Platys, Guppys And Mollys Waste Of Time?

[jumblepod]

Are platys, guppys and mollys generally not very hardy because all they do is die after a few months and yet all my other fish bala sharks, cardinals, gouramis, angel fish, clown loach, few other types of tetra i have all seem to last and dont kick the pan. I know it isnt my water because all my other fish are sound and have been for ages. I just cant seem to keep guppys and platys. whats everyone one else think.

 

[phil140701]

Are platys, guppys and mollys generally not very hardy because all they do is die after a few months and yet all my other fish bala sharks, cardinals, gouramis, angel fish, clown loach, few other types of tetra i have all seem to last and dont kick the pan. I know it isnt my water because all my other fish are sound and have been for ages. I just cant seem to keep guppys and platys. whats everyone one else think.

to be honest i have a soft spot for mollys and guppies, i have mollies that are coming up on 3yrs old and guppies that are about 2yrs old. maybe something in your tank is stressing them out i.e your angel
just a thought
Phil

 

[jumblepod]

I have had other tanks in the past with them in and they have never done any good really. I find what knocks them about the most is becoming pregnant all the time. Do you keep males with yours. I do try to keep more females to males so they dont get stressed.

 

[crazychris]

I've never kept mollies or guppys but I too have no luck with platys. They seem to be fine in the shop and for a few weeks in my tank then mysteriously die off one by one for no apparent reason. My water's fine too and I don't lose other fish. I've given up on platys.

 

[jumblepod]

I've never kept mollies or guppys but I too have no luck with platys. They seem tbe fine in the shop and for a few weeks in my tank then mysteriously die off one by one for no apparent reason. My water's fine too and I don't lose other fish. I've given up on platys.

To be fair 6 months is about the longest ive kept one lol im not buying anymore. my tanks to big for small little fish anyways.

 

[crazychris]

I've never kept mollies or guppys but I too have no luck with platys. They seem tbe fine in the shop and for a few weeks in my tank then mysteriously die off one by one for no apparent reason. My water's fine too and I don't lose other fish. I've given up on platys.

To be fair 6 months is about the longest ive kept one lol im not buying anymore. my tanks to big for small little fish anyways.

Don't think I've had one as long as six months to be honest.

 

[phil140701]

I have had other tanks in the past with them in and they have never done any good really. I find what knocks them about the most is becoming pregnant all the time. Do you keep males with yours. I do try to keep more females to males so they dont get stressed.

with my guppies I try to keep to a ratio of 1 male to 3 females at the moment I'm keeping in my breeding tank a ratio of 1 to 7 and have separated my male molly from his 3 girls as he keeps on at them constant. mine do become pregnant regularly but i find with the mollies that a lot of their pregnancys get absorbed if i don't remove the male as he's constantly harrasing them

 

[mr130gallon]

mollys and guppys prefer hard alkaline water or brackish, if you have soft acidic water that might be the problem, but they seem to be able to adapt pretty well

 

[WILDER]

I agree.
Only managed to have a livebearer 1 year 3 months.
gave up on them.
No matter how perfect the water quality is they always get finrot.

 

[phil140701]

I agree.
Only managed to have a livebearer 1 year 3 months.
gave up on them.
No matter how perfect the water quality is they always get finrot.

the only problem i've ever had was an incedent where one of my female silver mollies somehow managed to get trapped under a piece of bogwood and when i got her out she had messed her eye up and was looking pretty much like i was going to lose her, but she pulled through and to my surprise this morning has given birth to about 20 fry

 

[Paradise3]

mollys and guppys prefer hard alkaline water or brackish, if you have soft acidic water that might be the problem, but they seem to be able to adapt pretty well

They can adapt very well because mine are living in a PH of 6.4 and i found 15 fry in my guppy tank yesterday. I also have about 40 - 45 fry that are 3 weeks old tommorow.

Xxx~misscosmo~xxX

 

[fluvial]

I think that inbreeding has alot to do with robustness, or lack of it, and life expectancy.
My 4 platieshave been fairly resiliant, but they're all females - so they don't get hassled by
males.
Added a couple of swordtails about a month ago - and they've been great fish - real characters.
Thought I had a pair, but looking at pics I now think they are both males - one has a much reduced
sword, but I still reckon it is a mle after all.
However, they pretty much ignore the platies - so hopefully no crossbreeding will result.
If it does the barbs always eat anything produced.

 

[fish48]

Are platys, guppys and mollys not very hardy because all they do is die after a few months and yet all my other fish bala sharks, cardinals, gouramis, angel fish, clown loach, few other types of tetra i have all seem to last and dont kick the pan. I know it isnt my water because all my other fish are sound and have been for ages. I just cant seem to keep guppys and platys. whats everyone one else think.

platys, guppys, and mollys, are all generally hardy fish many shops sale crap fish however there are plenty of good pet shops selling good quality platys, guppys, and mollys, / keeping the fish is easy the hardest part is learning how to pick good quality fish

 

[jumblepod]

mollys and guppys prefer hard alkaline water or brackish, if you have soft acidic water that might be the problem, but they seem to be able to adapt pretty well

My water is alkaline and hard water so it should be suited to them and they are suppose to be hardy therefore able to adapt. I think as someone previously stated its down to too much breeding. They just always manage to get fin rot or some kind of fungus like cloudy eyes and so on while all the other fish seem to be fine. I dont see how fish shops say there good for beginners. Beginner breeders perhapes but not people setting up there tanks for the first time. I would suggest gouramis to these people, some of the different types of tetra or maybe barbs.

 

[fish48]

mollys and guppys prefer hard alkaline water or brackish, if you have soft acidic water that might be the problem, but they seem to be able to adapt pretty well

My water is alkaline and hard water so it should be suited to them and they are suppose to be hardy therefore able to adapt. I think as someone previously stated its down to too much breeding. They just always manage to get fin rot or some kind of fungus like cloudy eyes and so on while all the other fish seem to be fine. I dont see how fish shops say there good for beginners. Beginner breeders perhapes but not people setting up there tanks for the first time. I would suggest gouramis to these people, some of the different types of tetra or maybe barbs.

its not down to too much breeding The most hardiest of them is the guppy