Stocking Tank

[Kraabi]

I have a 10 gallon tank with a male Platy and horned snail in it. Well today I decided I wanted to get more fish for my tank. I went to my local Petsmart and asked for advice. They told me it’d be okay to have all male Platies in my tank so I don’t have frys right now. So I asked the lady to get me two male platies. I brought them home and put them in the tank. About two hours later I noticed my oldest Platy chasing one of the new ones. He would chase him around the tank and corner him. The new Platy was definitely afraid. I called Petsmart and they said to switch around the decoration. I asked why my old Platy was only chasing the one and not the other. Well it turns out they gave me one male and one female. So my tank is now 2 males and one female. I know this is not good! What would your suggestions be? I don’t mind getting fry, my petco takes them. But would you recommend me taking both New fish back and trying to get two female from the same tank or keep the one female and add another? I’m lost at what to do because petco then told me that all male Platies together is not a good idea. I have the one that was getting bullied in a quarantine tank so he won’t die from stress.

 

[trash.binh91]

Get rid of a male, and get another female or you can get rid of the female and get a male.

 

[Colin_T]

Livebearers like guppies, mollies & platies are best kept in male only or female only tanks. This stops the males pestering the females continuously and reduces the stress on pregnant females.

If you post a picture of your platies we can tell you what sex they are. Male platies have a long thin straight anal (bottom) fin called a gonopodium. Female platies have a fan or triangular shaped anal fin.

Female livebearers that have been in a tank with males, will be pregnant and can continue to produce young for up to 6 months after the males are removed. When livebearers breed, the males impregnate the females with several sperm packets. The females can carry up to 6 sperm packets and use one packet to fertilise each batch of eggs. The female carries the fertilised eggs and young inside her body for about 1 month before giving birth to little fish that can swim around as soon as they are born.

If you want to breed livebearers you have a tank with females and a tank with males and move a male and female into their own tank and leave them together for a few days before moving them back into their own tanks.

If you don't want baby fish then keep males only.

If you don't mind them having babies then get females only and borrow a male once every 6 months.

 

[Sarah73]

You are already overstocked sadly. Having three platies in a 10 gallon is way over stocked. They produce a lot of waste for live bearers.

 

[Kraabi]

Livebearers like guppies, mollies & platies are best kept in male only or female only tanks. This stops the males pestering the females continuously and reduces the stress on pregnant females.

If you post a picture of your platies we can tell you what sex they are. Male platies have a long thin straight anal (bottom) fin called a gonopodium. Female platies have a fan or triangular shaped anal fin.

Female livebearers that have been in a tank with males, will be pregnant and can continue to produce young for up to 6 months after the males are removed. When livebearers breed, the males impregnate the females with several sperm packets. The females can carry up to 6 sperm packets and use one packet to fertilise each batch of eggs. The female carries the fertilised eggs and young inside her body for about 1 month before giving birth to little fish that can swim around as soon as they are born.

If you want to breed livebearers you have a tank with females and a tank with males and move a male and female into their own tank and leave them together for a few days before moving them back into their own tanks.

If you don't want baby fish then keep males only.

If you don't mind them having babies then get females only and borrow a male once every 6 months.

Would it be okay to keep the new male and just return the female? Or should I return both because my old platy alrady has shown aggression to the new male? I looked up how to tell sex and that’s how I noticed the fish store definitely gave me a male and female, not both male.

 

[Kraabi]

You are already overstocked sadly. Having three platies in a 10 gallon is way over stocked. They produce a lot of waste for live bearers.

Ugh, I keep getting told so many different things. If I take the new platies back what would you recommend me getting?

 

[Kraabi]

Get rid of a male, and get another female or you can get rid of the female and get a male.

Is there platies in a 10 gallon okay? Someone below said that’s overstocked. Don’t want to harm the fish.

 

[Colin_T]

If you return the female get a couple more males so there is a group of 4 or 5 males. Then any aggression from the big male (that you have had for a while), will be spread out over all of the others instead of just one. And without a female there will be less agro to begin with

If your tank is 2 foot long it is fine for 5 or 6 platies. If you have female platies then any young they produce will eventually need to be moved out but 4 or 5 male platies in a 2ft tank will be fine.

 

[Kraabi]

Is there platies in a 10 gallon okay? Someone below said that’s overstocked. Don’t want to harm the fish.

Three*

 

[Kraabi]

If you return the female get a couple more males so there is a group of 4 or 5 males. Then any aggression from the big male (that you have had for a while), will be spread out over all of the others instead of just one. And without a female there will be less agro to begin with

Someone above said 3 platies is already overstocking for a 10 gallon.. Is that true? If not I would love to stick to platies, but if 3 platies is too much for a Ten gallon I’d go with another species fish. I try to use “Aqadvisor” to make sure I don’t overstock.

 

[Colin_T]

Most 10 gallon tanks are 2 foot long and that is fine for 5 or 6 platies.

 

[Kraabi]

Most 10 gallon tanks are 2 foot long and that is fine for 5 or 6 platies.

Okay good! This is honestly so confusing. One pet store says I can’t do all males, but most other people say it’s fine.

 

[Colin_T]

If you have males and females together, the males constantly try to breed with the females and it stresses the females. If you have male only or female only tanks then that doesn't happen.

If you want a group of males and females you have 1 male and at least 5 females to spread the stress/ harassment around all the females. However, because livebearers carry sperm packets that can be used to fertilise eggs when no males are around, it is preferable to keep male only or female only tanks.

 

[Kraabi]

Most 10 gallon tanks are 2 foot long and that is fine for 5 or 6 platies.

I have a long Ten gallon so

If you have males and females together, the males constantly try to breed with the females and it stresses the females. If you have male only or female only tanks then that doesn't happen.

If you want a group of males and females you have 1 male and at least 5 females to spread the stress/ harassment around all the females. However, because livebearers carry sperm packets that can be used to fertilise eggs when no males are around, it is preferable to keep male only or female only tanks.

Yeah, I originally wanted a male only tank, but I ended up getting a female. It’s just confusing that all these people at the pet stores are telling me something different.

 

[Sarah73]

Someone above said 3 platies is already overstocking for a 10 gallon.. Is that true? If not I would love to stick to platies, but if 3 platies is too much for a Ten gallon I’d go with another species fish. I try to use “Aqadvisor” to make sure I don’t overstock.

Aqadvisor is rubbish. Don't use it. And platies have heavy bio load. Three of them would be overstocked as they get 2-3 inches. I would take the female back.