Platy babies - question

[Betta Platy Addict]

Hi everyone,

I have been using this site to answer a ton of questions while I set up my 20gal community tank

After the cycle was completed, I slowly added the following fish:

Two female platy (one blue and one sunset)
three neon tetra
two cory cat (pepper maybe??)

I need to complete the neon and cory schools still, but going slowly.

So I did not realize that the platy fish were pregnant (lack of knowledge) I just got them because they were pretty. I didn't want any males so that I wouldn't have babies (only 20 gal after all). Well surprise! My blue girl had her babies maybe 4 days ago, but I assumed she ate them since I never saw them. I just noticed she was skinny and figured out she was pregnant before.

I did a 75% wc yesterday bc my ammo levels were between 0-.25ppm, probably from the 10,000 leaves that are rotting...or overfeeding. Probably both! Anyway, after the wc, NINE babies came out of hiding! I couldn't believe it. One was sucked up by the filter. Both females chased and tried to eat the babies, but they are FAST and made it back to the plants.

Is there any chance any will make it?? I have maybe 12-13 plants plus a big driftwood and small driftwood log. I put Hikari first bites in starting yesterday and today one of the babies was chowing down (soooooo cute). I have only seen three today, but both girls are on the prowl.

I am not able to set up a fry tank at this time, but the mom in me wants at least a couple to make it! Plus sunset looks like she will have babies soon too, and I want some of them to survive too! Will the plants provide sufficient cover?

Second question: What can I do to get rid of Ich? I think the neons and one platy have it. Looks like small white bubbles clinging to them. My tank is densely planted and I have platy babies, so I'm not sure how to safely proceed.

TIA!

 

[plecopsycho]

1.Yes the plants will most likely save them them but i would still recommend getting a breeding box so they will have a better cjance of surviving.
2. Theres is a special type of ich medicine that you can buy that will supposebly not harm the fry but i forgot the name.

 

[DeathclawRowe1]

It is very slim that the fry will survive. In my planted tank my Pleco and blue rams chased down my coral platy fry and I saw one remaining today that I couldn't catch before the rams ate it up... I recommend putting all the fish in a bucket so u can move the plants and catch the babies and put them in a breeder box such as a net breeder

 

[plecopsycho]

Well all my fry i had pretty much lived because i left my fry in my tank for 3days with all my fish and they all lived as far as i can tell i guess it just depends though but yeah i agree about getting something to protect the fry because either way atleast ones going to get eaten considering that platys dont protect there fry

 

[DeathclawRowe1]

Yea platy will eat their fry if it can fit in their mouth no matter how long the fry has survived

 

[Betta Platy Addict]

Thanks for your reply. I managed to net 3 and get them in to the mesh breeder net box. There are at least two that I can't catch. My plants are wrecked now haha.

I'm treating the ich with salt and temp, hoping that will knock it out. I bought a 10g tank yesterday that I would love to set up as my fry tank, but since pretty much all of the fish have ich I want to get the babies treated too.

 

[DeathclawRowe1]

Thanks for your reply. I managed to net 3 and get them in to the mesh breeder net box. There are at least two that I can't catch. My plants are wrecked now haha.

I'm treating the ich with salt and temp, hoping that will knock it out. I bought a 10g tank yesterday that I would love to set up as my fry tank, but since pretty much all of the fish have ich I want to get the babies treated too.

Yes ich is in water gravel plants filter everywhere so treat the tank as a whole. Success for the babies!! feed them crushed flakes with a temp if 80-82 and they will be fine! Don't exceed 84 or I think they can die idk

 

[Betta Platy Addict]

Oops. I cranked (slowly) to 86 a few days ago. The 5 babies have been fine though. All but one in the breeder net didn't make it. Little ones hiding in plants are doing great! Thanks for your help.

Still see one or two ick cyst things on the neons so keeping the heat up.

 

[DeathclawRowe1]

Oops. I cranked (slowly) to 86 a few days ago. The 5 babies have been fine though. All but one in the breeder net didn't make it. Little ones hiding in plants are doing great! Thanks for your help.

Still see one or two ick cyst things on the neons so keeping the heat up.

Cool that happened with my heater to haha