What Is This?

[omega59]

I just got some new fish and i must say this one male platy is very different looking, he is more like a balloon mollie. arched/curved in back and a belly, even the shape of the head and mouth is totally different than the platy. Here are the pics and some to compare, also have mollies in with them.

 

[snoopyfrench87]

well he is a mickey mouse platy but he does look like a molly cross or maybe he is ill?

 

[omega59]

he seems okay swimming fine and mingling with the rest

 

[lilfishie]

he is a platy, very pretty one too

 

[Colin_T]

it's the first of the balloon mickey mouse platies. They are just starting to appear in shipments from Asia.
If it's local bred then it's deformed fish that should have been destroyed when young.

 

[omega59]

really.. wow cool. i don't think it is deformed he is quite normal lol
where can i find info on these "new" breeds???

 

[Butch]

He looks big in the picture...but like his shape. Are there more of them at your LFS? Def. Platy as the mickey mouse strains are always in platy/swordtail but never in mollies. There's not lots of info on this. Treat it like normal platy.

 

[omega59]

he was the only one in the tank of the same at the shop, it is why i got him he looked unique and pretty to me. i don't think he was born deformed or diseased. i will keep an eye out on him in the coming weeks i guess and see how he goes.

is asia really coming out with balloon platies, or was that a joke statement?

 

[Colin_T]

balloon platies were being developed a couple of yrs ago. I assume they have been perfected and are being sold today. They are also doing balloon swordtails, danios and tetras.
Basically they find a stunted fish and breed from that. They keep inbreeding them until they get the desired shape. Fantail goldfish were made in the same way.
Unfortunately when they shorten the body the fish's internal organs get squished up and don't always fit properly. This leaves the fish more prone to internal problems, (intestinal blockages & swim bladder problems).

 

[omega59]

wow that is terrible

 

[helterskelter]

It's a good looking platy it's not deformed or a balloon, this is how they should look then fully mature.