HELP!! I just got some platys and swordtails!

[cutechic]

i just bought a new aquarium, and it has been set up for 3 days now. today i bought some platys and swordtail fry (6 in total). can i put the fry in the tank, or has the tank not had enough time to cycle? please someone help me!

 

[William]

Hi cutechic ) welcome to the forum

The cycling of a tank takes a long time - 4-6 weeks, I've got to go to bed like 10 minutes ago but just to get you started here's some questions and advice.

How big is this new uncycled tank you've bought? Do you have any other tanks? Where are you currently keeping the fry?

Cycling is the build up of fish waste (poop) which is ammonia (highly toxic) which gets converted by bacteria to nitrIte (slightly less toxic) which in turn gets converted by yet more bacteria (different species) to nitrAte which is for the sake of argument isn't toxic (you should still do water changes to remove it).

The build up of the nice bacteria takes weeks, they double in population every day and so obviously the more you have at the start the faster the cycle!! if you've got another establish tank use some of the filter sponge, some gravel even water to help kick start your tank it may still take a couple of weeks to cycle.

IF the new tank is big then the 6 fry will not make too much of a strain on the bacteria and the build up of ammonia will be very low and not life threatening.

Cya later on today please answer the questions so I can help more!!

 

[cutechic]

Thanks for the welcome, William!

My new aquarium is only 1 gallon, which I know isn't big enough for all six fry. I have a 5 gallon aquarium which is already established, and contains a few fish, but I am hesitant to add the new fry in case they carry a disease of some kind.

Anyway, to finish answering your questions, I am currently keeping the fry in an isolation tank, about a half gallon. Don't worry, I am only keeping the fry there for a short time- until they are less stressed from the move to my house.

I've added "Stress Zyme" to my new aquarium, to aid the biological filtering process.

Thanks for all your help!

 

[Josh Q]

I don't think 5 gallons will really be enough for all 6 fish once they are grown. They would probably be OK, but they might get stressed out. Do you have any fish in the 5 gallon now?
-Josh

 

[cutechic]

Yup I've got 2 white clouds and a black neon tetra in the five gallon. I might have to separate the tetra from the minnows, though, because the tetra's getting really agressive towards the other fish. I'm a bit worried that if I put the platys and swordtails in the 5 gallon, they will get bullied.

 

[fish503]

if i were you i would get another tank like a 20 gallon tank because black neon tetras are schooling fish
and you would need at least 5more black neon tetras and some more white clouds and if you get a new tank put the neons and platys sowrd tails in the new tank

 

[cutechic]

Well, I'd like to get a larger aquarium, but I have no room for one. I am considering returning some of the platys and swordtails to the store I got them from. . .

 

[smash12871]

Does anyone have a clue what the gestation period of the platy is? I am wondering just to help me track results of our platy's

 

[William]

Its almost a month - 28 days

 

[smash12871]

Thanks alot William

 

[William]

No problems you should be able to keep agood track of when your platies are about to give birth after the first time

 

[smash12871]

Hey William, Unforunately I asked a little late. Sweetheart241182 and I woke up this morning and found another fry in the tank. We don't know which female it is, so hopefully that should be it, unless the female in description can hold for more than two broods. I am almost possitive it was the same female because about 4 weeks ago we found the first fry. Any thought in you head upon this?