Tragic Rehabilitation And Questions

[MickeyMousePlaty216]

About four days ago I put my MM platy fry in a ten gallon tank.
They didn't really like the big move but they got use to it after a couple hours.
I have a tetra whisper filter system in my tank. It doesn't have a strong suckion.
I had a old net I used to cover the holes so the fry doesn't get sucked in it.
When I came home I noticed that the nets was half way off the filter.
I put it back on and tightened the net with a rubber band.
I didn't bother to count the fry and I went to bed.
The next morning I notice that it look like half of my fish had disapeared.
I look around the tank and could not find them so I tought they had died.
I than remembered abotu the net coming down. I look into the filter
and I seen one little fry swiming around in it. I than took the filter apart
and They all were stuck in the filter I tought all the rest were dead.
I got a trash bag and was about to throw them away but instead I began to pick them out
the filter and placing their bodys in the water and then just like magic they began to swim away
I tought it was a miricle that they survived that long in the filter. all but three survived.
They all were super skin and look sick but they were fed and plumped again.
theres was one who was so skin that I had to rehabilitate him/her myself
I tought that it was surely going to die but I had little hope for it.
when I woke up the next morning it was still swiming and happy and ALIVE.
I put it back with its brothers and sisters and it was ok.

thats my story and my little miricles and the tragic accident?

now I have some questions ?

Is my marigold/ MMplaties fry hybrids going to be fretile and able to breed?

When are they mature and ready to breed?

I also bought three more platies for my one male so now I have 6 females and one male
he thinks he in heaven now lol.

Sorry for any spelling mistakes I rushed throught this.

 

[Platygirl11]

They will be fertile. Coloring on the platies doesn't matter, they are just platies, not hybrids. This confused me at first too.

Now I'm worried about my filter! My platy is pregnant, so she should drop her fry soon.
This is the intake:


(Click to make it bigger.)
Should I do something? What could I do to block it?

 

[MickeyMousePlaty216]

the holes in that fitler are the same size as mine u should
cover it up with panty holes or a old net and tie it with
a rubber band

 

[LauraFrog]

That would probably suck fry up alright, definitely pantyhose. I use pantyhose for everything lol.

 

[Platygirl11]

Trying currently to set up the filter (same type, but larger) for my 38 gal. THE TUBE WON'T STAY! And I do need it. Argh, I want to finish tonight so I can start cycling tomorrow! The little tube with the holes at the end won't stay in the tube leading to the plate which goes into the little filter fan.
I feel very incompetent right now....
Anyways. Pantyhose. Is any kind OK?

 

[Tolak]

I always used a piece of sponge, slit & slid over the intake. This ends up being extra media that adds to the capacity of the filter, and microorganisms grow on it, free fry food.

I've found a couple of problems with stockings or nylons. The plug easily, reducing filter flow. They get sucked flat to the intake, which can suck fry flat to the intake, though they don't go in. Gills don't function well sucked flat.

For the loose tube try a few wraps of teflon pipe tape.

 

[Platygirl11]

I got the tubes. Apparently they were backwards....


What kind of sponge? Just a regular kitchen sponge?

 

[Tolak]

Don't use a kitchen sponge, they are often treated with antifungals & antibacterials. These are bad for fish. Replacement filter sponges are cheap, these work best. AQua Clear sponges come in various sizes, you can cut down larger ones if needed.

In a pinch you can use a cheap car wash sponge, these will need to be cut down on all but the largest filters. The difference is that these are closed cell foam, designed to hold water, and might slow down flow a bit. Filter sponge is open cell, it won't hold water and the flow is better.

 

[Platygirl11]

A filter sponge. Okay. I was going to the lfs tommorow anyway. I wish my big tank didn't have to cycle

 

[Platygirl11]

Went to the lfs, and got one of those blue filter replacement sponges and stuck it over my filter.

Is that OK?

 

[MickeyMousePlaty216]

yes it looks safe to me

hope you the best of luck with fry
they are so adorible when the are so young