View Full Version : Platys
So I thought that I might try to keep some platys in one of my small tanks after I have given up on the sickly strains of fancy guppies that are available to me. The first question I have is that should I do the 2 to 1 ration of male to female and if so is the difference between the 2 really noticable at the fishstore or is it a guessing game?
Also any advice on these supposidly hardy fish?
PumaWard
07-24-2003, 9:23 AM
Hi TKOS,
The difference between the sexes is usually fairly easy to tell with livebeares such as platies and guppies. Males have an organ called a gonopodium which has evolved from the fish's anal fin while the females still have an anal fin, Also males are signifigantly smaller once they reach adult size. The only advice I have on keeping your platies is not to keep any with swordtails as they will interbreed creating hybrid offspring...however I have also heard that these offspring are quite attractive. Platies can also survive quite happily in heated or unheated aquaria like many of their livebeared cousins. I would recomend that you have a power filter that will create current... but I am sure that they would do fine with out the current if you don't already have one. If you would like to keep the offspring of these fish (because they will breed with you having to put any effort into it) have a few clumps off java moss on the bottom of the tank for the fry to hide in. Good luck!
It is a well filtered tank with lots of current and lots of plants (even a cave) so that is fine. It is a small tank so I don't really care too much about offspring. Those that do survive I will probably take to the LFS. Thanks