Outdoor breeding

[vacuumlad]

Hey I want to set up a 5.5 gallon breeding aquarium outside for Platies. It's really hot here so I don't need a heater. I was wondering what would be the best location for the tank in direct sunlight or in A shaded area. I would use a sponge filter or should I not use the filter at all? Also any other tips for breeding platies will be appreciated. Thanks


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[vacuumlad]

Also what decor should I use? I was thinking making a pile of medium-size river rocks in there so fry can hide or should I just put a whole bunch of fake Plants in?


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[Dallascowboys16]

Hey I want to set up a 5.5 gallon breeding aquarium outside for Platies. It's really hot here so I don't need a heater. I was wondering what would be the best location for the tank in direct sunlight or in A shaded area. I would use a sponge filter or should I not use the filter at all? Also any other tips for breeding platies will be appreciated. Thanks


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How hot are we talking during the day? 90+ degrees every day would mean you need to probably put it in the shade. I keep a big 70 gallon iron stock tub outside with Endlers and bullfrog tadpoles in the full sun for most of the day and the temp stays ok with about 80 degree days on average. 5.5 gallons is too small for platys as well so I would recommend going and finding a 20-30 gallon aquarium and putting it in partial shade and load that thing with hornwort or Anacharis.

 

[vacuumlad]

I would like a bigger tank but I have absolutely nowhere to put it.


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[Dallascowboys16]

I would like a bigger tank but I have absolutely nowhere to put it.


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Well then I would recommend to even attempt to put platies in your current tank because its too small for them.

 

[FWFishTanks]

With just platies, your 5.5 will already be stocked heavy, but the fry would quickly crowd a tank that size. you could possibly do shrimp, but i'm no shrimp expert, so I would wait until a more experienced shrimper chimes in.

 

[TMRC Exotics]

Yeah no platies in a 5 gallon, no way. Furthermore a tank that small well experience severe temperature swings outside. This is a bad idea all around.

 

[Andy Sager]

Yeah no platies in a 5 gallon, no way. Furthermore a tank that small well experience severe temperature swings outside. This is a bad idea all around.

+1 to this. You are trying to put the wrong fish in the wrong tank in the wrong location Better to not do it at all than doing this. Sorry to be blunt but this should save you some money and heartache from watching your fish die.
What you can do is put a Betta in that tank, outdoors, in the shade. I kept mine outdoors in Central Florida and they survived the summers here ( 90-99 degrees). What did happen however, was their eggs were developing too fast from the higher temps so I would breed them indoors and then raise the fry outside once they were large enough.

Hope this helps