Update On My Pregnant Platy.

[OldMan47]

XT:

You need to find your local fish club. Even if you don't join, you can attend the auctions and get everything you need at far better prices. I will be at my own club's auction this Saturday and will only take about $50 with me. Unless I find some very rare and expensive fish, I will return home with most of that cash and all the supplies I need for the next few months. With auction prices being what they are, I even have 2 empty/dry 10 gallon tanks and a 2 1/2 gallon that I am not using. The price at $1 to $2 for each one was just too good to pass up.
Once you get your plants growing, a tank like this can result from an original small stocking.

And I can prove that Anubias nana do flower.

 

[Platy lover]

XT:

You need to find your local fish club. Even if you don't join, you can attend the auctions and get everything you need at far better prices. I will be at my own club's auction this Saturday and will only take about $50 with me. Unless I find some very rare and expensive fish, I will return home with most of that cash and all the supplies I need for the next few months. With auction prices being what they are, I even have 2 empty/dry 10 gallon tanks and a 2 1/2 gallon that I am not using. The price at $1 to $2 for each one was just too good to pass up.
Once you get your plants growing, a tank like this can result from an original small stocking.

And I can prove that Anubias nana do flower.

I need to find better plants that will fit my aquarium. Right now I have a mariamo moss ball and some small mystery bulb.

 

[OldMan47]

Marimo balls are simply a form of algae. They are entertaining but cost too much in most places. I found the mystery bulbs worthless but I guess we all need to try them once.
For plants, you need to decide what they will be for. In my picture, the plant purpose is to provide cover for some shy fish so that they will be more comfortable and come out front more often. Dense forests of plants make them happy. In other tanks I keep clumps of java moss as cover for fry. The "right" plant is one that works for you and that will grow with your arrangement. I favor a low tech approach and get good results, but you can spend tons of money on special lights and fertilizers and grow plants faster than I do.

In low light situations, typical for a primarily fish tank, you can grow Anubias nana, java fern and java moss with no trouble. Many Cryptocoryne species will also do well with low light. Things like my vals, the main ones in the picture, and amazon swords do well with not much more light.

 

[Platy lover]

Marimo balls are simply a form of algae. They are entertaining but cost too much in most places. I found the mystery bulbs worthless but I guess we all need to try them once.
For plants, you need to decide what they will be for. In my picture, the plant purpose is to provide cover for some shy fish so that they will be more comfortable and come out front more often. Dense forests of plants make them happy. In other tanks I keep clumps of java moss as cover for fry. The "right" plant is one that works for you and that will grow with your arrangement. I favor a low tech approach and get good results, but you can spend tons of money on special lights and fertilizers and grow plants faster than I do.

In low light situations, typical for a primarily fish tank, you can grow Anubias nana, java fern and java moss with no trouble. Many Cryptocoryne species will also do well with low light. Things like my vals, the main ones in the picture, and amazon swords do well with not much more light.

I have a few shy platties who hide every time my dwarf gourami comes around.