Breeding Platies And Guppies

[Episkey]

Can these two breed together in the same tank? I don't mean cross breeding, but keeping a trio of platies and guppies and keeping the fry together.

Thanks,
Joey

 

[mattyeatsmatts]

Tank will need to be planted for the fry to hide from adults

 

[snazy]

No problem at all. They will breed with their own species regardless. If you don't separate the babies most of them will get eaten depending whether there are places to hide in the tank but enough will survive usually. Platy babies tend to survive way easier than the more fragile guppy fry if you don't separate them.
The adults will be very keen to eat the young at first but eventually they will more than likely lose interest especially if the tank is big enough for the small to run away. So if you don't intend to give them away or get another tank, do not save the baby fry as you will be overrun in a matter of weeks.

Enjoy!!

 

[fish48]

just curious why do you believe guppy fry are more fragile

 

[snazy]

Not that they are more fragile as with health issues but they don't tend to hide as much as platy fry do and therefore they become a snack faster. Platies are absolute kings in hiding when small in my experience.
Also, the blonde fry guppies are for some reason very attractive meal compared to the grey ones. Platies of course grow bigger faster and they get roundier so after a couple of weeks max they don't tend to get eaten anymore by the adults.

Edit: There will be of course no difference in survival rate if all the fry are moved to a tank with no adults. In fact none should die if the tank is cycled and the filter intake is secure. My fry are almost grown now, but the two platies that I saved out of curiosity and put in the fry tank with the guppy fry could not be seen in days sometimes, even at feeding time. I know their hiding spots so I kept checking if they are alive actually.

My other tank has female adults guppy and platies together and at the moment there are at least 10 growing baby platies I never wanted or intended to save. It was funny watching them when they were very small appearing out of knowwhere to snatch the falling left overs of food.

 

[Episkey]

Thanks guys!