RochelleMay Posted February 1, 2009 Report Share Posted February 1, 2009 Ok so we all know that platies breed like the common cold. But mine have never done so until now. I have a couple questions, I have removed them and put them in a fry net thingy, what do I feed them and how often? How many babies will the mum normally have? and how often does she have them... as in I currently have 9 will she be putting out some more in a day etc until they are all out? She is still looking pretty pregnant. Some will be missed and eaten I assume, but most of them are staying hidden in this floating plastic rock. Thanks for any answers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted February 1, 2009 Report Share Posted February 1, 2009 Number of fry varies a lot from half a dozen to 20 or more (there have been reports of up to 200 but I have never seen this many) depending on the size and age of mum. Feed them small amounts often. Crushed flake is fine. Mum can drop fry every 4 - 6 weeks and can do so over a few days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joliet Posted February 1, 2009 Report Share Posted February 1, 2009 ... as in I currently have 9 Lucky you! :lol: I only managed to save one! The rest got eaten I think Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RochelleMay Posted February 2, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 2, 2009 They are actually in my dads tank but he can't be bothered making sure they survive so I go on daily fry hunts Its kinda of fun. He doesn't have a hugely planted tank so dont think theyd survive if it wasnt for me Ha its so exciting when I first saw them I was stoked. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RochelleMay Posted February 2, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 2, 2009 This might be a dumb question, But I know platys are livebearers but are the babies actually swimming when they come out? Just Ive seen her have what I would call a couple whitish poo's that fall to the bottom and then she'll have a normal brown poo afterwards. So what im trying to ask is if the whitish ones are fry dropping out of her and then im assuming they swim off when their ready? or do they actually swim out of her backside? Ha i know thats probably a very silly question but I have no idea otherwise Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted February 2, 2009 Report Share Posted February 2, 2009 Some swim immediately and some drop to the gravel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RochelleMay Posted February 2, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 2, 2009 oh well I just found a couple more swimming near the top. And I tried to catch mum and put her in a seperate net but she was too hard to catch so I didn't want to stress her out too much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newfisher Posted February 2, 2009 Report Share Posted February 2, 2009 Hi Rochelle are they the babies you got from me? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RochelleMay Posted February 2, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 2, 2009 Ummm the big one I got from you. The babies Im not sure if they're even big enough to have babies yet. They are super cute. Dad still hasn't given up his ones to my grandad so these ones are definatly for him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RochelleMay Posted February 2, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 2, 2009 OH its one of the bigger ones I got from you the first time. Not the 2nd time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RochelleMay Posted February 2, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 2, 2009 Any Ideas Please. I had about 10 or 11 babies in one of those plastic floating breeding things, with some sponge in the bottom to prevent the babies from getting out the bottom holes - which I know they do cause I watched one get eaten. But that doesnt seem to be working last night I went for 11 fry to now 5. What else can I do to stop them swimming out the bottom and getting eaten? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenna Posted February 2, 2009 Report Share Posted February 2, 2009 I prefer to use a breeding net - it is a plastic frame with a fine fabric mesh around it, and 2 bendable metal brackets which hang over the side of your tank. The mesh is too small for the fry to swim out, and all the water is still circulating from the rest of the tank, so it stays aerated etc. Put a little floating plant in there to hide them from mum, and take her out after she seems to have dropped most of the fry. You can get them at your LFS or on the auction site (search under "fish net breeder") for $10-15. I find mine to be so useful that it always seems to be clipped on the tank for some reason, even when there's no young fry in there. Don't panic, there will be more babies - take it as a lesson, save as many as you can this time and be ready for next time. They're so cute aren't they! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RochelleMay Posted February 2, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 2, 2009 Cool thanks. I am going to go out and buy one now. I don't want to loose anymore. I did have one dead one this morning and put him in the water and the tiniest of all my tetras ate it I was so suprised it could even fit in his mouth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newfisher Posted February 2, 2009 Report Share Posted February 2, 2009 come over and get some Indian fern I have some nice big plants at the moment. The babies will hide in it. I have had better results of keeping babies this way than using a seperate net. will pm my number so you can ring me first. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newfisher Posted February 3, 2009 Report Share Posted February 3, 2009 My news is I have some baby Mollys now. They are real cute. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RochelleMay Posted February 6, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 6, 2009 Hey guys, I have a bit of dilemma. I had 10 babies in a breeding net then the other day I noticed 9 of them had disappeared into the middle of nowhere. Then I captured another 1 and put him into my net. Then this morning they were both there all happy happy. Then I just looked at them but both have disapperead. The wholes in the net are tiny tiny so I dont see how they can get out. They can't have jumper cause it is only half submersed with about 7cm in the water and 5cm out of the water so the sides are too high to jump. But they have just disappeared. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diver21 Posted February 6, 2009 Report Share Posted February 6, 2009 ive heard that other fish can go up to the net and suck fry through the tiny holes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RochelleMay Posted February 6, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 6, 2009 Really? They were bigger fry though well the last 2 were about 1 cm in length. the holes are tiny tiny though like less then 1mm. Oh I hope thats not the reason the poor babies thats like grinding them thrugh a sieve. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrienne Posted February 6, 2009 Report Share Posted February 6, 2009 Have you any angels in the tank because they most certainly will suck the fry out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RochelleMay Posted February 6, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 6, 2009 Nope no angels. The only things we have that would possibly do that is pearl gouramis or Tiger Barbs. Neither of them seem to pay any attention to the net though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RochelleMay Posted February 22, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 22, 2009 We have more babies. Im taking them out of the Dads tank like last time and still putting them into our tank into a Breeding net that I have put Filter wool on the bottom of so the gouramis can't suck these ones through the net. How exciting again. Ha ok hopefully this time they don't disappear and I can get some to grow and be healthy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenna Posted February 22, 2009 Report Share Posted February 22, 2009 Yay! Congrats on the little ones I'm sure that they'll do fine this time, and in no time at all you'll have more than you can handle (it happens so fast lol) How many have you counted so far? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RochelleMay Posted February 24, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 24, 2009 So far I have captured 2 and are all safe in my net. I have seen another 4 but they have disappeared. I have I think 3 pregnant females - So there'll be lots more coming. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gamefreek101 Posted February 24, 2009 Report Share Posted February 24, 2009 can i buy some off you please i got plattys guppies and mollys about to drop the babys and i have 2 angel fish that like to eat them been looking for some pm me if you have some left you want to sell come over and get some Indian fern I have some nice big plants at the moment. The babies will hide in it. I have had better results of keeping babies this way than using a seperate net. will pm my number so you can ring me first. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RochelleMay Posted February 24, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 24, 2009 Have now got 8 in total saved. And the tank is piled with indian fern so fingers crossed. We get some from the tank and my little net. However Im still a wee bit worried about the tank babies in the indian fern as the SAE's keep swimming through it, I think they can smell prey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.