Platy Population Control

[George Farmer]

Hypothetical.

33 gal. heavily planted. 6 platy (2 male, 4 female). What fish would you consider to keep the fry under control? Excluding angelfish and gouramis. 4" max. Fairly peaceful, obviously plant friendly. Medium-hard water.

Any recommendations welcome.

 

[CFC]

For a planted tank i would recomend south american leaf fish, the adult platys should be too large to eat but the fry will disapeer whenever they arive.

 

[Miss Wiggle]

platy's will eat they're own young won't they? i'd say nothing, if left up to nature they'll control they're own population, you'll get the odd survivor but not too many.

 

[dwarfgourami]

IMe platies are a little unpredictable when it comes to fry-eating. Some do, some don't.

 

[Miss Wiggle]

IMe platies are a little unpredictable when it comes to fry-eating. Some do, some don't.

fair enough, mine always have but i'm happy if someone else say's they don't always.

 

[George Farmer]

For a planted tank i would recomend south american leaf fish, the adult platys should be too large to eat but the fry will disapeer whenever they arive.

Interesting choice, a fish I've never considered. I always assumed they should be kept in a species tank.

Don't they need soft, acidic water and prefer live foods exclusively?

 

[CFC]

I would presume that with CO2 being added that the water is already toward the acid side and medium hard should be fine, its just liquid rock they really dont like.

Platty fry are live food, at times when the plattys arent producing a few river shrimp (sold as live food in the lfs) and some large live brine shrimp will get them through the lean times. Species tanks are good but they can be kept with tankmates that dont challenge them for food.


edit: If you dont fancy the leaf fish then a single dwarf pike Cichlid such as Crenecichla compressiceps would do the same job.

 

[George Farmer]

Thanks for the input.

 

[andyt_uk]

imho if you dont want platty fry dont keep platty

although the filter usually takes care of mine, although yesterday i could have sworn my female was pregnant - presumably by the molly but now - no fy and def not pregnant... hmmm

 

[DarkEntity]

Hypothetical.

33 gal. heavily planted. 6 platy (2 male, 4 female). What fish would you consider to keep the fry under control? Excluding angelfish and gouramis. 4" max. Fairly peaceful, obviously plant friendly. Medium-hard water.

Any recommendations welcome.

Im pretty sure a butterfly fish would have no problems eating the little ones. As far as i can remember they only get to about 4"

 

[leysland]

Howabout a pair of Kribs, they will eat livebearer fry. B)

 

[ATM]

Platys will eat some of thier own fry as my platy had a batch about 2 weeks ago and I witnessed a few fry being eaten but I still have about 13-14 fry left in the tank too.

 

[Mako Man111]

I don't know if you like bettas, but one would certainly eat platy fry. Mine gobbled up danio fry. A betta should get along ok with platys also.

 

[karuna]

Howabout a pair of Kribs, they will eat livebearer fry. B)

Might have to watch the sexing of the Kribs though, two female should be ok, 2 males might stress each other and 1 male 1 female and you might have to find something that's gonna eat the Krib fry and it better be hard as nails

 

[Bozza]

Any fish can really eat the fry. My american flags and my female betta keep my guppy fry under control. I do have 6 fully pregnant female guppies in that tank. My opinion, i think leave the tank the way it is the platy's will eat them.