Very New And Have Babies!

[Nina W]

Hi Lynda, unfortunatley it looks like we've lost all the fry, the two we put in the breeding net both died and i havent seen any others for the last couple of days. Not sure what to do now, will do a partial water change, gravel vac and clean the filter, regular water test and go from there. both Platies appear well, feeding and swimming about like crazy, both ahve bizarre characters, i've called them tango and cash!!!!

 

[Aphotic Phoenix]

Don't feel bad about the fry...it's not an easy thing to deal with unprepared.

Just keep doing your water parameter tests, doing water changes to keep Ammonia and Nitrites low for now, and when both show zero for several days in a row your tank will be done cycling.

 

[Lynda B]

Hi Lynda, unfortunatley it looks like we've lost all the fry, the two we put in the breeding net both died and i havent seen any others for the last couple of days. Not sure what to do now, will do a partial water change, gravel vac and clean the filter, regular water test and go from there. both Platies appear well, feeding and swimming about like crazy, both ahve bizarre characters, i've called them tango and cash!!!!

I'm sorry you lost your babies, but it was kind of expected in a new tank. You'll be so much better prepared when you're actually planning on the littles ones. Glad tango and cash are doing well.

 

[Nina W]

Hi Lynda and AP, I've been absent for a while, busy cleaning and water testing, its been a little up and down. Amonia levels have been a pretty consistant 0!! But Nitrate reads today at 80, is that really bad? Nitrite levlels have been a consistent 0.5ish.

Both Tango and Cash are happy and i've been trying to figure out if i have 1 of each or hopefully 2 females. Although i'm not sure if its my imagination but Tango appears a little fat, is it too soon for her to be expecting again? The fry were born as soon as i bought them which was about the 10 july. She (if she is a she) pecks at Cash at feeding time as well. Well at least i'll be a bit better prepared this time. I was thinking of getting some more fish too once i'm happy with the tank. Maybe be better to wait just in case?!

 

[Aphotic Phoenix]

But Nitrate reads today at 80, is that really bad? Nitrite levlels have been a consistent 0.5ish.

It's best to keep Nitrite below .25 if possible.
Nitrate levels depend on how much nitrate comes from your tap. I usually recommend trying to keep Nitrate levels at no more than 20 ppm above your tap level, and less is better. So if you have 15 ppm of Nitrate in your tap, try to keep it below 35 ppm.

Don't get anymore fish until Nitrite stops showing up on your tests. That will indicate that your tank is cycled, and that it would be safe to slowly add more fish.

 

[stucolls]

Hi sorry you lost your fry, I lost 14 out of 16!!! my 2 survivors Hercules and Zeus lol get fed 3 times a day in their breeding box on finely crushed flakes and some liquifry, mine are mollies, almost the same as platys.

As for main tank ,they get fed once a day, and only feed a pinch, if its gone in seconds give a second pinch until they stop feeding, basicallyonly feed what they can eat within 5 minutes, its trial and eror really

 

[Nina W]

Thank AP, will keep an eye on it and not get any more fish for a while yet, going on hols in a couple of weeks so best wait till we get back i think anyway. my tap water is about 20 (nitrate) so 40 should be ok? It has been measuring about 40 or there abouts, just risen today for some reason.What do you think about the female being pregnant again? Too soon or not?

Hi sorry you lost your fry, I lost 14 out of 16!!! my 2 survivors Hercules and Zeus lol get fed 3 times a day in their breeding box on finely crushed flakes and some liquifry, mine are mollies, almost the same as platys.As for main tank ,they get fed once a day, and only feed a pinch, if its gone in seconds give a second pinch until they stop feeding, basicallyonly feed what they can eat within 5 minutes, its trial and eror really

Maybe she's pecking because not feeding enough. Dont want to overfeed, i'll watch them more closely tomorrow

 

[stucolls]

no not too soon, I have read countless threads on here about them giving birth almost constantly as they store some eggs etc which fertilize later on after giving birth therefore producing more babies

 

[Aphotic Phoenix]

Yes NitrAte of 40 will be fine then. NitrAte doesn't really get toxic until it hits around the 100 ppm mark from what I understand, but keeping it as low as possible helps to reduce the chances of disease and algae blooms.

 

[clinton ><>]

congrats on the babies

 

[Nina W]

Thanks for the Congrats Clinton, but i lost them all. I Am better prepared if its happening again.

More cleaning for me AP, will get there in the end.

If we are expecting again how long are they pregnant for, i have no idea as it was all a bit sudden last time, didn't know i bought a pregnant fish!!!

 

[stucolls]

usually between 25 and 40 days they drop a batch

 

[Nina W]

ok.... that means it could happen while we're on holiday will have to leave instructions to keep a vigil eye out for little swimmers!!!!
Gutted i might miss it. Although she might not be, i'm not even sure i have a male and female, just that the fin underneath looks different to each other and that Tango (the orange one's) fin is fan shaped.

 

[stucolls]

You will find, as long as your tank is planted and has some hiding places that some of the fry will survive, they usually do.

Also the difference in a male and a female is indeed the fin, the fin on a male is straight and pointy and a female is indeed fan like (the fin by their bum)

also you should really have 3 females to a male so he does not stress the single female out to death.

hope this all helps, im newbie myself but have had a lot of posts on my molly fry lately so im just passing on that knowledge

 

[Nina W]

I intend on gettting more, once the tank has cycled fully, its all been a bit strained, i've had some bad advice from the pet shop and lost 2 danios, was told to put them in to sort out new tank syndrome. It was almost like they were sacrificial fish, felt awful about it, Then we were told that the water was fine and sold the 2 platties, which are fine but 1 gave birth the next day!!!! But we're getting there and the fish are really cool, i'm finding myself getting hooked into fish.

Theres plenty of hiding places for them so i hope we'll have a few survive this time. I'll let you know. I'm quite excited about it now, less worried than i was before.