Inherited livebearers, Platy sys...   10/15/09
Hello WWM Crew,
<Hello Phoebe,>
I've written in before about my goldfish (which now have a 50gal tank with two Penguin Emperor Class 90gal bio wheel filters). But this time, I'm writing in about some livebearers that I inherited from a former coworker.
It all started when one of his platys had babies (shocking, I know). I took them in and gave them a home in my sister's donated 6 gal tank.
<Not a long term home for this species; 15 gallons, minimum. They do get to a couple of inches in length.>
They are happy and healthy.
<For now.>
Then, my coworker contacted me one day and asked if I could take ALL his fish. Which included 4 cherry barbs, 5 platys, and 1 Otocinclus. I asked what timeline we were looking at (since I only have the 50gal for the 4 goldies + 1 Pleco and the 6 gal, which now houses 5 baby platys). He told me that the sooner I got them, the better. Preferably that evening.
<Hmm... shouldn't allow yourself to be steamrollered into solving someone else's problems while creating your own.>
So, I had my sister bring over my old 20gal tank, we set it up, cycled it for not nearly long enough, acclimated the fish, and popped them in. The fish are all perfectly healthy, but the water is kind of cloudy, which makes me nervous.
<Often happens in "new" tanks. May be silt from the substrate, may be diatoms blooming in the water, may be bacteria doing likewise. Providing water quality is good, don't worry unduly.>
I just got a new Whisper Filter 20i for the tank and did a water change, so the cloudiness is improving a bit. I want to move the one and only female platy (who is pregnant again) to the nursery tank so she won't be hassled, but I already have 5 juvies in there. 4 are big enough to swim with the big boys, but I'm not sure about the bioload in the 20gal.
<Nor am I.>
My question is this: Just how many fish is alright for the 20gal?
<In terms of Platies? Depending on the filter being robust and water quality good, probably 10 or so.>
And can I pop in the platys with my goldies (the tank is kept at 75' F for the Pleco, and the largest goldie is about 4" long) while I get the 20 gal in better condition.
<Sure. Platies actually prefer quite cool water, around 24 C/75 F, so they mix well with other subtropical fish.>
Suggestions?
Pheebalino P.S. Thanks in advance! I know you guys will have great info and insights!
<Cheers, Neale.>

Are My Platies Bloated, Pregnant, Sick, Overfed, or Just Fat? Pregnant. Platy Questions\Breeding\System 8/23/2009 <Hi Camron.> I have two female neon redtail moon platys. Gorgeous fish! I have had them for a little over a week now. They are a little over 1 in. each. I feed them a diet of tropical flakes, Spirulina flakes, and goldfish flakes. With occasional treats of brine shrimp and brown seaweed (which I hear is okay to give herbivorous fish.) <That's fine.> I house them with 4 goldfish (2 males 2 females) who are quite gentle with the platys. <This is a cooler water species of Platy, but I hope this is a large tank.> They get pushy around feeding time (but that is just normal goldfish behavior) and the platys still get their share of food. I also have 1 male sunburst wag platy housed with them. He has been a perfect gentleman to the two females. <Hmm.... probably not.> He has not shown breeding behavior as of yet. <That you have seen in any case.> But that is fine. He is lively and active even though he has not shown interest in breeding yet. My concern is with the two females. The two females have gotten fat during the time I have had them. Yet I do not know if it is because I have fed them too much, <How much are you feeding them?> if they are bloated, if they are pregnant, if they are just growing, or if they are just fat. I have includes a picture of the two females (named Jen (Jenifer) and Kira). What is going on with my two girls? <Look pregnant.> Should I prepare for babies, do they need a diet change, do I need to feed them less? Please just let me know what is going on (if you can) so I can do what is best for my two little ladies. Thank you. <Have a read here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/fwsubwebindex/platyreprofaqs.htm > <MikeV>

Re: Are My Platies Bloated, Pregnant, Sick, Overfed, or Just Fat? Pregnant. Platy Questions\Breeding\System 8/23/2009 Thank you so much for you prompt reply! <Hi Camron, no problem.> I thought they might be pregnant too. However, I have never had platys before. I thought it wiser to get a second opinion from someone who has actually seen platys that are expecting. Now that you have seconded my opinion, I will be watching them. I will move them to another spare tank I have if they continue to grow in girth. How far along do you think they are? <Impossible to say - The article I referred you to should give some details.> Should I move them now, instead of waiting? <I would set up the tank soon, so it is cycled when it is time.> As to how much I feed them . . . Hmm . . . Well, they eat as much as they want to and then do not eat anymore. I feed them twice a day. I have small fingers and tend to give fairly small pinches of food. I shall list how I feed them presently. Let me know if it is too much so I can cut back if needed. I give them 3 to 4 pinches of Spirulina, mostly because the goldfish will eat the sprinulia too. And the goldfish get their goldfish flakes twice a day (usually 2 to 3 pinches per feeding). The goldfish always eat the majority of their flakes. The platys will sometimes eat a little of the goldfish flakes, which I hear is okay to give platys as a supplement to their diet. And usually the platys get their tropical flakes at each feeding (again I usually give 2-3 small pinches of food per feeding). The only reason I give the platys more than 1 or 2 pinches of food per feeding is because the goldfish (being the opportunists they are) will eat some of the tropical flakes too. The goldfish get a few granule-sized pellets once a day during their morning feeding. The platys have tried to nibble at the pellets, but they don't seem to like the pellets much. And once or twice a week I will give all my fish freeze-dried brine shrimp (crumbled into very fine pieces or powder), live plant material (such as brown seaweed, blanched lettuce, peas, maybe very small pieces of orange), or occasionally brine shrimp eggs. The platys seem to like the eggs a lot and seem to like the brown seaweed. The male platy is very active and goes after all types of food he can fit into his small mouth. The two females seem a bit more shy. The females don't go after the food much when they are full. This is most likely because they are still getting used to the tank. <provided your water quality is good and remains so, you are feeding them a nice balanced diet.> The male platy does not constantly chase the ladies or pick at them that I have seen. Is it possible he would breed with the females when I turn the lights out and it is pitch black? <Or just when you aren't watching.> Also, one of the platy females (Jen, the darker one in the picture I sent) hurt her fin. I am treating her hurt fin with MetaFix (sorry if I didn't spell that right). <Melafix - it is useless as a medicine. Provided your water quality if good, the fin will heal up quickly on its own.> Let me know if this will harm her or her offspring so I can make all necessary corrections. <Stop with the Melafix.> Also one of my goldfish (a beautiful white calico with patches of brown, orange, and blue on him called Elrond (El)) seems to have hurt his tail fin. It was probably from when I accidentally sucked him up with a small (mini) gravel vacuum I have. I had to work quickly to rescue the poor guy. Anyway, he is fine now. I am also treating his fin with MetaFix as well. His tail had been very red on the side with the hurt fin before I caught the injury to his fin. It is now much less red and he seems to be doing well. <Good news, but again, this is just the healing process, not the Melafix.> Other than Jen and Elrond's fins, nothing new to report currently on the health of my fish. Thank you so much for all your wonderful help. <Enjoy the experience! Write back if you have other questions.> <MikeV>

Question about platy and pH 4/24/09
Hi,
I inherited a tank from my friend that had 2 angelfish in the tank. My friend removed the angelfish 2 days ago but kept the filter running. I bought 2 platys and placed them in the tank today. Belatedly, I tested the pH of water and realised that it was quite acidic (5.5). So far, the platys seems fine but I'm worried about them adjusting to the pH, as well as them living in acidic waters.
<Argh! This is very acidic. If the Platies aren't sick yet, they will get sick soon!>
Should I try to change the pH gradually or do you think I should let them adjust to the pH themselves?
<Yes, you need to adjust the pH gradually. Do see here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWsubwebindex/fwh2oquality.htm
Read the whole thing, but note the section on making your own "Rift Valley Cichlid Salt Mix". Use this salt mix for each water change you do. It's very cheap, so don't worry about the cost. All you need is Epsom salt, baking soda (not baking powder!) and marine salt mix (not table salt or aquarium salt!). Now, make up each bucket of water, adding each of these as indicated in the text. Do 20-25% water changes once per 24 hours for the next 5 days. After that, do your normal 20-25% water change per week, each time using the Rift Valley Cichlid Salt Mix in the new water. This should fix all your water chemistry problems, creating water IDEAL for Platies, Guppies, Swordtails and Mollies.>
Thanks,
Wei
<Cheers, Neale.>

Platies (health; environment?)  9/21/08
Hello,
<Hello,>
I had two Platy's, one male, one female. The female just dies yesterday, and I believe it dies in labor by its behaviors the previous day, but am not sure.
<Very unlikely; fish don't go into "labour" in anything like the same way as humans. The baby fish just come flying out the hole there, with little stress on the mother. On the other hand, the females are easily stressed when pregnant by bullying males and poor water quality. So those are the things to check.>
My male Platy has been acting strangely. It has been darting around the bowl and when I put any food in the bowl at all, the fish darts for the food and practically inhales it. He has been acting this way for about a week, so both before and after the death of the female.
<I'm a bit concerned by the word "bowl" which is anathema to sensible fishkeeping. Platies CANNOT be kept in bowls. They need filtered, heated (around 22-25 C) tropical aquaria at least 20 gallons in size. The water must be hard (10+ degrees dH) and basic (pH 7.5-8.0). Platies cannot be kept in "nano" tanks 10 gallons or smaller, and they cannot be kept in unheated tanks. So, review the environment: that is by far the most likely reason this fish died. Almost always, mystery fish deaths come down to environment. Darting about looking nervous is a classic symptom of a fish that feels stressed by its environment. If you're confused about the habitat you've created for your fish, get back in touch, describing the system, and we'll comment on whether or not it's suitable.>
I am just wondering if this seems typical of any diseases or illness. I appreciate your help so much. Your team is very knowledgeable, rapid in response, and overly helpful!
<We're glad to help!>
Have a wonderful day! Marion
<Cheers, Neale.>

New platy fry in an unprepared tank!   8/16/08
Hello, and thank you so much for taking the time to address my concerns! I think your website of real Q and A is a wonderful resource for fishkeepers.
<Thanks for saying this; it's appreciated.>
The reason I am writing is because I made a very surprising discovery tonight: our long finned platies made babies! My husband and I are very new to amateur fishkeeping; so much so that we didn't even know we had both a male and a female (fortunately after some research, I can now tell the
difference), and we didn't know that platies reproduce so readily. Since discovering the fry, I've researched platy breeding and discovered some differing opinions about conditions for raising them. In some cases, people separate both the expectant mother and the fry from the rest of the tank; in
other cases, they leave the babies to fend for themselves and hide in the foliage.
<Do read here for my take on breeding livebearers:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWsubwebindex/poeciliids.htm
In general, when well fed and if there are lots of floating plants, at least some babies from each brood will survive. But in a generic tank without floating plants and if the adults get hungry, then all the fry may be eaten.>
I've also seen differing opinions about diet. According to one source, the anal fins of platy females change color when they are pregnant;
<Nope.>
but I noticed no such change in my fish - no change when she was pregnant and no change now that she's not pregnant anymore - so I'm skeptical about the validity of this statement. I'd really like to know what advice you have for my situation.
<Here's how you determine whether a mature Platy female is pregnant. Ask this question: is she now, or has she ever been in the last 3-6 months, with any males. If the answer is "Yes", then she's pregnant. That's pretty much the end of story. Fussing about the "gravid spot" on the abdomen is a waste of time with Xiphophorus spp because you really can't see it clearly in many varieties. It will be very obvious when she's about to give birth because her body will be dramatically swollen.>
We first set up our 6-gallon Eclipse system tank about three months ago. We let it alone for about two weeks, adding a product called Cycle that is supposed to facilitate the growth of beneficial bacteria, then added two feeder goldfish whom we named Rosencrantz and Guildenstern.
<Cute names; but 6 gallons is too small for Platies, let alone Goldfish.>
A couple of weeks after introducing fish, we added several live plants. Rosencrantz died after about a month, so we bought another feeder we decided to call Urich. About a three weeks after that, Guildenstern died.
<See above. Goldfish need very specific conditions to thrive, and in small tanks the VAST majority die. For every one specimen you see lingering through a living death in a bowl or 5-10 gallon tank, dozens if not hundreds have died under similar conditions.>
We weren't expecting them to live long, as they are bred to be eaten and probably not the most
genetically robust of all fish.
<Au contraire! Feeder Goldfish are "mongrels" in the sense of having nice mixed genes. The more mixed the genes are, the tougher the animal. It's being inbred (i.e., pedigree) that makes animals weak. In any case, you should NOT buy fish on the assumption they'll die; that's going into the thing with the wrong idea. All fish, and especially Goldfish, can live long and healthy lives *cared for properly*, and in the case of a mixed-breed Goldfish, that lifespan can be anything up to 30 years.>
I don't think they died of any illness; just old age or genetic defects.
<Neither; they died because the water was foul and your aquarium too small. Did you use a nitrite test kit to check water quality? Without a doubt the filter was immature ("Cycle" is useless in my opinion) and you carried on feeding them without doing the requisite daily water changes of 25% or more needed to allow fish to survive the cycling process. Or to put it bluntly, you allowed them to die. Now, if you're an inexperienced fishkeeper, you can perhaps put that down to lack of knowledge, and I'll leave you to propitiate the Fish Gods when the time comes. But from here on inwards you really must be more careful. A 6 gallon tank is a bucket. It has no value at all for keeping fish. Newbie fishkeepers should start with 20 gallon systems. End of discussion. Anything smaller is very difficult to stock and even more difficult to maintain. Just to make one problem clear, as the male Platies mature, they're going to get aggressive, and in 6 gallons there's nowhere to hide. In other words the weaker males will be bullied, and the females will be constantly harassed.>
They both went through a week-long process of simply wasting away: refusal to eat, lying on the bottom of the tank, clamped fins, even vomiting. Since they died one at a time with several
weeks in between, it's probably safe to conclude that it wasn't because of a contagion, right?
<Water conditions are at the heart of the problem.>
Chemistry was all over the place for the first bit, and after about 6 weeks ammonia stabilized close to zero, but we were still having trouble with the nitrite so I started using Tetra's EasyBalance with Nitraban, which seems to have helped.
<Hmm... adding products is kind of a waste of time. The problem here is an immature filter in a too-small tank. That means the ammonia produced by the fish will overwhelm the filter and the tank lacks the capacity to dilute the problem. I seriously doubt this tank will ever settle down in the way you want it to. At best there'll be a holocaust of fish, with those that survive being just adequately catered to by the filter. As they grow, things'll decline, and heaven help you if you add a new fish six months down the line. Please do read my thoughts on stocking, maintaining new aquaria:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWsubwebindex/fwlivestocking.htm
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWsubwebindex/fwlivestk.htm
These are pitched at beginners and should help.>
Currently pH seems to be about 7.7 (though it's hard to tell because the water's color doesn't exactly match the color chart for the test), nitrite is at 0.05ppm, and ammonia is at 0.25 ppm. I still add Cycle and EasyBalance when I do water changes every 1-2 weeks, replacing about 30-40% of the water and also the carbon filter. I also treat the new water (which comes straight from the tap) with API's Tap Water Conditioner, which is supposed to remove chlorine and break down chloramine.
<You obviously need to be doing more water changes and adding less food. Well, frankly, you need a whole new tank but let's stay theoretical for now. If ammonia and nitrite aren't zero (the precise value couldn't matter less except to say the higher the number, the worse it is) you need to tackle both the source of ammonia (fish, food) and the removal system (filtration, water changes).>
We bought our two long finned platies (their names are Claudius and Gertrude) about 2-3 weeks ago and moved Urich into his own little bowl. He doesn't seem as happy, but he's healthy and I change about 50% of the water and rinse his gravel once a week.
<Goldfish bowls are to Goldfish what Death Row is to Humans. I can't abide them, and this poor fish is already on his way to the grave. Whether that takes a week, a month, or a year doesn't matter; it won't be anything remotely akin to a healthy, happy life for a SOCIABLE, BIG fish that needs swimming space and company. Do see here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/goldfish101art.htm
>
Last week two of the plants in the platies' tank died and started to decay, so I removed them.
<Did you check the plants are true aquatics? A lot of stores will sell you terrestrial plants. These are often cheap and look nice, so inexperienced aquarists buy them. Problem is, they die. You really must research each plant before buying them: many are demanding in terms of lighting and substrate, and for newbies there are really only a few that can be recommended.>
(I'm hoping this is the cause of the elevated ammonia and nitrite, and I expect the numbers will go down in a few days.) I find this really odd since all of the other plants are still perfectly healthy, and the ones that died were doing very well until they suddenly weren't.
<Sounds a lot like what happens with terrestrial plants.>
I do have problems being gentle with the gravel vacuum around them; they tend to get uprooted during water changes, but that can't be what killed them, can it?
<Yes it can, but in all honesty I doubt this plant lived long enough to have grown an extensive root system. But those plants that do have big root systems will be stressed, though rarely killed, if their roots are damaged.>
Finding info about the care and keeping of aquarium plants seems to be really difficult, so I'd appreciate any advice you can offer.
<Buy a book. There's lot of them on plants. I cannot stress how important it is to have a book with you to identify the plants being offered. Lots of pet stores will sell things like "aquatic palm" and "dragon plant" and "wheat plant" and such like. Guess what? They're terrestrial plants. Is this a con? I'd say so. But you can beat the scam by doing some research. If you know what a Java Fern is for example, you'll know it's hardy and easy to keep and doesn't need much light. Provided you don't bury it in the sand (it hates having its rhizome buried) it's a great beginner's plant. Other species good for newbies are Anubias, Java Moss, and Cryptocoryne wendtii -- all hardy and undemanding.>
As far as the platies are concerned, they are healthy and spunky. When I bought them, Claudius (the large, feisty male) actually jumped out of the fish net and onto the store floor!
<Platies do jump: don't keep in an uncovered aquarium.>
When I brought them home, I noticed that the lower fork of his tail was broken, which I assume happened during his adventure out to terrestrial living; that seems to be healing now, albeit
slowly. It has never impaired his ability to swim or otherwise act fish-like, but I think it might be crooked for the rest of his life. He is in fact extremely aggressive with Gertrude, who is a little smaller and not as brightly colored, especially at feeding time. I give them TetraColor
flakes, which are supposed to enhance their orange-red colors. According to the label, it is at least 49% crude protein, at least 9% crude fat, at most 2% crude fiber, at least 1.3% phosphorus, and has vitamins A, D3, and E, biotin, ascorbic acid, and omega-3 fatty acids. (I have no idea what all of that means, but I'm sure you do.)
<Yes, I do. But in any case these are HERBIVORES so don't use this stuff more than 50% of their meals; use HERBIVORE fish food, such as Spirulina flake. Again: research first, spend money second.>
I also give them to Urich, who started out albino and has since not only turned pink but also developed red and orange spots on his forehead and tail fins. ...so I guess the stuff does what it's
supposed to!
<Well, unless that's Finrot, which wouldn't be out of all probability given the ammonia/nitrite situation here.>
Tetra claims that its flakes are completely balanced for the nutrition of tropical fish, but I was wondering what you thought about them being enough for our new fry. Should I switch to something different?
<Yep.>
Supplement it with other stuff? I'm very hesitant to add live foods like brine shrimp because currently the fry are about their size, and Claudius gets VERY aggressive over food. I wouldn't want him to find a fry and eat it thinking it was a shrimp. I know that platies are livebearers and also
unscrupulously cannibalistic.
<Can be.>
I don't think I mentioned it earlier, but when I found the fry this evening there were only three of them. I was under the impression that livebearers give birth to about 15-20 young at a time, so I fear that perhaps the rest - if there were more to begin with - have fallen victim to their parents'
appetite. Being only two or three millimeters long, they would easily fit into the adult fish's mouths. I don't know if you can tell from the pictures I sent you, but further evidence of my husband's and my ignorance about fishkeeping is that our gravel is much too large. This only became a problem when I discovered the fry, because I now understand that they can become trapped in it. One of the three surviving fry I actually found trapped in a crevice under the gravel, right up against the glass. I thought perhaps he had become trapped when I had rearranged the gravel after removing the dead plants (though I can't imagine how I could have missed the presence of fry
if they were there at the time), so washed my hands and carefully reached into the tank to free him. He swam away, but then lodged himself into another crevice. I freed him again, and he got himself stuck again! After freeing him a third time, I realized that he was swimming very spastically and
twitching with his entire body. It got to the point that he couldn't even swim upright, but kept turning upside down when trying to swim. I concluded that he had neurological damage of some sort, so I put him in a small cup and placed it in the freezer. I've heard that that's a relatively painless way to put a dying fish out of its misery.
<No it's not; see WWM re: Euthanasia>
The other two seemed very alert and healthy, darting about and eluding the adult fish. I am a little
concerned because I haven't seen either of them for hours, but I hope that they have simply found some good hiding places and are waiting out the rest of the night. Our tank is not very well planted anymore, now that so many of the plants have died. Do you think that will be a problem?
<Yes.>
How long will it be until the fry are large enough that they'll no longer be on their parents' menu? Do they grow very fast? What should I do to keep them alive and safe?
<Put the fry in a rearing tank ~10 gallons in size with lots of floating plants. Let the tank get some sunlight so algae grows. Platies feed primarily on algae, and it's the best food for maximum health and colour.>
That is my story! I know it's quite long, but I figured the more information I gave, the better the returning advice would be. Thank you so much for addressing all my concerns! I love what you do and I think it's wonderful.
- Jenn
<I'm glad you think it's wonderful, and that's kind of you to say so. But when we write back saying "you're doing everything wrong, darn it" sometimes folks don't see it quite the same way. I hope this isn't too negative, but honestly your tank and bowl are far from being suitable for the fish in question, so there's only so much practical advice I can give beyond saying buy a bigger tank. A 20 gallon tank would house the Platies and a couple of juvenile Goldfish are ~23C/73F quite happily. Add sufficient lighting that you had between 1-2 watts per gallon and the hardy plants mentioned above would thrive. If you're going with Cryptocoryne spp. that need to be buried in the substrate, try a mix of fine pea gravel and smooth silica sand; Anubias, Java Moss and Java fern are stuck to rocks/wood so don't care about the substrate. I'd use just a thin layer of sand or pea gravel as preferred. Use a decent filter, something offering 4-6 times the volume of the tank in turnover per hour. Until nitrite = 0, do 25% water changes every 1-2 days, without fail. After 2-3 weeks things should be perfectly stable, and you can revert to 25-50% water changes weekly. Cheers, Neale.>

What to do with one platy? 6/25/08
This year I set up a 10 gallon aquarium in my classroom with a few red wag platys.?
<?>
This was my first experience with an aquarium and definitely a learning experience.? For most of the year I had three (what appeared to be) healthy platys, but something changed a couple weeks before school let out.? The platys started hiding and I noticed the big female had a large white spot on her side and was getting skinny.?
<Something amiss here environmentally, nutritionally>
She died and? then the male died about a week or so? later.? The last platy looks ok but is still hiding.? She doesn't even come out when I put food in the aquarium, although I think she may eat something when I'm not there because she's not skinny.? I had planned to give my platys to another teacher at the end of the school year who has an aquarium at her house; however, I did not want to give her a sick platy so I still have the lone platy at school.? I'm not sure what to do with her.? I'm moving to another school for next year so I had to tear down the 10 gallon aquarium (it is the property of the current school and the room has to be cleared out for summer cleaning).? I had a 3 gallon Eclipse tank running at school (that I used to raise this platy from a fry) so I moved? her to that tank today.? It's a pretty bare tank? - only two small plastic plants and a small crate ornament inside which the platy can hide.? So I have one platy that I'm not sure is sick or not or if she is just scared and? lonely.? What should I do??
<Learn what is going on with the ??? and omit it?>
I cannot get into my new school until July 28 so, assuming she lives, it is going to be quite a while before she can get into a bigger tank and have some new friends.? I cannot set up a larger tank at my house because I have well water that is really bad (sulfur, etc.).? I can keep her at my current school for the time being in the 3 gallon Eclipse tank and come in a couple times a week to feed her and check on her.? However, I know platys like to be in groups so I don't know if I'm just inducing more stress by keeping her by herself for so long.? Should I go get one more platy to keep her company??? I'm not sure what is best to do here.? Some people are telling me to just put her down the toilet drain, but I can't? make myself do that.?
?
Thanks for your help!
Carolyn
<Take the fish and the 3 gal. sys. home, return it in the Fall. Oh, and read here: http://wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/platysysfaqs.htm
and the linked files above.>
Bob Fenner?>

Platies, sys.  1/18/08
Hi Crew!
<Hello.>
I indulged myself this season by getting a new ten gallon tank. I know, it's a bit small....but it's perfect for the location.
<Hmm... fish, bacteria don't really care about the location. A ten-gallon tank IS hard work and ISN'T easy to keep and CAN'T hold very many different types of fish.>
The tank has a heater set at 79 degrees F, silk plants, a small air stone and a BioWheel filtration device (outside of aquarium)
<Lower the temperature a little. 25C/77F is normal and tolerable for the widest range of species.>
I have cycled the tank, had the water tested at the store (so far so good), and added five dwarf platies from PetSmart (they seemed the healthiest!) Now, to the questions. I know that platies come in different varieties, but how can I tell that these are truly "dwarf" and not just mature fry?
<You can't. There aren't any "dwarf" Platies in the trade, at least not outside of people keeping wild-caught Xiphophorus species. More than likely these are nothing more than young Platies. Expect adult size around 5-7 cm/2-3". Platies are NOT, in my opinion, good fish for a 10 gallon tank. They get too big for one thing, but the males are also aggressive sometimes. So more than ONE male is asking for trouble.>
I have inspected each fish - two have gonopodium and three do not (2M/3F).
<Oh dear. Well, I guess you're going to have a lot of chasing and fighting in there. Hope you weren't expecting harmony, because there's no guarantees of that at all!>
They currently measure just under an inch in length. I had read somewhere that this variety had two less invertebrate, and that it was originally a variation of the balloon variety. Is this true?
<No idea. An "invertebrate" is an animal without a backbone, and Platies certainly do have backbones, so precisely what this factoid is I cannot say. In any case, Balloon Mollies are nothing to do with Platies of any kind.>
Also, how do they mix with other platies?
<Fine. But your tank is overstocked already.>
Are they close enough in genetics that they are able to mate?
<They're all Xiphophorus hybrids, and all interbreed.>
Or will the larger varieties "pick on" the dwarf?
<Male Xiphophorus chase one another, and yes, the big ones will beat up the smaller ones.>
Finally - it appears that one of the fish has a larger belly, however I do not see a gravid spot.
<You can't (usually) see a gravid spot on Xiphophorus species; they're too big for this to be reliable. So forget about it. The gravid spot applies to wild-type mosquitofish and Guppies, and that's about it.>
They are sunset in color, so I would assume that it would be there. Is there anything special about the fry of this fish? (Or just the same thing as the Mollies, guppies, and regular platies?)
<Hmm... not sure what you mean by "special".>
Again, I've had these fish for only a few days, so I can't assume anything - I'm just trying to prepare for the new variety!
<They're just colours. Like people with different colour hair or skin; underneath, they're just the same.>
Thanks!
Megan
<Hope this helps, Neale.>

Platies water temp. 1/17/08
Hi, we just purchased 6 orange platys, 1 snail and 1 small Pleco on 1/15/08. At the time of transport, our night temperature outside was about 24 degrees. The fish were wrapped from the store.
<On really cold days, wrapping fish in brown paper isn't enough; I'd recommend using a thermally insulated bag or box, of the sort used for picnics.>
After getting them home we floated the bags in the water which was a cool 70 degrees since the heater was not installed yet. The heater was preset to 76, I set it to 74. What is the ideal temp for these fish?
<This is a trick question! There are two traded Platies, in theory anyway, one of which, Xiphophorus variatus, is a subtropical fish that likes coolish sort of conditions, while the other, X. maculatus, is a more normal tropical fish. Regardless, something around 25C/77F is fine for both species, and in any case the fish in the trade are mostly hybrids anyway.>
Also, this morning (1/16) 1 platy is barely moving near the bottom...why do you think this is?
<No idea. Most likely a water chemistry/quality issue. Check the nitrite level and the pH, and then get back to me.>
Thanks in advance for your help. P.S. this tank was completely broke down and redone over after sickness wiped out 2 large fantail Orandas and 1 large Pleco.
Barb in NY
<Good luck, Neale.>

Platys.... what if? Molly crosses?    1/3/08
Hi Guys or Gals!
<Hello.>
OK, so.. about 9 months ago my cousin dumped some mollies and platys in my freshwater tank due to them being baby making machines at
her house. I got sick of my freshwater tank constantly having problems with disease and infection so I pulled the Mollies and over the course of many, many long hours, I slowly converted them to marine fish (in their own separate tank not in with my other marine fish) They’re doing great! (both tanks) It’s been 6 months. Some are Dalmatian mollies and some are molly and platy cross breeds (living in a 1.024-1.025 salinity).
<Never heard of Platy/Molly hybrids. Are you sure? I'd LOVE to see pictures of these Platy hybrids.>
I even have a couple new babies in that tank. So my question is.. are the Platys solely freshwater?
<While Mollies adapt to marine conditions fine, I've never heard of anyone adapt any Platy (or Swordtail) to marine conditions. Brackish water up to SG 1.005 is likely the limit.>
Or can they be converted like the mollies as well?
<Not that I'm aware of.>
I heard they’d be OK in brackish water, But I want to know if they’d live comfortably in a marine environment.
<Likely not.>
Thanks for your time.
Rochelle
<Cheers, Neale.>

Platy Tank, hlth.  4/18/07
<<Tom here. (Didn’t catch your name from your post so I’m sorry I can’t “personalize” this a little more. ;) >>
I have three platies in a five gallon tank. There are two females and one male. Two days after buying them from Petco, the gold twin bar platy had a white spot on her tail fin. She feeds fine, but she keeps her fins clamped and doesn't move very much. I think she might have ick.
<<I’d be more concerned about the clamped fins now than a single, white spot.>>
The temperature is at a constant 77 degrees.
<<Okay…>>
She is chased sometimes by the other two fish and might be stressed out.
<<I can practically guarantee it.>>
Should we exchange her?
<<No. With our help, hopefully, we’ll get her back on her feet (fins?). The store will only destroy her in, Lord only knows, what fashion. Let’s give her a chance.>>
Should we put salt in the tank? How much if so?
<<Good way to go. If you can elevate the tank’s temperature to the low-80’s, please do so…slowly. Also, purchase some “aquarium” salt at your pet store (Kosher salt from the supermarket will work well, too). Remove about one gallon of water from the tank. Dissolve one-and-a-half to two tablespoons of the salt into fresh, dechlorinated water and add this to the tank. >>
We have two plants that might have spread ick. Or is that possible?
<<First, your plants most certainly could have been carrying the parasites. Second, and unfortunately, the salt is likely going to do them in – the downside of treating with salt. It’s a safe and effective way to treat some of the problems that occur with fish but plants don’t fare well with it.>>
Respond as soon as possible!
<<I’ll take that as a desperate plea for assistance rather than an order. ;) Post back with my name if you need further help/clarification with anything. Tom>>

Re: Platy Tank, hlth.    4/19/07
Tom,
<<Hello, Elisabet. A pleasure.>>
We are heating the tank now. Thanks for the help.
<<Good, and happy to help.>>
We decided to remove the plants and put them in a separate container.
<<Excellent.>>
Then we would add salt to the tank until everyone was happy again.
<<Yes. This will take bit of time, however. You can research this but, in a nutshell, if we’re dealing with Ich, it’s life cycle is “sped up” at higher temperatures (what we’re trying to achieve). The salt is effective only when the parasite is in the “infant” stage, i.e. looking for a host fish to infest. (This is true of any treatment that fights Ich.) In the meantime, the salt will also assist the fish in breathing and help in dealing with external wounds the fish might have. (Ich will leave wounds on the fish as the cysts- the “white spots” - drop off.)>>
Then after a few water changes of adding no salt the salt level would drop and we could add the plants again. Would that be OK?
<<Certainly. The salt remains unless you perform water changes so you’ll need to actually change the water in order to get the salt level down. (Some folks think that simply adding water lowers the salt level. Not so. You have to remove some tank water and replace it with fresh, unsalted water.)>>
Elisabet
<<I’ll be here if you need more assistance. Tom>>

Re: Platy Tank, hlth.    4/19/07
Tom,
<<Hello, again.>>
The red female platy is very, very aggressive toward the other, sick one.  She constantly chases her and bites. Maybe she needs some more  tankmates?
<<Not uncommon in the animal world, Elisabet. What seems "cruel" to us as humans makes perfect sense to animals. Your healthy Platy sees the sick one as a "weakling", one unable to protect or procreate. Isolate the sick Platy if at all possible. Beyond that, we're going to have to let Nature take its course. Not what you want to hear, I know. Tom>>

Care for starburst platys in a 5 gallon tank  - 1/22/07
Hello,
<Hi - a very excited Jorie from Chicago here...'Da Bears are goin' to the Superbowl!!>
I am completely a novice at having fish.
<We all start somewhere, not to worry.>
  I just purchased a 5 gallon hexagon aquarium (it was a kit with a filter) for my two, 5 yr old boys.
<Is the kit by Marineland? If so, I have the same one...Even though this is a fairly small tank, I'm glad that you invested in a tank with a filter...>
Our friend's starburst platy had 9 babies and she is going to give my boys two.  They are only about the size of a piece of rice.
<Yes, I keep livebearers (mollies, platys, guppies, etc.) myself and am familiar with the fry - quite small, and quite cute!>
We put the aquarium together, put in the water conditioner, rocks and a few decorative items (one that the fish can hide in).
<Excellent.  You do need to invest in a heater; I suggest a submersible one. The general rule of thumb is 25 watts per 5 gallons, and to my knowledge, the 25 watt heater is the smallest submersible on made - that will work great! PetSmart, PetCo, etc. sell them, as do www.drsfostersmith.com.  Also, a thermometer for inside the tank is necessary.  You want to keep the water temperature as stable as possible, in the upper 70's (that's degrees F) for the platy fry.>
My questions are as follows:
How many fish can we safely put in this small aquarium?
<Not very many.  I know how small the platy fry are, but keep in mind they grow.  2 or 3 fry would be great.  If you have multiple sexes, they'll start reproducing.  Also, if there are too many males, they'll pick on the females. There's no way to tell what sex they are when they are this young...>
Is it safe to put a Pleco (sp?)...
<Pleco>
...fish in with these 2 very small babies?
<Maybe yes, maybe no, but my bigger concern is what type of Pleco.  If you are referring to the "common Pleco", absolutely not - these grow to 18" in length!  Some of the rare, and very expensive, varieties stay small, but they require a very stable environment, lots of algae to eat, etc.  In short, they aren't typically regarded as a beginner's fish.  I'd stick with the platys in the 5 gal.; in all honesty, once they reach adulthood, you're maxed out with 2, maybe 3.>
How long after we set the aquarium up is it safe to transfer these babies into it?  How do we do it?
<Well, you need to establish the nitrogen cycle in the tank before adding any fish, especially fry (as they are very demanding in terms of water quality). By feeding the tank just a pinch of fish food daily, you can kick-start the process.  Do invest in a quality liquid test kit, such as this: http://www.amazon.com/Aquarium-Pharmaceuticals-Freshwater-Master-Test/dp/B000255NCI/sr=8-1/qid=1169425373/ref=sr_1_1/002-3618028-9708064?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden .  Once you've seen a spike, then decline, in ammonia, nitrite and nitrate levels (in that order), the cycle is complete and the tank's ready for the fish! Here's a good article describing the cycling process: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/fwestcycling.htm
Once the cycle has been established, you can add the fish by simply netting them from their old quarters into the new ones. Actually, since you are getting the fish from a friend, you'll likely be bringing a Ziploc bag full of water and the fry home with you from your friend's house; you then would float the bag inside your 5 gal. tank, slowly adding a bit of the tank's water into the bag. After 30-45 minutes, the fish should be fully acclimatized; you then would net the fry and transfer them into their new home.  Don't just empty the bag of water into the tank, though, as any "undesirables" from your friend's tank would thus be transferred too...>
What is the appropriate temperature for these fish?
<Tropical waters.  Read here for info. on platys, and livebearers in general: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/poeciliids.htm >
Do they need a heater?
<Yes - see above.>
Should we feed them 1 or 2x per day?
<With fry, I generally recommend feeding at least twice per day.  I like Hikari's First Bites as a fry food, but there are a variety of suitable choices out there.>
Thank you very much in advance,
D. J.
<You're very welcome.  This is the fun part - learning about the wonderful world of aquarium fish! David E. Boruchowitz has written a very comprehensive "A Simple Guide to the Freshwater Aquarium" that is a great starting point for newbies.  The best thing you can do right now is read, read, and read some more, prior to acquiring your fish.  It may seem tedious, but the effort WILL pay off in the long-run, not to mention possible save the lives of your piscine friends. Best of luck, Jorie>

Re: care for starburst platys in a 5 gallon tank - PART 2    2/2/07
Jorie,
<Donna,>
Thanks for responding and answering all of my questions.
<You're welcome.>
I set the tank up 1 wk ago today.  We still have not put any fish in.  The last couple of days the tank seems cloudy.  I went to the pet store and they sold me something called 'Accu-clear.'
<The best, and truly safest way to fix water problems, including cloudy water, is to do one or more water changes; adding various chemicals can only lead to more pollution, in my opinion.>
I put in the 2 drops per gallon and am waiting to see if the water clears up (just did this now).
<If it were me, I'd see if I could return the product, and simply do more water changes to clear up the cloudiness.>
I did not put a heater in, but did put in a thermometer to check the temperature.  it has been in the proper range with very little fluctuation...
<How much is little? Also, what type of thermometer are you using - the "stick on strip" kinds are very inaccurate, so I recommend the hanging-by-a-suction-cup type. If the temp. stays within 1 degree, then I'd agree that you don't need a heater; any greater fluctuation would likely necessitate one.>
...all week even when the light has been turned off.  In this case, do you still think that I need a heater?
<See above.>
I am going to buy a liquid testing kit because I do think it will be easier for me just to have something here.
<Absolutely, and probably more accurate, too.>
The store is out of the one for $14.99 that I was going to purchase.  It tests for 5 different things.  The woman there tested my water with a test strip and said that it was fine.
<Those "strips" are horribly inaccurate sometimes - they aren't reliable.  Do try to find a combination liquid test kit - the "essentials" you need to test for are pH, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate. Aquarium Pharmaceuticals makes one, as does Tetra (and probably others, as well...)>
I want to wait till the water clears and then test it again before I put the baby fry in.
<I'd get the liquid kit, stop relying on the fish store, (who seems to be giving you less-than-great advice, in my humble opinion), do a water change to reduce the cloudiness (and repeat as needed). Also, as I think I mentioned before, you should take this opportunity to cycle the tank without any fish in it: read here if you haven't already: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/fwestcycling.htm >
What do you think?
<You're on the right track - just get the tank cycled and stable, and you'll be ready for the fry!>
Thanks in advance,
dtj
<You're most welcome.  Sorry for my delayed response, by the way - this week has been especially demanding in law school. Best regards, Jorie>

Platy aquarium: fry, poor water quality 10/16/06
Hi Bob,
<Hi Meridith - you've got Jorie instead of Bob this evening...>
My name is Meridith. I am a total novice with fish.
<That's OK - we all start somewhere, right?!>
I have developed the interest because of my  2 and 3 yr. olds joy of fish.
<Yes, I have a 3 1/2 yr. old niece who loves to come visit my boyfriend and me to watch the "Nemos"!>
I have a 5 gallon hexagon tank with a type z rite-size filter and a BioWheel.
<I have the same tank myself.  It's not currently set up, but I've used it in the past.>
We had 3 different types of platies and a black Molly. The black Molly died about a month ago and all has seemed fine with the rest.
<In my experience with mollies, especially black ones, I've noticed they greatly appreciate either a little aquarium salt, or being in true brackish (part salt-water) environments.  Seems to keep them healthier and happier.  Just future info. for you.  Your platys may benefit from a bit of aquarium salt as well, but in my experience, it isn't as essential.>
The other day I discovered a very healthy looking tiny baby with good color.
<Welcome to the wonderful world of livebearers...soon there will be more, then more, then many more...>
I did not even know that any were pregnant.
<Pretty much any time a female livebearer (guppy, platy, molly) is kept in a community tank with males, it will become pregnant. Also, these fish have the ability to store sperm for up to 6 months, and pretty much become "pregnant at will"...>
I did not even know what the difference between a male and a female was.  I started trying to see, who's the Mommy?
<The female has a more rounded anal fin, whereas the male's is more pointed and elongated.  Do a search on "Google" and you'll find pictures - once you see the difference, you'll see it is quite easy to tell the two apart.  Also, when the females are pregnant, they become more round in their bellies, and the gravid spot (right by the anal fin) will become dark and enlarged once they are ready to give birth.>
I did some research and found your web site.
<Glad you did - welcome!>
I found a Mommy all right, she kept hiding and laying around, I was worried because she did not look good and then I saw her pop out 2 babies.
<The females tend to hide when giving birth - this is totally normal.  Hopefully she's back to normal now?>
I went to the store and purchased a small maternity tank and put her in it. I decided that she was just laboring hard and I watched her have 7 more babies in the little tank. (the kind that hangs inside the big tank). This morning she was dead. My kids don't know yet.
<I'm not a fan of these "breeding boxes"...they tend to stress the fish out and don't allow for proper filtration.  Have you recently done a water change and/or tested the water for ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate? I'll bet it's time for a water change.  Do read here if you haven't already: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/fwestcycling.htm >
She appeared to have a slight case of ick.
<Like a dusting of salt?>
I teetered back and forth because of the babies and I treated the tank with Quick Cure.
<Very harsh medication.  Better ways to treat ich such as adding heat, salt...also, you never want to medicate your main tank.  The link I sent you to above talking about establishing a cycle will address why - the medication destroys the cycle.>
After reading on your site I am more worried because I have treated for this now for the 3rd time since I have had the tank and never removed the BioWheel. The directions say remove all carbon filters, I read about people removing the BioWheel on your site. Now what? I am like 12 hours in with one baby a couple weeks old, maybe and some others born last night that seem very iffy health-wise one newborn escaped into the tank along with the 2 that were born there. I also have 2 Cory cats in the tank one seems healthy and the other is missing most of it's fins. I
feel very overwhelmed and not sure what to do next. Please help!
<OK, take a deep breath - we can fix this.  First off, I'd like to recommend a very helpful beginner's book by David E. Boruchowitz - it's called a Simple Guide to Freshwater Aquariums.  It's a very good starting point.  With regards to your situation, you may be overstocked.  How many fish are in the 5 gal. hex? 2 cories, 3 platys, and the babies?  If that's all, you are likely OK, *if* you keep up on your water changes.  You should be doing 50% weekly.  Second, ditch the breeder box - you don't need it.  I highly doubt the cories will touch the babies, and most livebearers don't eat their own fry, in my experience.  Third, replace the carbon pad along with a 75% water change...you need to get the medication out.  Re: the BioWheel, yes, I'd replace it.  Normally, you don't ever want to replace a BioWheel, but if you truly had ick in the tank, that is a parasite and quite hard to get rid of.  Fourth, if you have a spare tank, I'd isolate the coy with missing fins, and treat that tank with MelaFix.  Make sure to keep the water pristine, as the fish will be more likely to get an infection due to the injuries.  I think most, if not all of your problems, are due to poor water quality - let's get that in check and re-assess.
Do you currently see signs of ich in your tank? You haven't mentioned it, so I'll assume not...
Do check out the book I've recommended, along with the link.  Also, see here for more useful info.: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/taptrtmnt.htm
Thank you. Meridith    
<Hope I've helped.  Please be aware also that the babies are even more sensitive to poor water conditions than the adult platys are.  Do invest in a good test kit (liquid kind, the dip-sticks are very inaccurate) and keep ammonia, nitrite and nitrate levels at zero.  Good luck, Jorie>

Platies not doing as well as usual... new system/hobbyist syndrome   7/28/06
Hi  - Thanks for reading this - I need your help as I'm not sure what's going on.
25 gallon tank set up for 1 1/2 weeks.
<... cycled?>
  Fish added six days ago.
Temp 82
Ammonia 0
Nitrites 0
Nitrates 5 ppm
pH 7.5
We bought 6 platies (3 red wag, 3 blue spotted).  One died two days after coming home. The rest of the platies are usually very curious and very entertaining. They would swim to wherever you were, follow your finger around the tank glass, if I put food in the tank they were quick as lightning finding it. We enjoyed them so much.  A couple days ago we found 3 fry, and I know at least 2 are still alive (not been eaten) as I saw them both today.  There could be more, but with 25 gallons and lots of java fern,
<Ah, good to read that you have live plants here>
they're excellent hiders.  All the fish seemed very happy and healthy until this evening. My husband did a 20% water change as we've been doing every 3 days to control the ammonia/nitrites.
<Not a good means... this tank, the fishes are suffering for/with "new tank syndrome"...>
After he was done, all 5 fish stayed near the bottom, breathing extra heavy and frantically waving their front fins though not moving anywhere.  I also noticed the usually bright blue colour of the blue spotted platies is more of a dullish gray-green around their head/eyes.  
If the water quality is really bad, then wouldn't the babies have already died?
<No, not necessarily. Young are more resistant to some types of malinfluences than adults>
Could this be the sudden (and all 5 at once?) result of less than optimal tank conditions over the past few days due to it's newness?
<Ah, yes>
The tests now look OK.  Or could it be that the gravel vac water change scared them for some reason?  
<Perhaps a small factor>
They've seen it before, in fact, once they even went directly under the water fall 'just to check it out' when we were replacing the water.   I'm sad because our little characters seem a lot duller than usual.  What do you think it is?
<"New water", non-cycled system...>
  What can I do?  (I added a 1/2 tsp of salt today because I read that that reduces stress.)  Anything else?  They are looking a little more active now but definitely not their usual selves.  Any suggestions?
<Look for the product "Bio-Spira", cut the water changes and feeding way down to keep ammonia and nitrite under 1.0 ppm... read: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/fwestcycling.htm
and the linked files above. Bob Fenner>

Re: Platies not doing as well as usual   7/28/06
Hi
<Hello again>
I just thought of something else that might possibly be relevant. The water we added today had been sitting in a bucket overnight (to get the temp acclimated) with conditioner (dechlorinator) and aquatic plant fertilizer (my husband mixed it in there as opposed to pouring it directly in the tank). Is it possible that the fertilizer, having sat in the water overnight without plants to absorb it, broke down into something toxic to the fish?
<Mmm, no... a very good idea to have a strictly fish-use only plastic container for this purpose. Bob Fenner>

Tank creep, FW systems, platies, growing Elodea   4/6/06
Hello Crew, I have a couple of questions. I just in the planning stages yet, but I have this image in my head of a warm freshwater tank with
lots of live waving grass and many fish flitting about (instead of a single Betta in a tiny 2.5 gallon tank). So with that in mind; would it
be O.K. to have 4 blue Dalmatian Platys /(Xiphophorus maculatus)/ & a Betta /(B. splendens) /in a 10 gallon tank?
<Yes>
Or should I be thinking 15gal? Can I have more than 4 Platy's in the 10gal?
<Bigger is better... but a ten will do... until/unless the platies reproduce...>
  I have fairly hard water (with Ph at 7.6), and figured that the platys would be the best choice.  I don't want to spend a lot of money on lights (and conversely
the electric bill)
<You are wise here>
so I'm thinking that Java Fern & a Sword Plant would work with low/natural lighting,  hard water & the proper substrate/plant
food.  Do you have any other thoughts on plants?
<Lots. Posted on WWM>
  The second question relates to Goldfish (your basic comets) and Anacharis. My two very special and beautiful Goldfish think it's the yummiest stuff ever & mow
it down. Is it possible to just have a special plant tank (or bucket) with just Elodea/Anacharis (a farm tank, no fish)?
<Yes>
I'm feeling a bit cheep about lights and filtration (especially since this plant will just end up in a goldfish tummy), but I don't want to be that cheap so it
doesn't grow.
Thanks, Ann.
<You've got a bunch of good ideas Ann. Bob Fenner>

Poor Platies
Hi guys, I have been reading through the FAQ's for about an hour now and haven't found what I am looking for. Sorry if this has been asked already. 3 days ago I bought a 5 gallon bow front fish tank. It came with a whisper micro filter. Well apparently I have what the fish hobbyist call New Tank Syndrome though not intentionally. I have owned goldfish for around 7 yrs and since they are such hardy fish I never had any problems with them at all (until I introduced a sucker fish from Wal-mart who had several diseases - I should have know better than to buy a fish from Wal-mart but I was only 14). 
Anyways I bought three red platies, 2 female and 1 male. I didn't cycle the tank because I had no idea I needed to, I know your thinking those poor fish! I have added a tablespoon of aquarium salt and also added Aqua Safe, and will start to change 50% of the water which I will continue to do every day for the next couple of weeks. I have also been feeding them only a tiny bit twice a day. I am watching them eat to make sure all food is consumed and it is only enough for them to finish in 1 minute or less. Is there anything else I can do to make sure they live? 
I will put a quarter teaspoon of Aqua safe in with the water changes, but how much salt should I put in with a 50% water change, half a table spoon? I don't want them to die or suffer. For now they are swimming and eating well. Please help, I do care but was just uneducated!
Thanks, Jenny
<I think you got it! Water changes are the answer. Not sure you even need the salt, but at one tbls per 5 gallons it will not hurt anything either. You should mix the salt and dechlorinator in the new water before adding it to the tank. For a 50% water change you just add a half tbls to the new water. Salt will not evaporate, so only replace it when you remove water. Any top off water should be salt free. What you really need is a test kit for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate. Very important always, more so while cycling. Read Bob's paper on FW cycling here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/fwestcycling.htm  Don>

Re: My poor platies
Okay one last question...I went out and bought some BioSpira. I put a little more than half an ounce in the tank. My question is; Is BioSpira supposed to make the water cloudy?
<Mmm, no>
I read somewhere that it does make the water cloudy however mine did not. It has been in the tank for 38hrs. Think it got too hot during shipping?
<I hope not>
I am going to go out and buy, a test for nitrites and one for ammonia today.
<Good>
Should I hold off on water changes for a few days if the ammonia and nitrites are at low levels and just see if the water balances out? Maybe just changing 1 time per week?
<Yes... I would not change the water unless ammonia or nitrite was in excess of 1.0 ppm... as changes at this point will forestall the establishment of cycling>
Thanks for the help! I am glad that there are knowledgeable people out there willing to help!
<Glad to be of service. Bob Fenner> 

New Tank Platy
I am new to aquariums. I have a twenty gallon tank which I have cycled for three days and added BioSpira. pH is normal around 6-7, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate are all low, temp sits at 78-79 so I added two platys and three phantom tetra today. One of my platy's, a female is sitting in the upper corner while the other, male, is swimming everywhere. It seems to have something brown hanging from under its tail fin. "Guessing fecal material of sort." Earlier in the day
she was swimming everywhere, now she's not. Any ideas?
Nick
<If you just added them today, that would seem normal. It takes some time for some new fish to adjust to their new conditions. It could also be that the male has been aggressively trying to breed, stressing her out. You should always have more females than males to spread out the aggression. But let's touch on water quality first. It is not good to have low ammonia and nitrites. Both MUST be at zero. If you are showing any at all, then water changes are in order. Do as many as are needed to keep both as low as possible. 
The BioSpira will add the bacteria needed to control both, but will need some time to adjust to your bio load. Do not add any more fish until both remain at zero without a water change. Also, to say your pH is "around 6-7" is like saying the water temp is between freezing and boiling. A 1.0 difference in pH is huge! But the important thing is to keep it steady, not hit a target number. Doing frequent partial water changes will correct any spikes in ammonia and nitrite, and later control nitrate, as well as keep your pH matched to your source water. Don>

New platy hiding
Hi--I am new to the platy world and have two questions about normal behavior and temperature. I have a new 3 gallon tank which ran for about 5 days before we added one male platy.
<Mmm, do you know about "cycling", establishing biological filtration in aquariums? Please read here: http://wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/fwestcycling.htm >
He has been in the tank for about two days. He hides most of the time (he has some good spots in which to hide) and only comes out to eat. He seems healthy and eats well. After he eats, he swims around a bit, then goes back into hiding, usually until the next feeding. Is this normal "new" fish behavior? Could he just be lonely?
<Normal to an extent, and Platies are indeed social creatures... but I suspect your tank is toxic due to not being cycled principally here>
Also, we moved his tank after one day because he was in a warm room and I was worried his tank might be getting too hot (don't want any boiled fish!). What is the temperature range for platys? (We don't have a heater in the tank right
now.) Thanks!
<Most anything in the high sixties to high seventies is ideal... more important that the temperature not vacillate much than it be an actual temp. A shame you have such a tiny, changeable world for you and your fish/es to deal with... I would save up and get a "real aquarium"... Do read re proper/adequate FW set-ups, maintenance on WWM... Your passion will drive your actions. Bob Fenner> 

Re: new platy hiding
Dear Bob,
<Joy>
First, let me say thanks for taking the time to respond to my question. I appreciate the fact that you provide this service free of charge. However, I find it incredibly insulting that you do not consider my tank to be a "real" aquarium, just because it's not some 200 gallon monster. 
<Mmm, a ten would, will do...>
"A shame you have such a tiny, changeable world for you and your fish/es to deal with... I would save up and get a "real aquarium"...
I think you need to consult your Webster's to review the definition of an aquarium. It doesn't specify a certain size requirement.
<I have no such need... you can read books on aquarium keeping, my articles posted here and there... for free... sigh>
Just because we have not spent hundreds to thousands of dollars on fish and a tank does not give you the right to scoff. We all have to start somewhere, right?
<Am not scoffing... just offering my input...>
My 7 year old son is autistic and he worked very hard to get this aquarium. He is very proud of it and I will not have you make a mockery of it, intentional or not.
Just in case you do care, I cycled the tank for a week and tested the water with a Mardel Master Test Kit (pH, Hardness, Alkalinity, Nitrite, Nitrate, Ammonia). Everything is within normal parameters, so I do not consider the tank to be "toxic". Our little platy is no longer hiding...he is doing great. And don't worry...I won't be bothering you with any more questions about my "pseudo aquarium".
Sincerely,
Joy Buchanan
<Back to your world... good luck, good bye, good riddance. Bob Fenner> 

Amount of gravel needed in platy tank
Hi crew, I have a question for you. I haven't kept fish in years and when I did it was as a kid and Mom and Dad took care of them so I don't know if this is right or not any info is appreciated. I have about two to three inches of gravel in my 10 gal. with 3 adult platy’s in it 2 females and 1 male. I also have 5 fry in it that are about 1 month old and growing fast. Is that amount of gravel alright or should I have less the entire tank has plastic plants in it as I can’t seem to get real ones to stay alive. Thank you, Becky
<Please read here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/fwsubstrates.htm  and the FAQs (linked, in blue, above). Bob Fenner> 

Platy Platitudes
>Hi,
>>Hello.
>I really need your help!! I purchased a Blue Platy from the local pet store about 2wks ago & put him in my established 20 gal. tank with 5 neon tetras, 1 black skirt tetra, and 3 male guppies. Well, it turned out "he" was a "she", so I set up my old 5 gal. tank for her. She gave birth 3 days ago, and I thought mother & babies were doing fine until today. Mom started swimming fast & rubbed her face on a couple of the live plants. I check ALL the levels pH, nitrites, nitrates, hardness, and total alk.) every day (sometimes twice a day), and they have always been ideal.
>>Hhm... honestly, that's not much for me to go by. You've left out what test kit, and what the readings were. Why not test for ammonia? That's more important than hardness and total alkalinity, to be honest. However, what she demonstrates may be more indicative of a parasitic infection or other disease than water quality. How are the babies?
>I have changed 10% of the water in the smaller tank every other day. The fry seem fine, and mom looks healthy, so today I moved mom back to the 20 gal. tank, and after a little while, one of the male guppies started "nipping" at her.
>>Then she likely won't do well in this tank, he may harass her to death.
>When he does this the platy turns on her side and looks like she is having trouble swimming.
>>She's trying to escape, and he is either showing aggression or is feeling rather amorous towards her.
>I got worried and found an old fish bowl and put gravel & water from the bigger tank in it with some plants & an air stone. Then I moved the platy into that & wrote you. I don't know what to do, please help!!
>>Sometimes this happens with livebearers, and it may very well be that this pretty platy may need a tank sans male guppies or other livebearers. What she needs are peaceful tankmates.
>Thanks, Elizabeth
>>You're welcome. Marina 

Salty Platies
Good morning-
I have 3 platys in a 29G tank along with 5 cherry barbs, 7 Neons and 2  
Cory cats.  My ph is 7, nitrites 0 and nitrates less than 12 and the temp is  about
27C. I also add aquarium salt to the water with water changes.  I recently had
to move one of my female platys to a H-tank due to some fin  damage (she's
doing fine).  The remaining 2 platys 1M and 1F constantly  swim up and down the
side of the tank, almost in an aggressive manner.  The  female does it much
more than the male does only because he takes algae eating  breaks.  My question
is could this behavior be due to less than ideal water  conditions for
platys? Should I add more platys?  The female looks  pregnant, but I'm not entirely
sure.  Do pregnant platys normally do  this?  Thanks for your advice.  Chris
<<Hello. In order to be sure about water quality, one must test all three: ammonia (should be zero), nitrites (should be zero) and nitrates (should be low, say 20-40ppm). If your tank does not measure up, water changes must be done in order to get the water quality under control. Fish behavior is always a good indication that things are not right, so testing is in order. Also, make sure you have not gotten the salt level too high, it can creep up over time without you noticing...take a tank water sample to your LFS, they can use a saltwater monitor to measure the salt level, even brackish, which yours probably is by now... You want to be sure it hasn't gotten too high for your freshwater fish. If they can't do that, and you do not know the exact amount of salt in your tank, do some freshwater-only water changes to see if that helps the fish. -Gwen>>

What is an ideal Platy tank?
Hey Crew,
I just searched your site and couldn't find this covered.  I'm not a
newbie to fish or to livebearers, but I am wondering what would be the
ideal set up for a platy tank.  It will have live plants, some Otos,
and some Corys.  Is there any other fish that should be included for
"house keeping"?
< Keep the water warm and alkaline. The harder water is usually tough on the Corys and Oto's though . Keep the water clean. Get non-aggressive community fish about the same size that do well in hard water. Stay way from South American tetras.>
I know with guppies show breeders usually keep older fry in 10 gallon
bare bottom grow out tanks.  They are  usually have a lot of tanks, and
a breeding program set up.  I want a Platy community, but don't know
what would be the ideal size.  10 gallons?  20 long?  30?  40?  60?
< All depends on how many you want to keep. With all the different color morphs now available you could have quite a tank. With a filter that turns the water over at least 3 to 5 times per hour and weekly water changes you could keep easily 25 platies in a 25 to 30 gallon tank. More if you check the water quality and get the water changes dialed in.>
I know the larger the tank, the more stable water quality, but I wonder
if the tank is too big if these smallish fish will starve because they
can't find the food in a tank that large.
< Don't worry about that. When one starts eating they all will be over in a minute to get their fair share.-Chuck>
Your help is appreciated,
Michelle

Re: What is an ideal Platy tank?
Hey, thanks for your reply!
I am interested in a biotope, or habitat tank for the platies.  If the Otos and Corys don't come from the same area as the platies in the wild, what fish do?
< Unfortunately the other fishes that come from the same areas are either aggressive cichlids like convicts or piscivores (fish eaters) like gobies, larger cichlids, Mexican tetras, and other fish eating livebearers. I would go with a standard Pleco for eating algae. When he gets too big trade him back to the store for a smaller one. For catfish try the dwarf Syn. petricola from lake Tang in Africa, A small silvery fish with black spots. These are very attractive easy to care for and would do much better than Corys.>
Also, what would be biotope correct plants<
< No plants are commercially exported from the area. Other plants that would work well are species of Anubias, Java fern, Java moss, and Crypt. wendtii.>
Hmmm... so I could go with a 40 or 60g tank and that wouldn't be too big for a Platy community?
< The only thing is the way a big tank looks filled with little two inch fish. If they are all the same type then it looks like a dealers tank at the store. If you mix all the varieties together then they will interbreed and the  fry look like mutts and you end up with a tank full of multicolored mutts that all look the same in a couple of years anyway as they replace the adults. One way to get away from this is to fill the tank with multicolored males. Females may already be pregnant at the stores so getting all males then guarantees there will be no fry to worry about-Chuck>
Thanks,
Michelle