The reason why no discussion is allowed here is this page is too general. So, if you want all the newly born fry to survive, then you should separate them from the adults. The form below shall be used to ask about the website, functionality, issues or to give feedback. So, though they do need aerated water, they need baffles and blocks to prevent currents from “blowing through” their fish tanks. Breeding the Red Wagtail Platy . Platy come from warm waters on the eastern coasts of both Central America and southern Mexico. While live foods such as fruit flies, blood worms, mosquito larvae, and brine shrimp are preferred, freeze-dried is always an option to consider. Females can warehouse sperm for up to six months; they are almost always pregnant with fertilized eggs and can give live birth to 10 to 40 fry every 4 … The males will chase the females when they are ready to mate and sometimes this can look to be a bit tense but is perfectly normal, often males will compete against each other for the female’s attention but they will sort themselves out and the females will fatten up once mating has taken place. Caring for Your Platy Fish Use commercial fish food for the majority of your platy fishes' diet. As prolific breeders, you don’t have much trouble breeding them in your tank. This indicates that they are probably suffering from this condition. Ich disease is a very common disease for aquarium fish. Many of the fish will then have a mixture of “accent colors” that blend with that base. This includes making sure the water quality of the tank is kept high and the fish are provided with a healthy diet. The female produces a hormone 12 hours after giving birth which takes away any hunger that she has, this is natures way of protecting the young. This is because there are different types of platy fish belonging to different regions. You now have two choices, either move the female into another tank or place her inside a breeder net in the same tank. The female Platy can have between 20 and 80 fry, but will generally produce 20-40 young at a time. The fry grow up real quick, in just 1-2 weeks the body enlarges and they are usually able to survive with adult platy fish, although they are still under danger of being eaten by them. The page has been created, you will now be redirected! In order to ask such a question, please click this link! Breeding Platies in Aquariums. A Platy’s lifespan in a well maintained aquarium varies between 3-5 years. And even though they don’t require large tanks, you’re better off housing these fish in larger than necessary tanks because smaller tanks become dirty much quicker than larger fish tanks. All the family species are divided into 26 genus. The female’s anal fin is also wider, since they are not used this way, which makes them even easier to tell apart. 1 to 2 times daily. Wild Platys are known to be mostly carnivorous, but they are known to eat plant matter as well. The sexual dimorphism between the two is very well pronounced, with the females being significantly larger than the males. Platy fish are live breeders, which means that they retain their eggs until they give birth. The fish was first brought to Europe in 1907 from South Mexico and Guatemala, where they live in lower reaches of rivers flowing into Atlantic Ocean. Matt is a web designer by day and a long-time fishkeeper by night. Century later, there are many Platies varieties on the market, in all colors and color combinations, but still retain… They’re prolific breeders and not exactly monogamous, so you definitely want to give your females a break in this way. Platy fish are likely to eat their fry, therefore, we suggest using a breeding tank of about 10-20 gallons with filtration. You can easily find a wide selection of platys online or at the local pet store. They should be fed small meals 2-3 times per day, this will guarantee that all of the food will get eaten, uneaten food left in the tank will soon pollute the water. For breeding, mollies prefer a tank with a temperature at around 80 °F, or even slightly higher. One of the most recognizable characteristics of the male is that it has a modified rear fin that looks like a tube. Type your valid email in case you forget the password. When the female looks really fat to the point of it looking painful you know she is about to give birth, this is a critical time as often newly born fry fall victim to the adult fish and get eaten. Platies are an omnivorous species so they will likely accept anything you offer them. Platys are one of the most overlooked fish in the hobby, in my opinion. In order to recover your password fill in your username or continue below, please, In case you don't remember your login, fill your email address below. Female swordtails can even give birth to 80 babies at a time. Their characteristics, colour and names are different based on their types. Password must be at least 6 characters long! Over time it will cause respiratory damage and severe infection. Your message has been sent, thanks a lot! They are sensitive to overfeeding, so be careful to look out for bloated bellies. If these illnesses are not caught early enough, they can be very difficult to treat. Breeding Swordtails: Swordtails are simple to breed & beginners can easily breed them, if aquarium conditions are appropriate & if it consists of both males & females, reproduction will happen naturally. Due to these colorful patterns, the fish are sometimes called painted Platies due to the patterns resembling the strokes of a painter’s brush. Before you shop in a local store, though, we’d recommend checking out online stores to see the options that may be out there. Foods that provide good nutrients for your fish include high-end commercial flakes and pellet food supplements, along with brine shrimp, spirulina algae and fresh vegetables. A single birth can produce as many as 80 fry, as well. If the diseases are hard to spot, what do you look for? Please, find any other page that fits your area of interest as over 99% of our pages allow discussion. In the wild, these freshwater fish live in rivers, ponds, and marshes. But they’re not shy like many other peaceful fish. Lastly, consider adding consumable plant matter to your fish tank. Finding out which is best for you will come with experience. They're colourful, hardy, and super fun to breed. Platy fish are one of the easiest species to differentiate between males and females, which is part of why it’s very easy to breed them. When it comes to platy fish food, it is important to remember that while they are an omnivore species that will most likely eat anything you offer them, it is important to make sure their food is high-quality and they have all of their nutritional needs met. You have been logged out successfully! Something went wrong during processing your message, please try again! One of the most popular fish in the aquarium hobby is the Platy, they are often the first choice for novice fish keepers as they have a great reputation for being hardy fish and they are very undemanding. Molly fish will readily breed in home aquaria if you have both males and females in the tank. One vat holds the breeding colony, another juveniles to grow up, and the last is the sale vat. He’s had fish for as long as he can remember, and grew up taking more and more responsibility for his parent’s tanks - from nano reef tanks all the way up to their massive 400 gallon beauty. Platy fish have swim bladders that can be susceptible to swim bladder diseases and disorders. Ease of Breeding: Easy; Fish Diseases. However, they do have their preferences. Often 1 or 2 specimens are added to the tank but they are in fact a social fish and do better in small groups of 5 to 6 specimens, they do not shoal like tetras for example but they do enjoy each others company. Captive breeding of Platy fish has changed their natural colors, the size & shape of fins, however even the Fancy Platies remained Prolific Breeders. These two breeds of the Southern Platy and the Variegated Platy. As a general rule, you need to have 2-3 liters of water for every platy fish. It is possible for the females to store sperm ready for their next batch of young, do not be surprised if they give birth without you being ready for them. This means that though they technically can survive in a smaller tank (13+ gallons), they ought to be in fish tanks that allow for much larger groupings, such as 30-gallons+. There are tons of platy fish types to choose from, with everything from Panda Platys to Red Platies. They’ll eat just about anything they find in their fish tanks. They will accept most fish foods including flakes, frozen, live and freeze dried foods. These little guys need very little water flow for their ideal environment, so avoid overly aerating the water. Platy Fish Breeding Age. Platy Fish are what are known as livebearing fish. Registration has been successful, please login now! It’s important to avoid any sharp-edged objects to protect them. Generally speaking, these fish enjoy hornwort, java moss, Amazon swords, and Amazon Frogbit, and duckweed, along with similar plants. The sexual dimorphism between the two is very well pronounced, with the females being significantly larger than the males. Water Parameters. Platy tropical fish require standard parameters for their fish tanks that any tropical fish would need. You might also notice the expectant female taking on a darker coloration. Increase fresh vegetables, algae, and protein. It is native to North America and Central America and can be found from central Mexico to Belize. These hardy, peaceful little fish are great for beginners, intermediate fish keepers, or even old-timers in the hobby. For example, the female Southern Platy fish can reach up to 2.5 inches only. They will accept the same diet as their parents from birth but if you are giving them quality flake food rub it in your fingers first to crush it slightly, this will make it easier for the fry to digest. Unfortunately, Guppies (Poecilia) and Platies (Xiphophorus) cannot crossbreed. This box will close automatically! This means strong filtration, clean places to hide, plenty of space, and limited other décor items. To make it easier on yourself you can always have a basic meal plan that mostly consists of flakes and pellet food, just make sure that it’s designed to provide proper levels of protein for the fish. This is because both fish belong to different genera. Unfortunately questions regarding fish, plants, diseases or tank setup will be ignored if submitted via the form below! Note: Young female platy at 4 months old can only give birth to about 3 - 5 fish fry from their small belly. Decrease use of pellets and flakes until fish are well again. Page has been saved, refresh it now, please! To give them the best environment possible, include the plants, but also use mixed substrate with sand for the bottom, medium-sized gravel, and then river rocks for the layers. Two main species of Platy are commonly kept by aquarium owners. Selected comment has been removed successfully! The average lifestyle of this fish is about 3 to 4 years. This email address has already been taken! Besides solid colors, the fish have been bred to exhibit a variety of patterns. Currently, the three most discussed platies in the world of aquarists are t… In breeding swordtails with platy fish, there are 4 factors: The water quality; The male to female ratio; Feeding; The breeding cage; The breeding tank is necessary for isolation as well as to let you monitor the progress of the mating. Which is, again, why we emphasize the need for multiple females for every male you keep. The size of Platy fish can reach 3 inches, but it can vary among the different species. Use properly set up quarantine and hospital tanks when fish are being introduced to the tank or have become ill. Also see the Platy FAQ on the forum for more information. Once the fish are added to the tank give them a few hours to explore and settle down before you attempt to offer them any food. Because platys naturally live in slow-moving water, they need to be housed in slow-moving water. Platy babies (known as fry) should always be kept separate from their parents once they’re born – else they’ll become a midnight snack for mama and papa. Try to vary their diet for optimum health and coloration. Whatever platys you want to breed. They are a big fan of the slow-moving water that can be found in warm springs, canals, and ditches. The Platy fish is a freshwater fish belonging to the genus Xiphophorus that is commonly lumped in with other livebearers like Swordtails, Mollies, and Guppies. The most common cures involve using medication and raising the water temperature. Platy fish are relatively easy to breed, such that they – and guppies and mollies – are frequently joked about, that any female who has met a male will surely have babies. Have you forgotten your password or username? If you notice any discoloration of their gills, however, immediately contact your vet to find out how to help the fish. With swords … They’re very non-aggressive, which actually means they are easy targets for the wrong tank mates. They come in every color under the sun, with variable sizes. This is especially true because they’re prolific breeders. I prefer to move the female as I do believe that breeder nets place stress on the female and she could abort the young but the method used is personal choice. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. This is a disease caused by a bacterial infection of either the fin or tails. Just let them exist and you’re almost guaranteed dozens of fry within a few months of sexual maturity of your adults. So that you can cycle your tank. Thanks a lot for understanding! Platy fish has a … These small fish – platy fish size ranges from 1.5 to 2.5-inches at full maturity – are extremely vibrant, active swimmers. Fish need minerals in their water to survive, especially livebearers such as your platies. At the end of the V is a slot, allowing only the fry through. It is best to use a smaller tank for breeding as this reduces the volume of water required when performing the water changes and also reduces the amount of tank maintenance. If so, increase the number of feedings times per day and observe to see if changes in behavior are made. The pictures, below, show some of the Platys for sale at our online retail Tropical Fish store. They can also breed about every 30 days. Anything with sharp edges. Then, purchase male and female molly fish so you have no more than 2 fish per 10 gallons of tank space. Most likely they are not breeding because of the lack of sufficient minerals to develop eggs and/or spe*rm. If you’re in the market for a super fun, colorful, interesting species of fish, the Platy is your ticket to joy. Platy fish types cover a huge variety of tropical fish. They will often produce young without the keeper even realising but the fry are lost as they can be eaten by other tank mates or just not receiving enough food initially to give them the strength to develop into adults. any help would be appreciated thanks chris Click here to recover it! You don’t need to adjust water temperatures, change settings, lighting, or anything else. They need loads of space to keep up their healthiest life. These little fish should have almost no water movement, as they naturally come from near-stagnant waters naturally. Breeder nets are fine for protecting the fry in the first few weeks so gently syphon them out of the tank and place them in the net. The exact parameters for your platy tank will vary from others, of course, but because they’re so hardy, they’re reasonably compatible with other fish species. Click here to close this box. In the wild platy coloring is ochrous (brown and yellow) with two dark spots in front of its tail fin… Most breeding tanks are not big at all. Friendly fish that fit in any community; Platy stay fairly small as far as tropical fish go, only growing to a size of around 5cm. Probably nearer the 3 than the 5. This will lengthen their lives, make them happier, and generally be more enjoyable this way. The most popular varieties available are Mickey Mouse, High Fin, Gold Comet. It looks similar to the fishes that belong to the family of Poeciliidae, but are slightly different from them in terms of appearance and color. Swordtails are live bearers like other fish such as mollies, guppies & platies. Avoid strong flow filters, Hornwort, duckweed, Java Moss, Amazon swords, Amazon frogbit, Caves, live plants, sand and gravel substrate, river rocks, other hiding places. In the … The Female Platy can reproduce in 4 to 5 months of age & can have a brood size of 2 to 60 or more. While platy fish aren’t technically scavengers, they seem to aspire to this title. Watch behavior to see if any aggression forms during feeding times. The page has been removed successfully, you will be redirected now! We’ll answer your questions like “Are platies schooling fish?”, “How big do Platy Fish get?” and all the basics of platy fish care. Southern platys prefer a very loosely arranged, open fish tank, while more of the variable varieties favor a densely planted aquarium with lots of open space for swimming. If you install a va… With platies and guppies we might have 600 fish in each vat. The Platys you see in tanks and aquariums have been bred to show a variety of colors including brown, gold, red, blue, black and green. The wrong filter can suck up the fish fry quickly, so be sure that the filter is safe for them. Poecilia family encounters about 170 species of various colorful fishes dwelling in different waters of South, Central and North America. A common Platy species that falls slightly outside of the typical size and shape of Platy fish, is the Swordtail Platy, who tend to have a longer, thinner body. If you’re wondering if you’ve got a pregnant platy on your hands, the chances are that if you have a female that hasn’t recently given birth, you do. This again is better for large females who won't be able to fit into traps. This is a parasite that will cause white spots to form on the fins, gills, and body. Normally female Platys will produce up to 30 young with each batch so there are quite a few to seek out and care for. Following symbol denotes required fields -. You will need to set up a breeding tank that is a minimum of 10 … The primary thing is choosing plants that work well with the kind of lighting they need and that work well with any other fish species you keep with the platys. They are an excellent community fish and will do well with most other species that require the same water parameters and they are available in a variety of colour variations. Another common illness is Fin Rot. Breeding them is fairly easy since they are livebearers. Keep the tank clean at all times and perform 25% water changes on a weekly basis to keep the water quality high. Within the British fish club scene you can even buy special tanks for breeding livebearers featuring a V-shaped glass divider. Just make sure that you round out their diet with some variety. Selected image has been removed successfully! Keeping the water quality high and offering the fish quality food will increase your chances of successful breeding, selecting the best quality fish initially is also a must, weak and sick fish will produce sickly young. After 1-2 months the fry should have reached 1” in size, it is now safe for these to go back into the tank with their parents. They do have needs however and the most important need is to keep the water quality high in the tank, this applies to all species of fish not just the more delicate species. Either login or email address is required, Account has been recovered, please check your email for further instructions, Javascript seems to be disabled in your browser, therefore this website will, Cookies seem to be disabled in your browser, therefore this website will, A guide on feeding aquarium fish frozen foods, How to grow Anacharis - Egeria densa in aquariums, A page and forum devoted to keeping Blood parrot cichlids, A guide on raising African Dwarf Frogs with pictures and forum, A guide on breeding, feeding and caring for L333 Pleco, Details on keeping Siamese fighting fish with images and forums, How to care for the Flowerhorn fish with discussion. Platys come in a hugely wide range of color variations. Platy fish behavior can only be described as peaceful and friendly. Required fields are marked *. However, these fish have many distinguishing traits that had made them a favorite with enthusiasts ever since they were introduced to the aquarium hobby in the 1900s. Step 1 (Setting up your aquariums) Start with setting up your aquaruim, once you are done leave it for at least 1 month before you add fish. If you don't have an account here, register one free of charge, please. Part of this involves making sure that when you introduce new elements to your tank (substrate, plants, decorations, and other fish) make sure these elements are properly clean and sanitized so there are no abrupt changes to the tank. Some of the best platy tank mates include: Because they are non-aggressive and much smaller than many other species, they should not be housed with fish such as cichlids, Arowanas, tiger barbs, bettas, vampire tetras, or wolf fish. Having a tank filled with fish is a joy for every enthusiastic aquarist. Use good filtration and primarily rely on that for the aeration. Breeding Tank. Try to observe carefully Login and password don't match any record in our database! This will prevent any fry from being sucked up filter intakes and cleaning the filter is very quick, it only takes a couple of minutes to squeeze the sponge in aged tank water to remove any debris. Even though breeding platies is not difficult, inexperienced aquarists can still make mistakes that can prove fatal to baby platies. Platys enjoy a variety and so providing them with plants is always a good option. And though they are not aggressive, it’s a good idea to have two females to every male because otherwise the males might pester the females too much. He’s passionate about helping more people find joy in fishkeeping and teaching them how to become expert pet parents at VIVOFISH. Feed your Platies a high-quality commercial flake or pellet food supplemented with fresh vegetables, spirulina algae, and brine shrimp or other fresh and frozen foods. Platies are easy to breed, but the babies are smaller than the babies of Mollies or Swordtails, so baby Platies are a little more difficult to raise. Platy Fish Breeding. Thanks a lot! Platys are schooling fish who do best in schools of five or more. If you saw a wild Platy you might not recognize it because of how dull its colors are and have no distinguishing marks. The closer you can replicate this diet for your aquarium, the healthier your fish will be. A more voluminous tank will give your fish ample opportunities to swim and play. Natural Habitat, Identification, and Where to Buy, Gender, Breeding, and Reproductive Considerations, Common Diseases and How to Avoid and Treat Them. Make sure your fish live as stress-free of a life as possible because the more stressed a fish is the more likely they are to get sick. Your email address will not be published. Platy fish are Prolific Breeders as it ensures the survival of their species in the wild. Fresh vegetables, spirulina algae, algae wafers, brine shrimp, frozen bloodworms, Algae wafers, brine shrimp, bloodworms, fresh vegetables. hi all, i just got a male and femal platy today from the lfs, and i put them in a baby saver net box to keep them seperate from the rest of the fish, and i was woundering how long it would take them to breed and the female to give birth. One of the most popular fish in the aquarium hobby is the Platy, they are often the first choice for novice fish keepers as they have a great reputation for being hardy fish and they are very undemanding. Platy fish are one of the easiest species to differentiate between males and females, which is part of why it’s very easy to breed them. Distilled, purified, and RO water does not contain any minerals, they have been removed from the … Few interesting facts about platy breeding that I want to add further. It is important to pay attention to your fishes’ health because of how hard it can be to spot diseases. In fact, they need way more space than most people think. Make sure that you set up a separate breeding tank for the fish you want to mate. Unfortunately this page doesn't allow discussion. Really delete this comment from the site? Platys have scales that can easily be harmed by sharp objects in their fish tanks. After you introduce the fish to … Their bodies are short and fat and have a notable tail fin which is both wide and strong. Platy fish are active creatures that enjoy exploring their environment.
Australian Silver Coins Value, Repotting Philodendron Xanadu, Diwani Meaning In Tamil, Why Do You Like Chocolate Ice Cream, Keeping Frogs As Pets, Is Tenet Available In 3d, Alpacas For Parties, Fruta Moras En Inglés,