Platy Fry Question

[fishy_wishy]

Hey, I bought a pregnant platy about 5 weeks ago and she gave birth 4 weeks ago, I know she could have babies any day now, last time she had 12 is this likely to have been her first batch?
All 12 survived and are growing and eating, very active etc.
I separated the mother is a breeding net because it was the first time and I really wanted to see the very first set of fry just in case they were eaten. I'm going to leave them in the main tank now, its a community with around 17-20 other fish (mainly tetra) the tank has no live plants bit it does have a boat and lots of fake plants and a sponge bob house, is it likely I'm going to have any survivors?
 
thanks

 

[PrairieSunflower]

When I had them and left them to fend for themselves I usually had 2-3 that survived and didn't get eaten.

 

[BerryAttack]

if it isn't heavily decorated in your case the there isn't enough areas for the fry to hid... just make sure that there is and you'll most likely have some survivors. 

 

[fishy_wishy]

I might get a few live plants, there aren't that many hiding spots at the moment

 

[bluesword23516]

My tetras love to eat the fry, what strains do you have?

 

[ythao01]

You could get some dwarf water lettuce. They're low maintenance, fast growing, bushy rooted, floating plants. But if your filter blows them around then that's not gonna be good. Or you could buy a plastic carpet plant those work nicely to.

 

[fishy_wishy]

Bluesworld23516, I have neon tetra and glow light tetra, what are yours?
the last group of fry went into the main tank when they were about 5-7mm (the hooks of the breeding net fell off, causing them all to escape) many hid in the plastic plant I have, are plastic plants okay, or would live ones be better?

 

[bluesword23516]

Plastic plants will work just as well. As for the tetras those ones are small enough they shouldn't be aggressive towards the fry.  The tetras I have are white skirt, and 3 neons. I also have a zebra danio, he is super aggressive towards fry.

 

[fishy_wishy]

did you use any kind of breeding tank/net/trap?

 

[bluesword23516]

No i didn't, I have other tanks that I transfer the fry into though.  Breeding nets tend to stress the female out more because she wants to be comfortable when she drops her fry.

 

[fishy_wishy]

I did the first time, but from now on I'm just going to let nature take it's course.
she had her babies, although they are either ALL hiding or they all got eaten

 

[bluesword23516]

I let nature takes its course to a point.  If numbers get below five I take them out until they are big enough they cant be eaten.  Which should be about double the size of your largest mouth of a fish.