Fancy Guppy and Platies?? - Aquarium Advice

anttna · 12-03-2003, 02:46 PM

Just recently we added 2 female fancy guppies and 1 male fancy guppy. The females were already pregnant when bought. We also have 3 various female platies and 1 male platy. What we have noticed is the male fancy guppy trying his best to mate with the female platies (i have to say showing more interest than the male platy is!!). Is it possible for them to breed together and his he going after them because the female guppies are already pregnant?

platylover · 12-03-2003, 04:41 PM

I don't have any idea whether the male guppy can mate with the female platies or not. I have heard from people that say that they can, but they are in completely different families of fish, so I wouldn't think that they could. As far as whether the guppy is going after the platies because the female guppies are already pregnant, I wouldn't think so. I have found that males will find some females more attractive than others and will chase the more attractive ones relentlessly and leave the others alone for the most part. Maybe the male guppy just finds the platies more attractive than the guppies. I have two male platies that constantly try to breed with one VERY pregnant female platy all the time. I never see them going after any of the other ones, but I do know that they have bred with them since they are pregnant, so I wouldn't say that your male is going after the platies because the guppies are already pregnant. I also only see my males trying to mate at night when the tank lights are off and the room lights are the only lights lighting up the tank. I don't know if this is common with platy males, but I know that it sure is with my two males.

Hopefully this answers some of your questions. Good luck.

Fruitbat · 12-03-2003, 04:45 PM

Actually they're in the same family but in different Genera. Yes...it is possible for them to interbreed but the mating would be unlikely to produce viable offspring.

platylover · 12-03-2003, 05:02 PM

That's what I meant about the genera. I couldn't think of the correct name for it. Thank you Fruitbat!

myriam · 12-03-2003, 06:11 PM

Well I know for a fact that mollies and platies can interbreed (my fry are living proof!), but I don't know about guppies and platies. Aren't their size differences an issue?

Fruitbat · 12-03-2003, 06:39 PM

My pleasure PlatyLover....I've got a degree in Biology so garbage like that is terminally stuck in my brain....which rattles around in my skull like a BB in a boxcar.

Mollies and Platies are both in the same Genus but are different species. Hybrids between those two are relatively simple but usually (not always) result in sterile offspring. The size difference between Guppies and Platys wouldn't prevent them from mating....it might, however, prevent the young from developing beyond the fertilized egg stage...if the egg could even be fertilized.

PlatyLady · 12-04-2003, 02:36 PM

Whenever I've added a male guppy or platy to my mostly female tank, they go wild! Once they've adjusted, everyone must be mated with, male, female, guppy, platy - they have no prejudice!

After awhile though, they seem to pick favorites, and mate mostly with the same girls over. For example, my male platies have never fancied Frieda, the youngest platy (she's the pic under my name at the moment), and they seem to prefer mickey mouse platies. My male guppies like Lola, she's dark with a yellow tail and sort of leopard spots on it. They have no interest in Miranda, a bright white and yellow guppy.

12-03-2003, 02:46 PM	#1
anttna Aquarium Advice Apprentice Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Edmonton Alberta Canada Posts: 14 Images: 7	Fancy Guppy and Platies?? Just recently we added 2 female fancy guppies and 1 male fancy guppy. The females were already pregnant when bought. We also have 3 various female platies and 1 male platy. What we have noticed is the male fancy guppy trying his best to mate with the female platies (i have to say showing more interest than the male platy is!!). Is it possible for them to breed together and his he going after them because the female guppies are already pregnant?

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12-03-2003, 04:41 PM	#2
platylover Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Ankeny, Ia Posts: 213 Images: 3	I don't have any idea whether the male guppy can mate with the female platies or not. I have heard from people that say that they can, but they are in completely different families of fish, so I wouldn't think that they could. As far as whether the guppy is going after the platies because the female guppies are already pregnant, I wouldn't think so. I have found that males will find some females more attractive than others and will chase the more attractive ones relentlessly and leave the others alone for the most part. Maybe the male guppy just finds the platies more attractive than the guppies. I have two male platies that constantly try to breed with one VERY pregnant female platy all the time. I never see them going after any of the other ones, but I do know that they have bred with them since they are pregnant, so I wouldn't say that your male is going after the platies because the guppies are already pregnant. I also only see my males trying to mate at night when the tank lights are off and the room lights are the only lights lighting up the tank. I don't know if this is common with platy males, but I know that it sure is with my two males. Hopefully this answers some of your questions. Good luck.

12-03-2003, 04:45 PM	#3
Fruitbat Aquarium Advice Addict Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Garland,Texas Posts: 1,818 Images: 30	Actually they're in the same family but in different Genera. Yes...it is possible for them to interbreed but the mating would be unlikely to produce viable offspring.

12-03-2003, 05:02 PM	#4
platylover Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Ankeny, Ia Posts: 213 Images: 3	That's what I meant about the genera. I couldn't think of the correct name for it. Thank you Fruitbat!

12-03-2003, 06:11 PM	#5
myriam Aquarium Advice FINatic Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 500 Images: 6	Well I know for a fact that mollies and platies can interbreed (my fry are living proof!), but I don't know about guppies and platies. Aren't their size differences an issue?

12-03-2003, 06:39 PM	#6
Fruitbat Aquarium Advice Addict Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Garland,Texas Posts: 1,818 Images: 30	My pleasure PlatyLover....I've got a degree in Biology so garbage like that is terminally stuck in my brain....which rattles around in my skull like a BB in a boxcar. Mollies and Platies are both in the same Genus but are different species. Hybrids between those two are relatively simple but usually (not always) result in sterile offspring. The size difference between Guppies and Platys wouldn't prevent them from mating....it might, however, prevent the young from developing beyond the fertilized egg stage...if the egg could even be fertilized.

12-04-2003, 02:36 PM	#7
PlatyLady Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Burlington, Ontario, Canada Posts: 399 Images: 25	Whenever I've added a male guppy or platy to my mostly female tank, they go wild! Once they've adjusted, everyone must be mated with, male, female, guppy, platy - they have no prejudice! After awhile though, they seem to pick favorites, and mate mostly with the same girls over. For example, my male platies have never fancied Frieda, the youngest platy (she's the pic under my name at the moment), and they seem to prefer mickey mouse platies. My male guppies like Lola, she's dark with a yellow tail and sort of leopard spots on it. They have no interest in Miranda, a bright white and yellow guppy.