What's Going On With My Platy's?!

[missamyk]

I just got two platy's and learned today that one (a yellow one with black stripes on its back tail) is a male, and the other (a dark orange color) is female. The female keeps chasing the male and looks like she is trying to bite him. He is staying near the bottom for the most part and they kind of circle one another. I am wondering, are they getting ready to mate? Should I go back to the pet store and get a second female instead - I don't want baby fish!

Thanks..

 

[helterskelter]

Well she will already be pregnant if she has been with males already.
Some fish will naturally be a bully, we see it men all the time, same with fish as such.

She just showing him who's boss.

Adding more fish can help and the stress is then distributed between several fish.

If you don't want babies then leave the fry in your tank as al fish love to eat the babies and your be lucky if they survive, but some may.

 

[theotheragentm]

Females will will chase fish away sometimes before giving birth. They want to be left alone. To add to what helterskelter is saying, allow several hiding places to block the line of sight. Fish will continue to chase sometimes if they still see other fish around that they see as a threat.

 

[Majjie]

What other fish do you have in the tank? I wouldn't rely on the platys eating their own fry - none of mine have. If you definitely don't want lots of fry I'd have two or three females only. That way you know that the fry will stop coming in a few months.

 

[missamyk]

What other fish do you have in the tank? I wouldn't rely on the platys eating their own fry - none of mine have. If you definitely don't want lots of fry I'd have two or three females only. That way you know that the fry will stop coming in a few months.

I only have those two platy's.. I wanted more but since I only have a 2.5 gallon tank, the guy told me not too.
I am really concerned about my male fish because he is staying at the bottom not moving and I tried getting him to move with my net but he just moves up a little, swims sideways, and floats back to the bottom... I think maybe the female injured his right eye...idk but it's all white

I don't want him to die! Help Should I let him die and then get another female? I dunno what to do.

 

[fishboy619]

personaly i think a 2.5 gallon is WEY to small for 2 platies, even one.is it filtered and heated. i would upgrade to atleast a 5 gallon, but a 10 would be much better. plants and hiding places are important too

 

[missamyk]

personaly i think a 2.5 gallon is WEY to small for 2 platies, even one.is it filtered and heated. i would upgrade to atleast a 5 gallon, but a 10 would be much better. plants and hiding places are important too

I'm going back to the pet store in a while because my male is pretty much dead. I might exchange the female too because I think she may be pregnant... except they intermis males and females there so I guess anyone I get could be pregnant... I don't have the money to upgrade to a 5 or 10 gallon tank... should I get a different kind of fish that I can have more of? I was going to get two, maybe three platy but if a 2.5 gallon is way too small... then I don't know... I need some insight ppl!

 

[lilfishie]

the only fish i would recomend for a tank that size would be a betta/siamease fighting fish

 

[Majjie]

Sorry missamyk only just checked back on this thread. There's a thread (argument ) in Tropical Chit Chat at the moment, discussing just this topic - what can be kept in a 2.5 gal tank:

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=177181

Opinions are, to say the least, varied. Personally, I wouldn't keep a Betta in a tank that small - even though I know they have been bred that way for generations. But that's another argument.

Some cherry shrimp would be the easiest occupants to look after - you can often buy them over the internet - and they're really cute. Or you could get some of the tiny fish mentioned - but they could be hard to find and you'd have to be prepared to do very regular water changes and test the water. You didn't say whether or not the tank was filtered. And is it cycled?

If you decide to ignore all the advice on here - then I'd say two male guppies would be better occupants than two female platies. They're less strong swimmers and they tend to be smaller. But two on their own might fight and you'd still have to do very regular water changes.

Try looking for secondhand tanks - you can often get a 10 gal/40 litre for a very reasonable price.

 

[fishboy619]

what majjie said about a shrimp tank sounds good, a few shrimp would love it in their. not sure about this one, but what about 2 ADF'S.i wouldnt put a betta in their either as i think a 5 gallon is the smallest to house one in. not sure about this one either, but would one guppy live on its own, ive never kept them alone so dont know if this is possable tho?,maybe endlers instead. look on freecycle and ebay, they are usally good deals on 5 and 10 gallon tanks.