platy fry

[Tom Randy]

On Sun, 06 Feb 2005 17:22:15 -0800, Larry Blanchard wrote:

> I'd read on various websites that platys would eat their young. Other
> sites said they would not. Well, one of mine dropped a litter the other
> day and she immediately joined the other platys (and the betta) in
> eating them.
>
> Some folks must have very refined platys - I don't :-).


Mine had fry about a month ago and they ate them. I wasn't prepared to
deal with it. I KNEW they ate them but I just got them and BAM, she drops
7 or 8. I got a breeder trap now so next time....

[Larry Blanchard]

I'd read on various websites that platys would eat their young. Other
sites said they would not. Well, one of mine dropped a litter the other
day and she immediately joined the other platys (and the betta) in
eating them.

Some folks must have very refined platys - I don't :-).

--
Homo sapiens is a goal, not a description

[humBill]

"Larry Blanchard" > wrote in message
...
> I'd read on various websites that platys would eat their young. Other
> sites said they would not. Well, one of mine dropped a litter the other
> day and she immediately joined the other platys (and the betta) in
> eating them.
>
> Some folks must have very refined platys - I don't :-).
>
Sorry to horn in on your post, but it fits. I just discovered my 10 gal
tank which has 1 molly, 2 platys and 3 danios also has one teeny maybe 1/2
inch fry. I would like to save it if possible, but I don't know what to do.
I do have a lightly stocked 15 gal which has 4 neons and 3 small lemon
tetras. I also have an empty not set up 10 gal.
Thanxx
Bill

[Robert Flory]

You need a breeder trap or a mass some fine dense plants for them to hide
in. My wife's platies yhat are about to litter tend to hang out in the Java
moss or hornwort. I put it in the tank for just that reason. 50% survive.
Only the swift and smart survive. Otherwisewe'd have a couple of billion
guppies and platies. That is a bunch for even a 55 ;-)


Some eat them some tend not to. Life is to the swift in a platy tank.
Bob

"Larry Blanchard" > wrote in message
...
> I'd read on various websites that platys would eat their young. Other
> sites said they would not. Well, one of mine dropped a litter the other
> day and she immediately joined the other platys (and the betta) in
> eating them.
>
> Some folks must have very refined platys - I don't :-).
>
> --
> Homo sapiens is a goal, not a description

[humBill]

This is the first time I have ever been a fishy daddy. I'm guessing this
was one of many, but it's the only one now. Could you give me some sorta
idea how big they are at 'birth'. This one is between 3/8 and 1/2 inch.
Very small but definitley bigger than I would guess a newborn would be.
It's already big enough to eat small pieces of flake.
Bill

"Robert Flory" > wrote in message
...
> You need a breeder trap or a mass some fine dense plants for them to hide
> in. My wife's platies yhat are about to litter tend to hang out in the
> Java moss or hornwort. I put it in the tank for just that reason. 50%
> survive. Only the swift and smart survive. Otherwisewe'd have a couple of
> billion guppies and platies. That is a bunch for even a 55 ;-)
>
>
> Some eat them some tend not to. Life is to the swift in a platy tank.
> Bob
>
> "Larry Blanchard" > wrote in message
> ...
>> I'd read on various websites that platys would eat their young. Other
>> sites said they would not. Well, one of mine dropped a litter the other
>> day and she immediately joined the other platys (and the betta) in
>> eating them.
>>
>> Some folks must have very refined platys - I don't :-).
>>
>> --
>> Homo sapiens is a goal, not a description
>
>

[Mary Burns]

My first 2 platy mums had 14 survive in my first tank, they hid in the
plants and I fed them crushed flake, putting it very near where they hid. As
long as mum and dad had brine shrimp or bloodworm, they ignore the flake or
frozen daphnia (thawed for a few mins) and the fry get it. I now have 2nd
generation fry, anything from 15/20 who are now 3 weeks old. They had colour
and blackfins from birth, active, out and about, "snatching" bloodworm from
the others at 2 weeks old. They are in with 3 females, cories,neons and
nobody eats them. I have never seperated fry from the adults and keep angels
in my 65g to keep the platy population stable in that tank. Even if they are
eaten this time, more will be along in 30/40 days and you can be better
prepared then. My sunset mum has had fry 5 times in 8 months, and although
it is less each time, I am hoping it will end soon for her sake. They are
able to store sperm for up to a year. They are about 1/4" at birth and very
thin, and at 4 weeks, anything from 3/8 to 3/4", some always grow quicker
than others, but it evens out eventually. I now have 40+ platies!!! (from
the original 3)
"humBill" > wrote in message
. ..
> This is the first time I have ever been a fishy daddy. I'm guessing this
> was one of many, but it's the only one now. Could you give me some sorta
> idea how big they are at 'birth'. This one is between 3/8 and 1/2 inch.
> Very small but definitley bigger than I would guess a newborn would be.
> It's already big enough to eat small pieces of flake.
> Bill
>
> "Robert Flory" > wrote in message
> ...
>> You need a breeder trap or a mass some fine dense plants for them to hide
>> in. My wife's platies yhat are about to litter tend to hang out in the
>> Java moss or hornwort. I put it in the tank for just that reason. 50%
>> survive. Only the swift and smart survive. Otherwisewe'd have a couple
>> of billion guppies and platies. That is a bunch for even a 55 ;-)
>>
>>
>> Some eat them some tend not to. Life is to the swift in a platy tank.
>> Bob
>>
>> "Larry Blanchard" > wrote in message
>> ...
>>> I'd read on various websites that platys would eat their young. Other
>>> sites said they would not. Well, one of mine dropped a litter the other
>>> day and she immediately joined the other platys (and the betta) in
>>> eating them.
>>>
>>> Some folks must have very refined platys - I don't :-).
>>>
>>> --
>>> Homo sapiens is a goal, not a description
>>
>>
>
>

[Larry Blanchard]

In article >,
says...
> You need a breeder trap or a mass some fine dense plants for them to hide
> in.
>
Actually I wasn't planning on keeping them, I thought they'd make a nice
treat for the betta. He did get his share :-). I just thought I'd add
another data point to the "do they or don't they" debate.

--
Homo sapiens is a goal, not a description

[sophie]

In message >, Larry Blanchard
> writes
>In article >,
>says...
>> You need a breeder trap or a mass some fine dense plants for them to hide
>> in.
>>
>Actually I wasn't planning on keeping them, I thought they'd make a nice
>treat for the betta. He did get his share :-).

My son wanted guppies, and when I said I didn't think lots of baby
guppies would be particularly great, said "Wouldn't they make a nice
treat for the goldfish?" Five-year olds these days, I don't know.
--
sophie

[Samuel Warren]

My Sunset Fin Wag Tail Platy had 96 fry. ( Counted them with a photo from
the digital cam).

I put the fry in their own 10 gallon tank with no other tank mates.

Last night I took another pic count, 76. So i guess some were destined to
die. I called the LFS and we are waiting 2 more weeks until they are 2
months old then I am going to get some store credit for them..

This message was written on 100% recycled spam. SAM >>

"Larry Blanchard" > wrote in message
...
> I'd read on various websites that platys would eat their young. Other
> sites said they would not. Well, one of mine dropped a litter the other
> day and she immediately joined the other platys (and the betta) in
> eating them.
>
> Some folks must have very refined platys - I don't :-).
>
> --
> Homo sapiens is a goal, not a description

[humBill]

"Samuel Warren" > wrote in message
...
> My Sunset Fin Wag Tail Platy had 96 fry. ( Counted them with a photo from
> the digital cam).
>
> I put the fry in their own 10 gallon tank with no other tank mates.
>
> Last night I took another pic count, 76. So i guess some were destined to
> die. I called the LFS and we are waiting 2 more weeks until they are 2
> months old then I am going to get some store credit for them..
>

Just curious, as mentioned I have only 1 fry right now. How did you 'put
them in' another tank. (ie- removed other occupants, uncycled with frequent
water changes, etc???)
Thanxx
Bill

[Gill Passman]

"humBill" > wrote in message
m...
>
>
> "Samuel Warren" > wrote in message
> ...
> > My Sunset Fin Wag Tail Platy had 96 fry. ( Counted them with a photo
from
> > the digital cam).
> >
> > I put the fry in their own 10 gallon tank with no other tank mates.
> >
> > Last night I took another pic count, 76. So i guess some were destined
to
> > die. I called the LFS and we are waiting 2 more weeks until they are 2
> > months old then I am going to get some store credit for them..
> >
>
> Just curious, as mentioned I have only 1 fry right now. How did you 'put
> them in' another tank. (ie- removed other occupants, uncycled with
frequent
> water changes, etc???)
> Thanxx
> Bill
>
>
With my fry I scoop them out of the tank with a cup - saves them getting
injured in a net. I then put them in a small tank I already have cycled
(after a quick water quality check). When there are no fry I keep the tank
cycled by putting some Platy in there. Only hit one problem with this so far
and that is that the Platy's keep giving birth in the small tank :-)

Gill

[[email protected]]

Larry Blanchard wrote:
> I'd read on various websites that platys would eat their young.
Other
> sites said they would not. Well, one of mine dropped a litter the
other
> day and she immediately joined the other platys (and the betta) in
> eating them.
>
> Some folks must have very refined platys - I don't :-).
>
This is my observation. After the babies are born, if they can survive
for a short time (a half a day or so) without getting eaten, they will
not be eaten. So, if you want to have baby fish in the same tank as
the adults, make sure you have a lot of hiding places. I currently
have about 7 or more second generation platties and swordtails living
in my tank. I raised them without any special food. I do have a very
heavily planted aquarium. I went for the overgrown wilderness look.

> --
> Homo sapiens is a goal, not a description

[Tom Randy]

On Thu, 10 Feb 2005 12:48:27 -0800, ManWorld42 wrote:

>
> Larry Blanchard wrote:
>> I'd read on various websites that platys would eat their young.
> Other
>> sites said they would not. Well, one of mine dropped a litter the
> other
>> day and she immediately joined the other platys (and the betta) in
>> eating them.
>>
>> Some folks must have very refined platys - I don't :-).
>>
> This is my observation. After the babies are born, if they can survive
> for a short time (a half a day or so) without getting eaten, they will not
> be eaten.


Wrong! They WILL be eaten. No question. Based on MY recent experience.


> So, if you want to have baby fish in the same tank as the
> adults, make sure you have a lot of hiding places. I currently have about
> 7 or more second generation platties and swordtails living in my tank. I
> raised them without any special food. I do have a very heavily planted
> aquarium. I went for the overgrown wilderness look.


If HEAVILY planted then MAYBE some stand a chance. I recommend either
letting nature take it's coarse or if you WANT to save some fry put them
in a breeder net until big enough not to be eaten. I learned the hard way
a few weeks ago...

Tom