Hershey's having her babies!

[aquamama]

I'm new here. One of my reasons for searching out places like this is that one of the new platies we got about a month ago is pregnant.

Today she began having her babies!

We noticed 2 about 45 mins ago... and we think we've counted 8 so far now.

We put her into a 1.5 gal tank by herself about 2 weeks ago. There are three very leafy artificial plants weighted down to the gravel and then one bushy, grassy looking floating plant (the grassy leaves going down into the water - it takes up about 50% of the surface). It's a square tank with a small filter and an air pump. The light that came with it has a blue and a red colored lens(?) that snaps over the bare lights (8 tiny bulbs) - we're using the blue one right now. Does anyone know what benefits each color might bring to the tank environment? That wasn't really explained in all the instructions.

The only thing I know about determining when she's done with having her babies is to watch her shrink in size - she's still fairly big and boxy looking so I don't think she's done yet but she does seem smaller than roughly an hour ago. I've read that she could take all day having them - so she'll likely not be removed until tomorrow or very late tonight.

Our plan for now is to allow these fry to grow up and be added to our 30 gal tank. Then it will be survival of the fittest. We moved this one, this time, because we ended up with 3 males and 1 female when we bought them (impulse buy - and no real knowledge about sexing them before buying - we just picked out the four by appearance). The female, Hershey, of course ended up pregnant - but it's also possible she already was pregnant when we bought her... they came from a tank of 30 or more at Wal-mart. Two of the males have since died... so when we put her back in the big tank the ratio will be 1/1 for the platies.

We also have a 3yo blue gourami. A 3yo Chinese Algae Eater died after we added the platies. We're doing what we can with frequent water changes in the big tank to make sure water quality is the best possible. I'm hoping to buy a testing kit soon - but need to learn more about what type would be best for us. (working on that in another folder)

Any tips or advice about growing these fry to adults?

How long to maturity for platies?

These little guys are most dark like their mama and about 1/4" long.

Thanks in advance for your advice and tips.

[Newman]

I've had a slim-looking swordtail (the one in my sig) give birth to about 20 fry, a day after she was put into my tank. Funny thing is, i actually spent time picking out the slimmest one in a female only tank in hopes of getting a virgin (to breed in my tank) but noooo she had to be pregnant >_<

They can take two days to deliver all fry. She might attempt to eat them. ive seen my male platy (RIP) eat the swordtail fry. same for the momma, and the stupid goldfish i have in my tank. All in all i got about 7 survivors which are now too fast to get eaten. They are 5 days old.

Fry take about 3 months to sexually mature. try to pick out all the males and give them away unless you want more bebes lol. True color starts setting in at the beginning of the second month, sometimes a bit earlier.

I feed my fry separately with live baby brine shrimp that i hatch (easiest thing ever. room temp and i even overdosed on the salt, and they still hatched) and i mix the live shrimp solution with Hikari First bites. of course the fry like to pick the shirmp out of the powdered food, and not touch the first bites when theres shrimp :P

the above foods are arguably best for livebearer fry.

other choices include vinegar eels, walter worms, and a bunch of other, more messy and nasty live foods. The brine shrimp and first bites are the easiest.

feed three times a day or more but in very small amounts. i overfeed like crazy cuz i have them in a BIG tank. all the extra food gets eaten later, and that gives me room for only feeding them twice a day.

[beckyd]

You're on the right track. Feed them fry food like Newman suggests. First Bites are the easiest and quickest. Pet stores will tell you to feed them crushed flakes- bad advice. Feed frequently. I feed up to 6 times daily for about the first month. This means that little tank will need frequent water changes. Test your parameters and keep up on it. If your big tank is heavily planted, the babies will be fast enough to escape in a few weeks. I wouldn't wait too long to move them from that 1.5 because you will start to lose them from poor water quality. Better to lose a few slow ones in your big tank Remember to feed them frequently once you move them too.

[Newman]

not sure about the speed of platy fry, but my swordtail fry are fast enough to escape adult fish within their first 4 days. Its been a week now, and they have no need to even hide away. they just hang out in the open water column, swimming right in front of the female sword and goldfish. Dont worry, they get lightning fast quickly. so its best to keep em in the big tank. Theyll also have more food that way, when your not feeding them (they will always be searching for food in the large tank)

[stacic8679]

Why should you not feed them crushed flake food? My mickey mouse fry are 18 days old and that is all I have fed them. Will it hurt them? I couldn't find those Hikari things anywhere. THey seem to be thriving. Most have probably tripled in size.

[Newman]

Nah that food wont harm them. but hikari firs bites have way more nutrients that are more fry based than regular flakes. Baby brine shrimp are also very nutritious, but only for the first 24 hours. after that they just become pure fun food.

I think my fry are still around a week old, but ive sen them already eat adult brine shrimp whole and frozen bloodworms whole. These things grow fast..they always have bulging bellies. i hope thats good, and not some form of bloat...

[stacic8679]

where do I get Hikari first bites? I have looked at Petsmart, Walmart (useless), and a LFS and have had no luck

[Newman]

the food can be found at ptsmart, ive bought mine there. Also any petco, pet goods, or petland discounts should have this. if you cant find it on your own, ask an employee. it would be around other hikari brand dry foods.

I dont recommend switching your current fry to this food, only because they grew up eating crushed flake. continue feeding them that. use first bites for future batches of fry.

[Nostrathomas]

I had probably about 50 sailfin molly fry and fed them nothing but crushed flakes 3 times a day, they soon outgrew the 14 gallon tank, and I had to give alot of them away. Only two of them died. They are nearly full grown now, so I don't see a problem with feeding crushed flakes. As with any fish I suppose a varied diet is better, but there is nothing wrong with giving them flakes.

[beckyd]

I have to agree that if you cannot find fry food and they are doing fine, not to worry. You just see several people on here whose fry are not thriving on the advice of crushed flake being fine. If they are growing, you're good!