small the tank is. For a beginner 5-6 in a 10 gallon is just ridiculous as you are asking for trouble. Mollies get 4-6 inches each depending on the type which means you are already pushing. Mollies produce the most waste out of all the live bearers.

 

[Colin_T]

The OP wanted a male only platy tank so there would have been no fry, just a few adults. Unfortunately the petshop messed up and gave them a female

 

[Kraabi]

Kraabi, welcome to TFF.

Now, first thing...never rely on what staff in a pet store tell you unless you know the person is knowledgeable in fish. Most staff, especially those in chain stores, are not. Always research ahead, and today the best way is to ask on a forum like TFF. There are reliable web sites, and many totally unreliable sites. Anyone can start a website and be an "expert," but on a good forum like TFF you have peer review of what each of us posts and that is important so erroneous information is weeded out.

The safe minimum sized tank for platies (4 or 5) is a standard 20 gallon, measuring 24 by 12 by 12 inches (60 by 30 by 30 cm). You should use this as you basis.

Second, a 10 gallon is not sufficient space for platies, but you can manage this; three in a long 10 gallon (meaning it is 24 inches or 60 cm in length) is workable, but not more. Someone like Colin who has considerable experience or myself can "overstock" tanks somewhat because we know the ramifications and can see trouble almost before it happens. But it is always safer to "go with the flow" just in case; an emergency can occur without warning and when you push the biological envelope too far to begin with, you may not always be able to resolve things before it is too late.

Third, males only. There is absolutely no space in a 20g for a female livebearer. Fry will be produced monthly and not all will get eaten. And never assume any store will actually be willing to take all the fry...they will not in most cases. Stores will say anything to sell you fish.

Thank you! I learned the hard way with chain pet stores. I finally find a good Fish Only pet store near me!

 

[Kraabi]

The OP wanted a male only platy tank so there would have been no fry, just a few adults. Unfortunately the petshop messed up and gave them a female

Thank you Colin!! You’ve helped a lot.