Platies problem

sil80guy · 04-08-2008, 09:21 PM

Hi in my 20 gallon tank I have 2 platies 1 male and 1 female. A week ago they had eggs but I saw only 1 fry and the eggs i had got destroyed when i redid my aquascape. (I didnt notice the eggs when i took the plants out and sort of squished the eggs.) But thats beyond the point.

my question is that my male platy always chases the female even when its feeding time the female goes up for the food eats about 1 or 2 blood worms before the male chases her away. I dont understand whats going on. Is this natural?

honor · 04-08-2008, 09:28 PM

she dont want a black eye.

**lauraleellbp** · 04-08-2008, 09:37 PM

First of all, platies don't lay eggs, they are livebearers. What other fish (or other critters) do you have in the tank?

And yes, it is normal for fish to compete for food. I typically put a little food in 2 different areas of my tank at feeding time to let everyone get more of a chance to eat.

sil80guy · 04-08-2008, 09:42 PM

oh that would explain why there was only 1 baby platy, i have 1 pleco 2 panda cats planning on getting 2 more today, 1 betta, 10 neon tets, and 1 snail

James From Cali · 04-08-2008, 09:43 PM

My bet is that they are Panda Cory eggs that were destroyed. And fish constantly compete for food.

sil80guy · 04-08-2008, 09:44 PM

well i mean they dont really fight for the food the male just chases the female every chance he gets. other then that none of my fish fight at all

**lauraleellbp** · 04-08-2008, 09:45 PM

The Neon tetras are another possibility, but I'd guess Panda cories too.

James From Cali · 04-08-2008, 09:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sil80guy

well i mean they dont really fight for the food the male just chases the female every chance he gets. other then that none of my fish fight at all

Male livebearers are horny little buggers and will chase the females anytime of day.

Quote:

Originally Posted by lauraleellbp

The Neon tetras are another possibility, but I'd guess Panda cories too.

Neons are not easily bred.

sil80guy · 04-08-2008, 09:47 PM

i read some thigns about the platies real quick just now in class and it says that the male is chasing her to breed, but the female doesnt want to and the chasing causes stress to the female. should i buy another female when i go to the lfs today? lol james beat me to the punch so i guess its true what i read. Thanks for the help. Ill probably buy another female today

kornphlake · 04-08-2008, 10:37 PM

I'm suprised even 1 of the fry survived, tetras in general will eat anything that will fit in their mouth, as far as I know bettas are the same, even platties are known to eat their own fry some times. The odds of livebearer fry surviving in a community tank are pretty low.

Supposedly neons are easy to breed, they do it constantly and most people don't even notice, the problem is they eat each other's eggs about as fast as they are laid in an aquarium, any fry that are hatched are eaten just as quickly as the eggs. Probably what you saw was a corydora egg, they are maybe 1mm in diameter, tetra eggs would be smaller.

A bunch of java moss will increase the odds of your fry surviving, a couple females to each male will keep the harassment to a minimum.

James From Cali · 04-09-2008, 12:22 AM

In a well planted tank fry can surely survive. I have had 1 week old fry in a tank with kribensis and tetras and not one problem had occured with missing fish.

sil80guy · 04-09-2008, 04:25 AM

i went back to the lfs today to see if i could pick up some females but the tank with my platies were sick so the worker suggested to add a female from a different platy species in the tank.

at the moment it looks like its working.....

James From Cali · 04-09-2008, 04:28 AM

Platy's(of all color) are Xiphophorus maculatus and can go together and they will not care. They will also breed and make other strains.

sil80guy · 04-09-2008, 04:35 AM

oh cool thanks for the info james

04-08-2008, 09:21 PM	#1 (permalink)
sil80guy Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (1) Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: California Posts: 60	Platies problem Hi in my 20 gallon tank I have 2 platies 1 male and 1 female. A week ago they had eggs but I saw only 1 fry and the eggs i had got destroyed when i redid my aquascape. (I didnt notice the eggs when i took the plants out and sort of squished the eggs.) But thats beyond the point. my question is that my male platy always chases the female even when its feeding time the female goes up for the food eats about 1 or 2 blood worms before the male chases her away. I dont understand whats going on. Is this natural?

04-08-2008, 09:37 PM	#3 (permalink)
lauraleellbp Fresh Fish Freak (View User Tanks) PTrader: (22) Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Naples, Florida Posts: 7,307	First of all, platies don't lay eggs, they are livebearers. What other fish (or other critters) do you have in the tank? And yes, it is normal for fish to compete for food. I typically put a little food in 2 different areas of my tank at feeding time to let everyone get more of a chance to eat. __________________ Laura Lee; 29gal, 46gal,and 90gal FW planted in progress- see my journal at http://forums.tfhmagazine.com/viewto...p?f=82&t=23207

04-08-2008, 09:43 PM	#5 (permalink)
James From Cali Planted Tank Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (8) Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Sacramento, California Posts: 2,798	My bet is that they are Panda Cory eggs that were destroyed. And fish constantly compete for food. __________________ Recent Fish Experiences Anabantoidei: Helostomatidae: Helostoma temminckii(Kissing Gourami) Osphronemidae: Macropodus opercularis(Paradise Fish) Cypriniformes: Gyrinocheilidae: Gyrinocheilus aymonieri(Chinese Algae Eater) Cyprinidae: Rasbora trilineata(Scissortail Rasbora), Puntius conchonis(Rosy Barb)

04-08-2008, 09:45 PM	#7 (permalink)
lauraleellbp Fresh Fish Freak (View User Tanks) PTrader: (22) Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Naples, Florida Posts: 7,307	The Neon tetras are another possibility, but I'd guess Panda cories too. __________________ Laura Lee; 29gal, 46gal,and 90gal FW planted in progress- see my journal at http://forums.tfhmagazine.com/viewto...p?f=82&t=23207

04-09-2008, 12:22 AM	#11 (permalink)
James From Cali Planted Tank Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (8) Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Sacramento, California Posts: 2,798	In a well planted tank fry can surely survive. I have had 1 week old fry in a tank with kribensis and tetras and not one problem had occured with missing fish. __________________ Recent Fish Experiences Anabantoidei: Helostomatidae: Helostoma temminckii(Kissing Gourami) Osphronemidae: Macropodus opercularis(Paradise Fish) Cypriniformes: Gyrinocheilidae: Gyrinocheilus aymonieri(Chinese Algae Eater) Cyprinidae: Rasbora trilineata(Scissortail Rasbora), Puntius conchonis(Rosy Barb)

04-08-2008, 09:28 PM	#2 (permalink)
honor Planted Tank Obsessed (View User Tanks) PTrader: (4) Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Los Angeles California Posts: 379	she dont want a black eye.

04-08-2008, 09:42 PM	#4 (permalink)
sil80guy Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (1) Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: California Posts: 60	oh that would explain why there was only 1 baby platy, i have 1 pleco 2 panda cats planning on getting 2 more today, 1 betta, 10 neon tets, and 1 snail

04-08-2008, 09:44 PM	#6 (permalink)
sil80guy Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (1) Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: California Posts: 60	well i mean they dont really fight for the food the male just chases the female every chance he gets. other then that none of my fish fight at all

04-08-2008, 09:47 PM	#9 (permalink)
sil80guy Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (1) Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: California Posts: 60	i read some thigns about the platies real quick just now in class and it says that the male is chasing her to breed, but the female doesnt want to and the chasing causes stress to the female. should i buy another female when i go to the lfs today? lol james beat me to the punch so i guess its true what i read. Thanks for the help. Ill probably buy another female today

04-08-2008, 10:37 PM	#10 (permalink)
kornphlake Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (1) Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Portland Posts: 270	I'm suprised even 1 of the fry survived, tetras in general will eat anything that will fit in their mouth, as far as I know bettas are the same, even platties are known to eat their own fry some times. The odds of livebearer fry surviving in a community tank are pretty low. Supposedly neons are easy to breed, they do it constantly and most people don't even notice, the problem is they eat each other's eggs about as fast as they are laid in an aquarium, any fry that are hatched are eaten just as quickly as the eggs. Probably what you saw was a corydora egg, they are maybe 1mm in diameter, tetra eggs would be smaller. A bunch of java moss will increase the odds of your fry surviving, a couple females to each male will keep the harassment to a minimum.

04-09-2008, 04:25 AM	#12 (permalink)
sil80guy Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (1) Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: California Posts: 60	i went back to the lfs today to see if i could pick up some females but the tank with my platies were sick so the worker suggested to add a female from a different platy species in the tank. at the moment it looks like its working.....

04-09-2008, 04:28 AM	#13 (permalink)
James From Cali Planted Tank Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (8) Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Sacramento, California Posts: 2,798	Platy's(of all color) are Xiphophorus maculatus and can go together and they will not care. They will also breed and make other strains. __________________ Recent Fish Experiences Anabantoidei: Helostomatidae: Helostoma temminckii(Kissing Gourami) Osphronemidae: Macropodus opercularis(Paradise Fish) Cypriniformes: Gyrinocheilidae: Gyrinocheilus aymonieri(Chinese Algae Eater) Cyprinidae: Rasbora trilineata(Scissortail Rasbora), Puntius conchonis(Rosy Barb)

04-09-2008, 04:35 AM	#14 (permalink)
sil80guy Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (1) Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: California Posts: 60	oh cool thanks for the info james

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