Platy breeding advice/breeding tank?

[KFav93]

I have 7 platies, 2 male and 5 female. I want them to breed but I've read it could take them a month to get started. Well anwyas, I read you should have a breeding tank/hatchery for when they lay fry. What hatchery is most recommended and what steps can I take to make this situation progress.

 

[henningc]

First, if you raise the temp to about 80f and keep the lights on 24/7 it will speed up the gustation process. I don't recommend leaving the lights on like that for more than a few weeks.

Secondly, yes a growout tank is necessary. If you want to save fry and have a place for them to growout for a few weeks use a 10gal stuffed full of java moss. Either net fry when noticed or put females that are ready to birth in the growout tank. Give her a few hours after you notice fry and put her back in the main tank. You can get the java moss many places, the fastest is Aquabid.

Third, what do you have to feed these fry? Microworks, baby brine shrimp or the easiest Golden Pearls 200-300 microns works well. You can get the worms from Aquabid and I'd get the Golden Pearls from Ken's Fish. Any other questions just P.M. me.

 

[BBradbury]

KF...

Female Platys you buy at the local pet store are pregnant. You need to plant the surface of the tank with some floating plants like Anacharis, Hornwort or Water sprite. Just separate the stems and drop them into the tank. No planting is needed. The more plants, the better. No breeding box is needed and you only need to keep the tank water clean by removing at least half the old water and replacing that with water treated with a product that removes the chlorine and chloramines. Do this every few days.

Feed a little flaked food every day and let nature takes its course. Platys breed roughly every month.

Keep the tank water waste free and you'll have your fry.

B