My RCS & Mickey Mouse Platy, & other Platy

[WendiDell]

These are my RCS (Edith & Ann), eating large pieces of peas. This is also a picture of Minnie, my Mickey Mouse Platy. She is very sweet and tame. She eats out of my hand. There is also a picture of Sunny, my other Platy.She is constant motion.

What kind of fish is the purple one on the right? It looks like a Platy to me but I don't know much about them. He is beautiful and I love his colors.
I'm setting up a new 55g tank and I'm looking for a few small but colorful fish that get along with Angels. But don't become feeder fish for the Angels.
All that stuff aside, your tank looks beautiful.
PS. From one retired person to another, aren't fish way better than gardening?

 

[Newfisher]

She is a Platy. Her color is really more blue but the camera and lighting did not show the colors as true. Yes...keeping an aquarium is sort of like gardening in that both are relaxing and both "produce" a finished product that can be a thing of beauty. As to owning a Platy. I love them. They are basically peace-loving to other species and very playful. When I only had one Platy, in her loneliness, she hung-out with the danios. She seemed to be buddies with one in particular ( it seemed that way)

 

[WendiDell]

She is a Platy. Her color is really more blue but the camera and lighting did not show the colors as true. Yes...keeping an aquarium is sort of like gardening in that both are relaxing and both "produce" a finished product that can be a thing of beauty. As to owning a Platy. I love them. They are basically peace-loving to other species and very playful. When I only had one Platy, in her loneliness, she hung-out with the danios. She seemed to be buddies with one in particular ( it seemed that way)

Thank you so much for the info. I will do some research to see if I can have Angels and Platys. I think it's OK but I want to be 100% sure before putting them together.
I like the idea of peaceful and playful.
One more question, are Platys a schooling fish?

 

[Newfisher]

They "hang" together but do not school in the true sense of the word. My platys like each other's company but are fairly independent in their swimming. When I had three (I just lost my favorite,Patty..sob...sob), they would occasionally swim together. It was really cute to see with Patty being a bright orange Hi-Fi, Minnie being a blue Mickey Mouse, and Sunny being a bright yellow Platy; all swimming together. For the most part, they are fairly independent of each other. Sunny did not like Patty at all! She picked on her all the time and I suspect had a lot to do with her demise. She is very peaceful with Minnie though and does not bother the other fish at all. She just pulled "alpha fish" on poor Patty. Thank you, by the way, for your kind words about my tank. It is always a work in progress. Good luck with yours and keep me informed.

Joy...Sent from my iPad using Aquarium

 

[Pecktec]

Thanks I love to photograph my tanks. Your photos are also very cool. Shrimp are pretty easy to shoot if you can make an algae waffer land in just the right spot and wait five minutes. I will be uploading more and more into the gallery soon. I also have recently started doing video mostly on you tube. Some of the earlyer ones are low quality but I have some better equipment now. I'm going to shoot my shrimp tank next so be shure to stop by and look. YouTube - pecktec's Channel

 

[WendiDell]

They "hang" together but do not school in the true sense of the word. My platys like each other's company but are fairly independent in their swimming. When I had three (I just lost my favorite,Patty..sob...sob), they would occasionally swim together. It was really cute to see with Patty being a bright orange Hi-Fi, Minnie being a blue Mickey Mouse, and Sunny being a bright yellow Platy; all swimming together. For the most part, they are fairly independent of each other. Sunny did not like Patty at all! She picked on her all the time and I suspect had a lot to do with her demise. She is very peaceful with Minnie though and does not bother the other fish at all. She just pulled "alpha fish" on poor Patty. Thank you, by the way, for your kind words about my tank. It is always a work in progress. Good luck with yours and keep me informed.

Joy...Sent from my iPad using Aquarium

Oh man, that :censor: . I'm so sorry to hear that. Everyone here on AA feels the same way about their fish. We love then as much as land based pet.
From your description of Platy behavior, I think I'd really enjoy having a few of them. I've found some that I like and will, supposedly get along with Angels. I only worry about their size. Angels have a bad habit of eating smaller fish. I'll make sure that isn't an issue before I put them together.

 

[Newfisher]

Oh man, that :censor: . I'm so sorry to hear that. Everyone here on AA feels the same way about their fish. We love then as much as land based pet.
From your description of Platy behavior, I think I'd really enjoy having a few of them. I've found some that I like and will, supposedly get along with Angels. I only worry about their size. Angels have a bad habit of eating smaller fish. I'll make sure that isn't an issue before I put them together.

Platys vary in size. Patty, my Hi-Fin, was about 2 1/2 in. long. Sunny is a fat little lady who is about 2 + inches, whereas Minnie, my cute little blue Mickey Mouse is only about 1.5 inches. Minnie is young and probably has some growing to do yet but will still be small. I love Platys!

 

[WendiDell]

Platys vary in size. Patty, my Hi-Fin, was about 2 1/2 in. long. Sunny is a fat little lady who is about 2 + inches, whereas Minnie, my cute little blue Mickey Mouse is only about 1.5 inches. Minnie is young and probably has some growing to do yet but will still be small. I love Platys!

The Blue Mickey Mouse is my favorite, after looking them up online. I just wish it wasn't that small. I worry about them being eaten. Even if it is the natural order of things, the food chain and all.
I'll admit, I am a vegetarian with a Bambi complex.

 

[silverrose11436]

I like artificial plants! They allow me to focus in the fish, they don't die, and always have nice color. Plus they're cheap. Your tank looks great!

I too like artificial plants too...i tend to have a VERY black thumb when it comes to plants of any kind. I'm just surprised I haven't killed my fake ones yet! LOL It also allows me to focus my time on the fish in the tank than anything else.

 

[Newfisher]

I too like artificial plants too...i tend to have a VERY black thumb when it comes to plants of any kind. I'm just surprised I haven't killed my fake ones yet! LOL It also allows me to focus my time on the fish in the tank than anything else.

I am like you, SilverRose, very surprise I have not somehow destroyed my fake plants Though I have noticed that , in spite of them being artificial, my fish still manage to put holes in them, forcing me to replace the plants periodically.

 

[WendiDell]

I am like you, SilverRose, very surprise I have not somehow destroyed my fake plants Though I have noticed that , in spite of them being artificial, my fish still manage to put holes in them, forcing me to replace the plants periodically.

Fellow black thumb here, I can kill weeds and even crab grass. So I stay away from living plants. But I like the fake ones in an aquarium and real ones outside. With the fake ones you have a thousand choices that wont die or get dug up. But even the fake one get worn looking. Or sometimes it's nice to just change it up a bit. A mini tank lift.

 

[Newfisher]

Fellow black thumb here, I can kill weeds and even crab grass. So I stay away from living plants. But I like the fake ones in an aquarium and real ones outside. With the fake ones you have a thousand choices that wont die or get dug up. But even the fake one get worn looking. Or sometimes it's nice to just change it up a bit. A mini tank lift.

If I am not replacing them; I am rearranging them My fish and I get bored with the "same old same old":

to WendiDell

 

[Rosenweiss]

Just a quick plug for real plants:

-help lower your nitrates
-provide oxygen to the tank
-won't scratch or damage your fish
-are a natural food source
-can be very low-maintenance and beautiful

If you like your fake plants, all the more power to you, but at least consider getting a moss ball! It's nearly zero maintenance and it'll do all the things above!

 

[Newfisher]

Just a quick plug for real plants:

-help lower your nitrates
-provide oxygen to the tank
-won't scratch or damage your fish
-are a natural food source
-can be very low-maintenance and beautiful

If you like your fake plants, all the more power to you, but at least consider getting a moss ball! It's nearly zero maintenance and it'll do all the things above!

Already ahead of you. I had ordered a moss ball last week. it is on its way! Thanks for your input! You are so right. If I don't kill the moss ball..I will maybe keep adding. I like real...I just have problems keeping plants alive( sob...sob...)

Joy...Sent from my iPad using Aquarium

 

[Newfisher]

The moss I ordered is a Christmas Moss. it should be here in about a week. I ordered it on the Internet. Hopefully it will be healthy to start with so there is less likelihood of my killing it.

Joy...Sent from my iPad using Aquarium

 

[Rosenweiss]

Awesome! Good luck with your moss ball!

 

[WendiDell]

If I am not replacing them; I am rearranging them My fish and I get bored with the "same old same old":

to WendiDell

To Newfisher
I get bored, my fish get annoyed. Once a week I change things around in my 55g African Cichlid tank. It stops me from getting tired of how the tank looks and it cuts down on territory battles. It's hard to get territorial when your territory is never in the same place twice. Not to sound sadistic, but it's really funny to watch them after I've move everything around. My Cichlids act like schooling fish swimming back and forth to find the spot they want to call their own, again.
Outside I love all the shade of green that nature gives us. But in my tanks I like all the colors you can get with the fake plants. Plus Cichlids are notorious for digging up and tearing up the real thing. So it's a good thing I like the fake ones

 

[Newfisher]

To Newfisher
I get bored, my fish get annoyed. Once a week I change things around in my 55g African Cichlid tank. It stops me from getting tired of how the tank looks and it cuts down on territory battles. It's hard to get territorial when your territory is never in the same place twice. Not to sound sadistic, but it's really funny to watch them after I've move everything around. My Cichlids act like schooling fish swimming back and forth to find the spot they want to call their own, again.
Outside I love all the shade of green that nature gives us. But in my tanks I like all the colors you can get with the fake plants. Plus Cichlids are notorious for digging up and tearing up the real thing. So it's a good thing I like the fake ones

WendiDell: I guess there is a trait in many of us. It is sorta fun to watch my tetras and danios particularly swimming around with this"where are my diggs" look. I moved their favorite planted rock from the front to the back and it really freaked-out the tetras Bless their little fish hearts..they never know from one day to the next what their home is going to look like. I know...I know...I am evil to my fishes. .

Joy...Sent from my iPad using Aquarium

 

[WendiDell]

WendiDell: I guess there is a trait in many of us. It is sorta fun to watch my tetras and danios particularly swimming around with this"where are my diggs" look. I moved their favorite planted rock from the front to the back and it really freaked-out the tetras Bless their little fish hearts..they never know from one day to the next what their home is going to look like. I know...I know...I am evil to my fishes. .

Joy...Sent from my iPad using Aquarium

It's not really evil. I buy the best food and make sure that they all have a cozy place to call their (even if I move it all the time) own. There are things to swim through and around, to play with.
I bust my *** to learn as much as I can about them. So I can always meet their needs.
But to watch a tank full of Mbunas act like schooling fish is hysterically funny. Instead of the back off bud face, it's, Hey, wait for me and OMG!, where did it go . I'm sorry but it's entertaining as all get out. And It does serve a purpose too.
And since you mentioned Danios, tomorrow I'm picking up my order of Zebra Danios and Angels for another 55g cycled tank. Well the QT first then the 55g tank. But, I'm not sure how many Danios I should get. I know they school so I was going to get 5 Zebra's and if it's not to many I'd like to get 5 more of another type of Danio.
I know for sure I want those 4 Angels and the Zebra Danio, so my NSLFS ordered them for me. But how many is to many?
2 Platinum Veil tail Angels
2 Black & Blue Pinoy Angels
5 Zebra Danio
5 ????? Danio if it's not to many
What do you think? I don't want to overstock. I know adding the 9-14 fish won't overload the tank. I cycled the tank to be ready for them and the Angels are the size between a .50 cent piece and a $1.00. Small but not dime size that some stores sell. And the Zebra's are small too.
Will 14 be to many for a 55g when they are adult fish?

 

[Rosenweiss]

I would consider getting longfin danios. =] If your zebras are longfin, you can also get blue longfin and leopard longfin. They are so much prettier IMO than the normal ones. ^^