Are Platys any good for beginners?

[OohFeeshy]

I have a five gallon tank, and will hopefully get a heater soon. Are platies hardy fish for a beginner like me who has somehow managed to kill 2 guppies allready? My friend has some baby ones she needs to get rid of that she said I could ahve.

 

[glolite]

Yes they're good. I've got 3 and haven't managed to bump them off yet!
They are livebearers too.

 

[OohFeeshy]

Yes, I know that. As long as they don't die too soon...

 

[glolite]

Nah. Heat your water though. Guppies and platys need between 24 and 28 degrees centigrade. As long as you do 1 x 20% water change weekly things should settle nicely.

 

[OohFeeshy]

This is only if i get a heater, mind. If not... It's cloud mountin minnows for me

 

[glolite]

I had cloud minnows in my pond for a while, they're nice!

 

[OohFeeshy]

A bit boring colour wise though....

 

[glolite]

Mmmm suppose they are really. Get the heater yeah!!!!

 

[sylvia]

Platies are great You could also try mosquito fish - they're ok in coldwater and are also livebearers. White clouds can get quite brightly colored if given live foods and good water conditions.

 

[OohFeeshy]

I haven't seen any mosquito fish though...

 

[BobK]

Platies are great for beginners. Colorful, hardy, easy to breed, active and they "beg for food" giving them a little personality!

 

[TESS]

Yes, i have 8 red platys and i am a beginner.
They are very lively and like the other post said they 'beg for food'. I feed them a small amount once a day, they keep making me feel guilty but they are not having anymore than that. I brought them freeze dried brine shrimp for a treat once a week, they love it! (feeding frenzy) and its very good for them and improves their colour.

 

[xWendyx]

Have you considered a betta a.k.a. Siamese Fighting Fish? You could easily fit one in a five gallon tank and they're pretty accepting of mistakes. You won't need a heater so long as the area you put them in doesn't get too cold over winter.

When they're in a tank, and not a cup of water, they do swim around quite a bit, and watching them guard bubble nests is too cute

A bottom of the scale, mutt veiltail will only cost you a couple of dollars although there are some AWESOME fish available for only a little extra. The males are flashier, but there are some pretty females around, too and frequently they're sold at rock-bottom prices.

 

[Fishy411]

killing guppies isnt much of a feat these days. Someone posted in teh livebearer section about the declining state of guppy hardiness.

Hey i happen to LIKe mutt veiltails. Some of them have awesome coloring. I have a metallic blue and white one.

 

[BobK]

Hey, it's the "Mutts" of the world that are usually the hardiest. Because of their mixed lineages they have a more varied gene pool and are much less succeptible to genetic illnesses/mutations/deformities.