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.
Platy Fish: Southern Platy, Xiphophorus maculatus, Variatus Platy Usually, not much effort is required to get them to breed. As is typical for male live-bearers, male platy fish will constantly chase female platies to reproduce, which can put a lot of stress on females. They reach sexual maturity at approximately 4 months of age. Adding more male platies is not a good idea as it can stress out female platies. 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. document.getElementById("ak_js_1").setAttribute("value",(new Date()).getTime()); Matt is a web designer by day and a long-time fishkeeper by night. Watch behavior to see if any aggression forms during feeding times. Fish Keeping Guide is dedicated to covering what is important to you as a fish pet owner. This can be beneficial in some cases for their tank mates but may also cause problems with the food chain if Platies eat other species eggs or fry. Before you shop in a local store, though, wed recommend checking out online stores to see the options that may be out there. Some of the signs of platy fish pregnancy include an enlarged abdomen and dark spots on the belly. If youre in the market for a super fun, colorful, interesting species of fish, the Platy is your ticket to joy. Their bodies arent the most streamlined shape to get through the water quickly. Please leave me a comment. As mentioned earlier, you can prevent the unwanted reproduction by keeping the male platy and female platy in separate tanks. After conceiving, a single platy fish can give birth to up to 20 or even 40 fry at a time! A gravid spot starts developing in the center. But when it comes to pH, I find it much harder to tell. But, with a little help from you, your Platies will thankful. You can easily find a wide selection of platys online or at the local pet store. The only problem with live foods is that they can carry diseases. Species Overview Common Name: Red wagtail platy Scientific Name: Xiphophorus maculatus Adult Size: 2-3 inches Life Expectancy: 4 years Characteristics The fish average a length of 1.5 to 2.5 inches (4-6 cm) where the males are smaller than the females. Like guppies, platies are livebearing fish. So, if you want all the newly born fry to survive, then you should separate them from the adults. They come in every color under the sun, with variable sizes. If anyone has more information, thats something Id like to know.
Platy Fish Care: Types, Tank Setup, Diet, And More There are tons of platy fish types to choose from, with everything from Panda Platys to Red Platies. Postscript: After posting the blog above, I put out a query on normal Platy behavior on fishlore.com and did some further web searching following links at the bottom of the query. The test strip read 6.8, but the API liquid test yielded a blue that could be anything, in my estimation, between 7 and 7.5. Watch behavior to see if any aggression forms during feeding times. If you have any questions feel free to contact me or leave a comment below. Some species of Platy fish can become aggressive and territorial. So what do you think? 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. Males Chasing Females For one, male platies chase after females. The Platy Fish Common Behavior This is a very peaceful species and they are not aggressive with any other species. While a female will maintain stereotypical fan-shaped fins, the male anal . Platy fish are ready for breeding from the ripe age of 4 months. 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.Best AntibioticsChloromycetin or tetracyclineTreatments to AvoidNone specificallyFood Recommendations When SickIncrease fresh vegetables, algae, and protein. For. The content of this website is not meant to be a substitute for professional medical advice. There are some homemade food options for your platies that can be highly nutritious for them. They are a big fan of the slow-moving water that can be found in warm springs, canals, and ditches. These are all small foods that are excellent for platy fry, especially if you want them to grow fast in the first couple of weeks. The female'a vent will transform from circular and rounded to square. How To Tell If A Platy Is Pregnant And When She Will Give Birth. It will recreate the natural breeding season which they are aware of in the wild and they will get ready to mate instantly. Author note: One good thing about Platys eating their vegetables is that they are always willing to eat up any algae you leave lying around in the tank.Info. Generally speaking, these fish enjoy hornwort, java moss, Amazon swords, and Amazon Frogbit, and duckweed, along with similar plants. Increase the tank size to keep more fish in them. Male platy fish are smaller than females and theyre slenderer compared to female platies that have a rounded abdomen; Male platy fish have a gonopodium, which is the sexual organ they use to fertilize females; Female platy fish feature wider anal fins. The only issue that you may encounter with them is making sure youre feeding them food that will fit their mouths.
Platy Vs Molly: How To Tell Which Is Which? - Aquarium Focus I was wordied something was wrong. This means strong filtration, clean places to hide, plenty of space, and limited other dcor items. Females often swim closely with other females or small groups of other species while males will fight each other for the chance to mate with a female. Platy fish are shy and will spend a lot of time hiding when in unfamiliar surroundings. The fry are able to swim and eat on their own. Hes passionate about helping more people find joy in fishkeeping and teaching them how to become expert pet parents at VIVOFISH. The sexual dimorphism between the two is very well pronounced, with the females being significantly larger than the males.
Can Platy Fish And Swordtail Fish Breed? - Aqualife Aggression in Platy fish is usually displayed through their body language rather than chasing or biting each other. The female platy will usually spawn around 20 to 80 platy babies that will be ready to swim and feed. In fact, its more than a hobby, because Ive spent countless hours doing research on different fish species.
Pregnant Platy Fish - Is Female Platy Fish about to Give Birth? Dont breed platies that are sick or with deformities as they can pass those traits to their offspring. However, they use their teeth for eating purposes while defending themselves, so they arent a problem! Some species of Platy fish like the Sailfin or Peacock Platy will spend a lot of time hiding. Make sure you set up the aquarium with live plants, which not only help along the nitrogen cycle, but also help in keeping the water clean of toxins that will accumulate once you add fish to the aquarium. As of yet I haven't seen any behavior indicative of mating. Id thought I had made a mistake in my selection, but observing them tonight, I can see that they have definitely calmed down.
Platy mating behavior | Platy Forum | 202064 When platy fish are well-cared for, with proper nutrition, a clean tank, low stress, and appropriate tankmates, they will usually live up to between 3 and 4 years. Native to Costa Rica, Mexico, and Honduras, Xiphophorus maculatus (mickey mouse platy) is a freshwater fish that is commonly known as the Sunburst Platy. If so, increase the number of feedings times per day and observe to see if changes in behavior are made. They don't require much help from your side to encourage . But during pregnancy, it is better to keep the platy separate from male fish of any breed as they can be aggressive and create tension inside the tank. some case they just need 2 weeks to birth but in other case. To avoid this, limit the number of females. They also have round, fatter abdomens, and more muted colors. There are a few things to know about reproductive age, determining the gender of platy fish, and stocking the aquarium with the right number of male and female platies. While the female platy is noticeably bigger in size with a round abdomen and a duller color. This article is very helpful! As I noted in another blog post, these test results are hard to read and approximations. you read and agreed to the, Thanks for sharing your research into platys :). At the end of the day, the best thing you can do for your fishy friends is to be proactive in preventing disease. The females anal fin is also wider, since they are not used this way, which makes them even easier to tell apart. I've noticed that the one adult male platy will only . When a pregnant platy is ready to give birth after almost 28 days of gestation, it will swim to a clean and quiet part of the aquarium where she gives birth to fry all alone.
I have 3 platys 2 females and 1 male will they have babys? Interestingly, you dont need to make any special arrangements for their mating. Platy fish will breed anywhere and everywhere regardless of the type of the tank setup. The tank should be at least 10 gallons in size and have some plants to help the fry hide from hungry parents. 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 a fish doesnt display these qualities, it will likely not live very long. Ammonia and nitrites should be kept to a minimum of 0 ppm, while nitrates should be kept to a maximum of 40 ppm.
Platy Fish Spawning Ritual Habits - YouTube Platy fish - Behaviour, tank setup, feeding and breeding To pull this off successfully, youll need lots of plants that can hide the fry. The males also chase after the females but only if there is no other male Platy fish around. Thanks for reading! Behavior & Temperament. Set up a separate breeding tank with similar tank conditions as the primary habitat. - 12/29/06 <<Hello, Linda. The following anecdotal reports turned up. I really enjoy the aquarium hobby and love sharing my experience with others. The platy has two goals in life: eating and breeding. For example, they can live peacefully in a tank with other types of small fish but may become aggressive if there is another male Platy or platy female available for mating. Platy fish small and can grow up to 3 inches. While live foods such as fruit flies, blood worms, mosquito larvae, and brine shrimp are preferred, freeze-dried is always an option to consider. The male platy is smaller in size and the fin shape is pointed. My platy is very shy. This includes making sure the water quality of the tank is kept high and the fish are provided with a healthy diet. Most people keep Platy Fish as a colorful living accent to draw attention to an aquascape, or else to bring life to particularly boring corners of the tank. Author note: One note of precaution with the filtration is that these fish have a lot of little babies. Thats because they dont require any special adjustments for breeding. 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. I have 5 platys, 3 male & 2 female.
Can Rainbow fish live with platy? - DIY Seattle Tetra Fish Care is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. 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. Their popularity in home aquariums can be attributed largely to the ease with which they can be mated and reared. Increase fresh vegetables, algae, and protein. They pretty much stay in different parts of the tank unless it's feeding time.
How To Stop Platy From Breeding | Here Is How - Life Of Fish Shoaling behavior is common in Platy fish, so they can find other species of similar size and have companionship while staying safe from predators. They are not big fans of bright lights or loud noises. Platy Fish Behavior. It takes almost 28 days to give birth to a fully-grown fry. Males have an anal fin that has turned into gonopodium, which are basically hooks that allow them to attach themselves to the females for platy breeding. Your email address will not be published. These little guys need very little water flow for their ideal environment, so avoid overly aerating the water. The female platy will usually spawn around 20 to 80 platy babies that will be ready to swim and feed. There are criteria to follow when breeding swordtails with platies: Quality of the Water You should make sure your tank's temperature range from 74 to 82 degrees Fahrenheit. Platy tropical fish require standard parameters for their fish tanks that any tropical fish would need. They should also be actively swimming about. The dorsal fin of Xiphophorus maculatus is yellow in color and its belly is white or gray. Platy fish are one of the easiest species to differentiate between males and females, which is part of why its very easy to breed them.
Here too, you can use a breeding trap, or you may want to leave the adults enough space to swim around and remove them when baby platies are released by the female. Hes had fish for as long as he can remember, and grew up taking more and more responsibility for his parents tanks - from nano reef tanks all the way up to their massive 400 gallon beauty. Hard-boiled egg yolk is one of these foods that you can prepare at home on a budget. If you want to keep platy fish, then you are recommended to restrict the ratio of male and female platy to 1:3.