Platy Breeding

[Psyhampster]

I have 4 platies (3 Flame Gold, 1 Red Wag) in a 20 gallon tank with 4 Zebra Danios, and am interested in having the platies breed. After reading about them, I'm suprised they havent already,but any tips would be appreciated.

 

[BASSNMAN]

Most livebearers you get at the LFS are already bred unless they are very young. Do you have males and females?

 

[Springcheeks]

You might want to take the danios out of the tank or any fry the platies have will get munched straight away. Some floating plants would be good for the fry to hide in aswell.
Others like to seperate the female when she is looking very large and let her release the fry in a safer place. I have always found that distresses the female though and have ended up with a sick fish.

 

[Rocket2001]

Try a PM to Smallfry I belive she's had success with breeding Platy

 

[smallfry]

Hello,
You have been given good advice already....forgive me if some of this is repetition, but here's what I would do:
1) Make sure you have both genders The bottom fin on females is shaped like a fan....the bottom fin on males is pointy and well, you know.... The ideal balance is 2 or 3 females for each male. (The males can be quite agressive)
2) As has already been suggested...you need LOTS of plant cover...both near the gravel and some floating plants are good too...(floating but anchored to something).
3) Increase your temp slightly...ideal for breeding platys is around 78 degrees or a bit higher.
4) I don't recommend separating the mom or the babies from the tank...they do best when left where they are. However, expect some fry to be munched by the adult platies and/or the danios. (thus the importance of some THICK plant coverage)
5) If you can move the danios to a different tank, that would be best....the adult platies will learn not to eat the fry with time....not sure why but it's true. I have days old fry in my tank that swim freely with no fear of being munched. But my fish are used to seeing little fry...
6) A female may have upwards of 30 fry at one time and they are live bearers (no eggs in tank).
7) The female will get very round and you will see a dark spot on her underbelly near her bottom fin. Once you see these signs, wait about 2 weeks or so and you should see little ones. I have tricks for feeding them, so feel free to PM me when you're at that point.
8) Good luck!

 

[FawnN]

In my personal experience, all you need is 3 females to 1 male and let nature take it's course. I don't think I have ever purchased a female platy that wasn't already preggo, in fact, I don't think I have ever purchased any female livebearer that wasn't already preggo.

Livebearers are so easy to breed. It gets more difficult when you are trying to get a particular strain and colorization.

Just becareful though, because before you know it you will have so much fry that you won't know what to do with them all. Good luck.

 

[Psyhampster]

Thanks for all the advice.
I'm pretty sure i have 2 male 2 female, the water temp is about 78-80, there are a good number of plants, fake, but not sure about floating ones.
As for the Danios, one of the teachers at my school is setting up a tank, and they can be used as starter fish for that for a while.

 

[smallfry]

Psyhampster,
Now all ya have to do is wait and let LOVE take over your tank....
BTW, WELCOME to Aquarium Advice!!!

 

[ROXIE]

I have a pair of blue platty's and I have babies almost on a monthly basis, so I got an eel to take care of the over population going on, the first three months I had them I was begging my friends to get a tank and they will have free fish!!! Two of my friends did just that, so now when I visit, I see my grand babies!!! My tank is planted but the babies hide under the rocks.

 

[smallfry]

I almost forgot, you may want to put something over the filter intake tube (nylons, filter sponge) so the fry don't get sucked up.