HELP! Not prepared for platy babies

[clgebhart9]

I have a fairly well established 15 gallon take with 4 platy, 2 dojo loaches, a bottom feeder, and a bunch of snails. One of the platys just had babies (I've only seen one, but I can assume more are coming.) I did not know she was pregnant, and am definitely not prepared for this! Plus, a 15 gallon tank is going to be too small for all these creatures. Here are my questions.

1. What do they eat?

2. I don't have access to another tank, can I keep them with the other fish?

3. Will the loaches eat them?

4. Can I keep the bubbler on?

5. Any other general help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[emerald76]

I have a fairly well established 15 gallon take with 4 platy, 2 dojo loaches, a bottom feeder, and a bunch of snails. One of the platys just had babies (I've only seen one, but I can assume more are coming.) I did not know she was pregnant, and am definitely not prepared for this! Plus, a 15 gallon tank is going to be too small for all these creatures. Here are my questions.



1. What do they eat?



2. I don't have access to another tank, can I keep them with the other fish?



3. Will the loaches eat them?



4. Can I keep the bubbler on?



5. Any other general help would be greatly appreciated.

1. Crushed flakes, hikari first bites, egg yolk (boiled)
2. You can, natural selection
3. Everything will eat them. Everything in that tank except maybe the "bottom feeder" and snails
4. The bubbler is fine
5. I must warn you, that tank is very overstocked with the dojo loaches which get big and can be mean if I recall correctly and the bottom feeder, which I'm assuming is a common Pleco, will get 2+ feet long

 

[clgebhart9]

Thank you for your help. I think in this case, natural selection may be best. I did not get a pleco, being warned that it would get too big for my tank. Should I keep putting regular food in daily? Or would it be best to do it every other day to promote the natural selection? Can I take my fish to be sexed? So many questions!

 

[emerald76]

What fish do you want sexed?


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[emerald76]

Feed every day, the babies will not find all of it


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[clgebhart9]

My platys...the adults

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[riddick]

Sexing Platies,

Platies are easy to sex, you won't need to take them anywhere,
check out this page which has photos that you can use to DIYPlaties - Livebearing Tropical Fish

 

[emerald76]

Females have a fan shaped anal fin, males have a sword


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[clgebhart9]

I was just at petco and they showed me. The mother was dead when I got home I've only seen 2 babies. Maybe that's all that there will be.

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[clgebhart9]

I appreciate your help. If there is only a few babies, I am just going to try my best to keep them alive. Do different types of platys mate?

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[emerald76]

Yes


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[ppo8820]

For all you know, she did birth the usual size of 15-20 babies, but they were eaten quick as they came out. One of the tanks at the office had a large pregnant female and then one day she was thin again, and we never saw a single baby (which was sad as I was going to separate them).

Also, it has been said that for some reason female platy's never seem to live long after having babies vs. other live bearers like the guppy or molly. I am not sure why this is, but with Platys, giving birth seems to be too much for them and they die shortly after. Can anyone else weigh in on this?

 

[ppo8820]

Also, they sell hanging breeder nets if you want to ensure those babies live. You just hang it inside the tank on the rim. Its a box with a net structure to prevent the other inhabitants from eating the fry. They arent visually pleasing, but they get the job done. If you want to keep the babies, that is the best way to do it short of setting up a new tank.

 

[clgebhart9]

I will look into that. Thank you. I have seen two babies here and there, but they always seem to be hiding (if they are still alive.)

 

[clgebhart9]

So I have sexed my platys, I have 2 male black/yellow platy, and a male and female red wag. Will they fight over her? Should I trade one of the males in, or try to keep all females?

 

[emerald76]

You need less males. Get rid of 2 and add 1 female


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