How fast to platy fry grow?

[cutechic]

I've got between 4 and 6 platy fry living with 4 adult platies in a four gallon. They're about a week old, but don't seem to be growing (the fry are all 0.5 cm). I've been feeding them fry food but haven't actually seen them eat (they probably find food in the gravel though). The adults leave them alone completely, so the fry just swim carelessly around the aquarium.

Should they be growing significantly in a week? Am I just obsessive?

 

[Tolak]

You really will not see much change in a week, it's kind of like trying to watch grass grow. My platy fry seem to be half grown in 2-3 months, and full grown in 5-6 months. I would consider getting a larger tank sometime soon, as platys tend to breed like rabbits.

Tolak

 

[HeatherSweetness]

platys tend to breed like rabbits

They are worse than guppies. The babies seem more crafty at hiding. I always have new platys popping up when they are a few weeks old.

 

[cutechic]

I'd like to get a 10 gallon, I just need to figure out a place to put it. I know that's the largest size tank I can fit into my place, though.

I figured out that I have 3 female adult platies and 1 male adult platy, so I guess I can be expecting more fry in the future. I don't know where I am going to put them unless I can make room for a third tank soon.

 

[ruffmeister]

The babies seem more crafty at hiding. I always have new platys popping up when they are a few weeks old.

they certainly do the little buggers wont be caught in my net they stay in the plants like all the time, then i end up rooting my plants to catch them.

as for growth these seem to take a lot longer before you start to see any growth what so ever.
just wait unforunatley

 

[cutechic]

Ok, now I can stop worrying
Thanks for the advice!

 

[mindy0368]

I have 4 platy fry, each born at different times. One is about a week old, 2 are about 2-3 weeks old and one is about 4-5 weeks old. It's amazing to see the difference in size between them. You don't really realize how much they've grown until you have a new batch.

I never can get more than one or two because they seem to get eaten up. I've tried putting the mom in the breeder box, but she goes nuts, so I figure it's too much stress. Rather have the fry eaten then her die of stress.

 

[guppymonkey]

Breeder boxes are evil. Most fish get too stressed out in them.

I just found a couple platy fry hiding in my plants last night. I don't know when they were born or if they are eating. I didn't even know that my platy had given birth until I saw the little fry! I can't get them out of the tank though, they are too good at hiding in the plants. With my platies, mollies and guppies all breeding I think I won't have to buy new ones for awhile.

 

[cutechic]

I've just bought a 10 gallon, which I'm cycling, so I can move the 7 fry and the four adults into their new home in a bit

My fry are the same as yours, guppymonkey- they are way to good at hiding for me to catch them!