happy hardy platies

[netDenizen]

There's been some discussion on this board of declining health and
quality of today's livebearers. They're alleged to be bred in very salty
water, etc...

I'm happy to report that I purchased 9 red platies in early January on a
whim, and they're all still thriving. I just did maintenance and plant
trimming on my 90-gallon aquarium and was able to count all the platies
- usually one or two are hidden in the plants.

These platies were fairly new arrivals at a local store, and I purchased
all 9 that were in one aquarium there. They've doubled in size since
purchase and I do nothing special. No salt, only a bit of crushed coral
and KH booster for the very soft tapwater.

How are other folks' livebearers?

[Mister Gardener]

On Fri, 05 May 2006 17:29:17 -0400, netDenizen > wrote:

>There's been some discussion on this board of declining health and
>quality of today's livebearers. They're alleged to be bred in very salty
>water, etc...
>
>I'm happy to report that I purchased 9 red platies in early January on a
>whim, and they're all still thriving. I just did maintenance and plant
>trimming on my 90-gallon aquarium and was able to count all the platies
>- usually one or two are hidden in the plants.
>
>These platies were fairly new arrivals at a local store, and I purchased
>all 9 that were in one aquarium there. They've doubled in size since
>purchase and I do nothing special. No salt, only a bit of crushed coral
>and KH booster for the very soft tapwater.
>
>How are other folks' livebearers?

The only livebearers I've purchased in recent months have been
platies, young, sunburst or something like that, bright orangey red.
They are thriving very well. No special treatment - they're in what I
call my livebearer free for all tank - 29 gallons.

-- Mister Gardener
-- Pull the WEED to email me

[Koi-Lo]

"netDenizen" > wrote in message
.. .
> There's been some discussion on this board of declining health and quality
> of today's livebearers. They're alleged to be bred in very salty water,
> etc...
>
> I'm happy to report that I purchased 9 red platies in early January on a
> whim, and they're all still thriving. I just did maintenance and plant
> trimming on my 90-gallon aquarium and was able to count all the platies -
> usually one or two are hidden in the plants.
>
> These platies were fairly new arrivals at a local store, and I purchased
> all 9 that were in one aquarium there. They've doubled in size since
> purchase and I do nothing special. No salt, only a bit of crushed coral
> and KH booster for the very soft tapwater.
>
> How are other folks' livebearers?
============================
I have Mickey Mouse platys and a few common Gold ones whose parents came
from PetsMart awhile ago. They're thriving and have babies on a regular
basis. This is the second generation now having the 3rd generation. The
original ones have all passed away from decrepit old age.
--
Koi-Lo....
Aquariums since 1952.
My Pond & Aquarium Pages:
http://tinyurl.com/9do58
Aquarium FAQ are at:
http://faq.thekrib.com/
~~~~ }<((((*> ~~~ }<{{{{(ö> ~~~~ }<((((({*>

[Daniel Morrow]

Bottom posted.
"netDenizen" > wrote in message
.. .
> There's been some discussion on this board of declining health and
> quality of today's livebearers. They're alleged to be bred in very salty
> water, etc...
>
> I'm happy to report that I purchased 9 red platies in early January on a
> whim, and they're all still thriving. I just did maintenance and plant
> trimming on my 90-gallon aquarium and was able to count all the platies
> - usually one or two are hidden in the plants.
>
> These platies were fairly new arrivals at a local store, and I purchased
> all 9 that were in one aquarium there. They've doubled in size since
> purchase and I do nothing special. No salt, only a bit of crushed coral
> and KH booster for the very soft tapwater.
>
> How are other folks' livebearers?

My fancy guppies are thriving as usual - especially after I took in a ton
from the silver dollar tank to the lfs for store credit as they were over
populating that (silver dollar) tank and I know it's a fact because the
nitrates were sky high and the nitrites were getting to the point that any
fish could keel over in that tank. Ever since I turned in 2 hundred I
haven't had any mysterious deaths but I have noticed that they are
populating to the point of getting closer to the way it was before. So it's
off to the lfs again soon. The fry numbers have decreased in that tank and I
think it's because of the largely vegetarian but sometimes carnivorous
powder blue (or color morph of something whatever) cichlid I got as a 20
dollar store credit for those 2 hundred fancy guppies I took into the lfs,
as the cichlid probably munches on the fry (the cichlid also eats
crustaceans in nature so I guess fancy guppy fry might be a good substitute
for such). After a year and a half of population increases in my turtle tank
the nitrates are rising and I just remembered I need to check the nitrites
as the nitrates are a common sign (at least with my setups) of
overpopulation) so I will probably leave a note here somewhere about what I
find sometime. Good luck all and later!

[netDenizen]

Daniel Morrow wrote:

>
> My fancy guppies are thriving as usual - especially after I took in a ton
> from the silver dollar tank to the lfs for store credit as they were over
> populating that (silver dollar) tank and I know it's a fact because the
> nitrates were sky high and the nitrites were getting to the point that any
> fish could keel over in that tank. Ever since I turned in 2 hundred I
> haven't had any mysterious deaths but I have noticed that they are
> populating to the point of getting closer to the way it was before. So it's
> off to the lfs again soon. The fry numbers have decreased in that tank and I
> think it's because of the largely vegetarian but sometimes carnivorous
> powder blue (or color morph of something whatever) cichlid I got as a 20
> dollar store credit for those 2 hundred fancy guppies I took into the lfs,
> as the cichlid probably munches on the fry (the cichlid also eats
> crustaceans in nature so I guess fancy guppy fry might be a good substitute
> for such). After a year and a half of population increases in my turtle tank
> the nitrates are rising and I just remembered I need to check the nitrites
> as the nitrates are a common sign (at least with my setups) of
> overpopulation) so I will probably leave a note here somewhere about what I
> find sometime. Good luck all and later!
>
>

It sounds like the reports of declining livebearer quality may be
exaggerated. Thanks for sharing your experiences, folks!

W.R.T. your earlier population problem Daniel, I experienced the same in
the past with swordtails in my planted aquarium. Now with platies
instead, there is no population problem - but it's likely due to the
tankmates that include two big blue gourami. There are usually some
little babies around, but no bigger ones. I haven't seen the babies
being devoured but that must be happening, and it's ok for now :) .

[NetMax]

"netDenizen" > wrote in message
.. .
> Daniel Morrow wrote:
>
>>
>> My fancy guppies are thriving as usual - especially after I took in a ton
>> from the silver dollar tank to the lfs for store credit as they were over
>> populating that (silver dollar) tank and I know it's a fact because the
>> nitrates were sky high and the nitrites were getting to the point that
>> any
>> fish could keel over in that tank. Ever since I turned in 2 hundred I
>> haven't had any mysterious deaths but I have noticed that they are
>> populating to the point of getting closer to the way it was before. So
>> it's
>> off to the lfs again soon. The fry numbers have decreased in that tank
>> and I
>> think it's because of the largely vegetarian but sometimes carnivorous
>> powder blue (or color morph of something whatever) cichlid I got as a 20
>> dollar store credit for those 2 hundred fancy guppies I took into the
>> lfs,
>> as the cichlid probably munches on the fry (the cichlid also eats
>> crustaceans in nature so I guess fancy guppy fry might be a good
>> substitute
>> for such). After a year and a half of population increases in my turtle
>> tank
>> the nitrates are rising and I just remembered I need to check the
>> nitrites
>> as the nitrates are a common sign (at least with my setups) of
>> overpopulation) so I will probably leave a note here somewhere about what
>> I
>> find sometime. Good luck all and later!
>>
>>
>
> It sounds like the reports of declining livebearer quality may be
> exaggerated. Thanks for sharing your experiences, folks!
>
> W.R.T. your earlier population problem Daniel, I experienced the same in
> the past with swordtails in my planted aquarium. Now with platies instead,
> there is no population problem - but it's likely due to the tankmates that
> include two big blue gourami. There are usually some little babies around,
> but no bigger ones. I haven't seen the babies being devoured but that must
> be happening, and it's ok for now :) .

imnsho, the success of the more experienced hobbyists who post here, is not
representative of the general stock condition of livebearers in the trade
;~).

Having said that - there are pond-bred Platys which go to market in Asia's
Autumn (North-America's Spring) which I've found very healthy. I actually
have an order placed for some, and I'm waiting delivery :o).
--
www.NetMax.tk

[Larry Blanchard]

Koi-Lo wrote:

> I have Mickey Mouse platys and a few common Gold ones whose parents
> came from PetsMart awhile ago.**They're*thriving*and*have*babies*on*a
> regular basis.**This*is*the*second*generation*now*having*t he*3rd
> generation.**The original ones have all passed away from decrepit old
> age.

Sounds like mine. Except I'm not sure whether I'm on generation 3 or
4 :-).

Only problem occurred when I put some small panda cories in the same
tank. Two of them starved to death before I figured out what was
happening. Them platys don't leave no food, no sir, no way!

--
It's turtles, all the way down

[Gill Passman]

>
> imnsho, the success of the more experienced hobbyists who post here, is not
> representative of the general stock condition of livebearers in the trade
> ;~).
>
> Having said that - there are pond-bred Platys which go to market in Asia's
> Autumn (North-America's Spring) which I've found very healthy. I actually
> have an order placed for some, and I'm waiting delivery :o).

I've had mixed success with my purchased Platys - of the ones that
remain one I bought a few months ago (the other two died) and the other
one has gone on for 18 months plus - I call her the "Mother Ship" - she
did have another name but I this one fits a bit better...she regularly
produces but the fry take their chances - I am now on some second
generation fry....I think there are around 8 Platys in the tank right
now but have to be sharp eyed to find the smaller ones down to the
planting....

Mollies have been a different story...the original Mollies all went to
the "big tank in the sky" around 6 months after purchase...until today
we had 4 of their offspring remaining (the rest got traded for credit at
the LFS) - sadly we lost our "first baby" this morning - she was around
1 year old - looked like someone had tried to suck her eye out..(yuk) -
I'm laying the blame (maybe unfairly) on the Yoyo Loaches....no sign of
disease on any of the other fish or water quality issues - the only
issue I found with the tank (which belongs to one of my sons) was the
desperate need to weed and cull plants which had taken over.....I only
spotted the problem with the Mollie once I could see the fish again
through the undergrowth....he reckons he likes it overgrown but is dead
grateful when I go in and prune....

I've only ever kept male fancy guppies (although I have seen that the
LFS's are now stocking some quite pretty females)....however many I've
bought over time I still end up with just the original one that I
purchased 18 months ago....maybe he is carrying some disease - I just
don't know but he's happy on his own....

Gill

[Altum]

netDenizen wrote:
> There's been some discussion on this board of declining health and
> quality of today's livebearers. They're alleged to be bred in very salty
> water, etc...
>
> I'm happy to report that I purchased 9 red platies in early January on a
> whim, and they're all still thriving. I just did maintenance and plant
> trimming on my 90-gallon aquarium and was able to count all the platies
> - usually one or two are hidden in the plants.
>
> These platies were fairly new arrivals at a local store, and I purchased
> all 9 that were in one aquarium there. They've doubled in size since
> purchase and I do nothing special. No salt, only a bit of crushed coral
> and KH booster for the very soft tapwater.
>
> How are other folks' livebearers?

Let's see. My guppies bred me out of house and home and I finally sold
most and put the rest outside. No problems there...

I've got two lovely female m*llies in an outdoor tank at the moment.
One's from LFS and is about nine months old. The other came from an
aquarium society friend and was locally raised so she's doing great.
The male from LFS slowly wasted away (he was the one I tried salting).

A week ago I got a very healthy-looking male m*lly from a good store to
replace the one I lost. He was the only m*lly in the tank and all his
platy tankmates looked good too. Within two days that darned fish had a
big, swollen red area on his side. I thought he was a goner for sure,
but yesterday he looked a bit better so I'm waiting to see what happens.

--
Put the word aquaria in the subject to email me.
Did you read the FAQ? http://faq.thekrib.com

[Koi-Lo]

"Larry Blanchard" > wrote in message
...
> Koi-Lo wrote:
>
>> I have Mickey Mouse platys and a few common Gold ones whose parents
>> came from PetsMart awhile ago. They're thriving and have babies on a
>> regular basis. This is the second generation now having the 3rd
>> generation. The original ones have all passed away from decrepit old
>> age.
>
> Sounds like mine. Except I'm not sure whether I'm on generation 3 or
> 4 :-).

Well actually I think I'm on generation 2 and 3, and the newest fry are the
4th. I know the number is growing and some are going to have to be given
away soon. I think I'll give them to a relative with a larger tank. I want
to dismantle two of the tens and put them away. I have too many tanks set
up right now. All these tanks along with the fish outside are becoming
overwhelming.

> Only problem occurred when I put some small panda cories in the same
> tank. Two of them starved to death before I figured out what was
> happening. Them platys don't leave no food, no sir, no way!

They're big eaters, that's for sure. :-)
--
Koi-Lo....
Aquariums since 1952.
My Pond & Aquarium Pages:
http://tinyurl.com/9do58
~~~~ }<((((*> ~~~ }<{{{{(ö> ~~~~ }<((((({*>