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New to fish and platy had a fry

2K views 8 replies 5 participants last post by  Oldman47 
#1 ·
I am completely new to fish ownership. I actually asked for three females because I do not know anything about breeding or raising fry. After getting them into the tank, I noticed that one had different fin types on her bottom. According to diagrams on the internet, one is female and two are male.

Well, this morning, I found a couple of fry in the tank. I didn't know the female was pregnant and she didn't match any of the diagrams for pregnant platy that I've found online. Her belly wasn't square and I didn't see the black on the back of her belly.

I again research about fry and realised that the adult platies will probably eat the fry. I caught only one and cannot find the rest. The baby is currently sitting in a glass measuring cup and I don't know what to do. I know he will probably die, but is there anything I can do to ensure he/she will live?

And, what do I do about having TWO males with a female? Will the males fight?
Also, the tank is now cloudy and smells a little. I read in the tank set up instructions that cloudy is normal for a few days. But the smell? I don't think I've overfed. (Twice a day, just a little pinch each time) I don't remember this being so hard with the family fish growing up.
 
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#2 ·
hello and welcome :)
i need to ask a couple of questions from you,for us to be of help.
what size is your tank.
what filter are you running.
what is the temperature.
how long has it been cycled for/is it cycled ?
what fish live in there.
the female was probably pregnant when you bought her,they hold sperm
for some time,you soon will have fry on a very regular basis.
she will be hounded by the males,so my advise would be to either buy more females,
or return the males altogether.
if you provide plenty of caves , plants that are either real plastic or silk,
you'll get a bigger survival rate of the fry.
 
#3 ·
tank: 10 gallons
filter: Aqua-Tech Power Filter Model 5-15
tempartuer: 78 F
Cycled: Ran it for four days before adding fish w/ advice from petco employee
fish: 3 Platies only (2 males and one female) (and now any fry that are surviving in the plants plus the 1 fry hanging out in a glass measuring cup)


I just added these fish yeterday and this is why I was suprised about the fry. My Husband says he has seen a lot more fry darting in and out of the plants and the rocks/gravel at the bottom. I can't find them and I don't want to hurt them by moving things around to look for them.
 
#4 ·
Welcome to the forum omgPlaty. You have made the classic mistake of believing what the LFS told you. If you really want the fry to survive, you will need to make sure there are enough hiding places in the tank for the fry to avoid the predation. In the meantime, you are in a very precarious situation. A new tank comes with a filter but the filter is not ready for fish for quite some time. It is just the hardware that will one day house the bacteria that you need to process your water. The real issue is that fish and their food will end up putting ammonia into the water. That ammonia is very toxic top the fish and must be removed. In a mature tank, the filter contains bacteria that will convert all ammonia into nitrites and also contains other bacteria that will convert nitrites into nitrates. The nitrates are fairly safe in low concentrations but ammonia and nitrites that are allowed to go above 0.25 ppm will harm your fish. The only good way to control ammonia or nitrites before the bacteria become established in the filter is to use large water changes. At your stage in the tank's history, that will probably mean 30% to 50% daily water changes.
To know exactly how you are doing with ammonia and nitrites means testing for it using a test kit that has liquid reagents and test tubes. The dip strips that some use are not very accurate or reliable for a person needing good numbers for a new tank.
The way to do a water change is to remove the water, treat the new water with dechlorinator and then add the water back in. It is best if the new water is about the same temperature as the water you took out. What I do is keep a sample of the water I took out next to the sink and test it with my hand to match teh temperatures.
 
#5 ·
Ghreed, thank you so much for your information.

I have several fake plants in my tank and a cave rock. We have now seen several (maybe 5) fry hiding among the plants and one that blends right in with the orange and brown rock.

I have been researching the internet and I am finding good information. I wish the stores would tell these things in the beginning. I feel horrible for the fish. Between this post and the last, my husband and I changed 20% of the water and we did treat the new water. (20% was the number we found on a fish information site. we will do more tomorrow).

We will look for and get a test kit tomorrow and do testing and water changes daily as suggested. I really hope my platies survive and if once the water is where is should be, I will even out the female to male ratio.

I appreciate your post.
 
#6 ·
update:

I've been doing 30% water changes daily. However, one of the male platies didn't make it and he was found upside down yesterday morning. I don't know if he died from poor water conditions or if the other male harrassed him to death.

Today, the tank is very clear and does not have the smell that it did just three days ago. I did order an API liquid freshwater master test kit. It should be here soon maybe tomorrow or Saturday, I hope.
 
#8 ·
Hello omgplaty I share your disdain with these pet stores that do not tell people the proper information that they need to care for their new family members it is infuriating to me. I regularly have arguements with the employees of my local pet stores. If you are going to sell it then you should know it is my way of thinking. But just remember most of these pet stores are just hiring teenagers and all they care about is the paycheck at the end of the week unfortunatly they care less about the fish you are buying. This Forum is very helpful I have found it to be full of very caring people with a lot of great information that they are willing to share. Thank you for caring about your fish and wanting what is best for them I am sorry for the loss of your male. Good luck
 
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