How Big A Group Would You Expect By A Platy

[stackem evs]

Hi, got a new(ish) 45gal tank with 9 platties (2 are male) and a swordtail. I have just seen one new born hidden in the plants. It is a very heavy planted tank so has space to hide.

Would we expect only one, or more hidden in there, or would the other platties have got some extra food, there isn't larger fish apart from the swordtail.

How many are usually born at one time?

Thanks

 

[John59]

More than 30 in my case from one mother

 

[helterskelter]

it depends on the size of the adult and the size of the fry, large fish with small fry can have 50+

 

[Arimus]

Stupid q.... I know eggs are a clutch, cats have litters, what do livebearers have?

 

[helterskelter]

No idea I've never rearly though about it!!!!

litter or "dropping"!!!!!

 

[theotheragentm]

I call them batches of fry for livebearers and simply eggs for egg layers.

 

[stackem evs]

Currently just watched a dozen being given birth to. All sat on plants at the top (no one told them to go hide at the bottom yet). Apart from the one Molly, would the other platties be likely to eat these fry. Or do they just leave them alone.

 

[jourdy288]

I bought a female December 30th, and she gave birth the 31st, to about 9 babies.

 

[theotheragentm]

Platies will eat fry too. With that many females, I wouldn't worry about the number of fry in the tank. If they have anything to hide around, they are bound to survive. With that many females, you will soon be overrun with fry. You may want to remove the male now.

 

[mungo]

Mine just gave birth within the past 24 hours, most within a breeding net but my latest count was at least 20+. I've read elsewhere that platy's could have up to 50, I know I had guppies that had almost 40. The thing you'll most likely run into is survival of the fittest and from one batch you may have a portion alive after a year but that would very much depend on size of tank / other inhabitants. They're SO hard to count when they're little too its hard to keep track!

 

[stackem evs]

Platies will eat fry too. With that many females, I wouldn't worry about the number of fry in the tank. If they have anything to hide around, they are bound to survive. With that many females, you will soon be overrun with fry. You may want to remove the male now.

It may sound bad, but being in the process of still stocking the tank, but will the introduction of larger fish control the growth in numbers of the platties?

The wife and kids, liks the idea of having 2-3 fish born and surviving to grow within the tank.

 

[theotheragentm]

More fish will eat more fry, but some will always survive. Unless it's a bare, glass tank, some of the fry are going to survive. They just fine ways to hide out. On top of that, some fry will just never be eaten. They swim out in the open like they are the boss of the tank, and no one touches them. I actually moved my male out of my tank to control population for the time being. I still have a rough ride in store for me as there are six more months of babies even without the male. Then I have to round up the male fry and figure out what to do with them.