Platies in a 29 gallon community tank?

Member Posts : 64 Age : 53

I don't read about people having platies in medium sized tanks. Any reasons?

Because they are supposed to be so peaceful and hardy and not too big I thought perhaps I should consider them to go in with my:
10 tetras (7 neons and 3 x-ray albino pristella)
2 honey gourami
1 hillstream loach

I was thinking that the platies (I'd probably go with just males,but not sure how many) with the most red would be a good addition colorwise and a good contrast to the honeys. Also I wanted something that didn't hover close to the bottom like my neons do. I've been told that the cherry barbs would be fine, but I think they would be like my x-rays in that they are so fast to try to get all the food. I was thinking of the espei rasbora, but the platies would be more colorful wouldn't they? I've read that the danios would be a little too fast for my set-up.

Any thoughts? and how many? Or any suggestions for something completely different that I might not have considered?

Subject: Re: Platies in a 29 gallon community tank? Mon Feb 14, 2011 4:30 pm

I'd think the platies would be fine 3 or more. What I really like are hatchet fish, They are top dwellers and will fill the tank, thats my 2 cents.

Subject: Re: Platies in a 29 gallon community tank? Thu Mar 03, 2011 3:05 pm

I have 3 red wag platies that I kept in my 40 gal planted tank with tetras and dwarf cichlids I moved them to help cycle an new 20 gal hex that I just set up they had babys so I am now useing it to grow them out I also just moved some dwarf cichlid babys in with the plateis babys so we will see how they do as the dwarf cichlids grow.

Subject: Re: Platies in a 29 gallon community tank? Sat Mar 05, 2011 3:19 am

Shoots, I could have sworn I answered this before. I agree, platies would be fine. All males should be fine, but the presence of even one female can make it ugly since the males will fight for her attention and harrass her until she's exhausted. All males or a 1 male/3-4 female ratio is the way to go IME.

WYite

Member Posts : 64 Age : 53

I bought 3 platies: 2 females and a male. Four days later the red wag female died. Two days after that I decided that the greenish one was about to give birth. Sure enough the next morning in a separate tank, she had 18 fry. Then I got her out to a little "hospital tank" until we can put her back in. Sooooo this is one of the reasons people end up with so many tanks? That and it is so addictive. So now in the 29 community tank, I only have 1 male platy: a blue Micky Mouse. We are not going to add the female back. Don't want to go through this again.

Subject: Re: Platies in a 29 gallon community tank? Sat Mar 05, 2011 3:39 am

Whaddya mean ya don't wanna go through this again???? That's the fun, and it's an excuse to get another tank. Wink

If in the future you decide to put the female back in, consider buying one or two other females to add at the same time. The male will hassle her otherwise. Multiple females spreads his attentions out.

WYite

Member Posts : 64 Age : 53

You know, it has been fun watching the fry grow; counting them when possible, making sure they are all eating, etc. I think I was fortunate to get her out in time before she ate too many. Once if enough though. I don't want to watch others get eaten if I wasn't as fortunate next time about getting her out of the community.I am lucky that we have a LFS that will take these when I can sex them. I owe the guy a favor so I'm going to just let him have them.

Now on a different note, in my little multi tank, I might might have fry if I have a pair. It's impossible for most to tell them apart. I'll see what happens there. They are great parents, though.

Member Posts : 12 Age : 46

i had just two platies last year and now there are 8 pf them. it took a while for them to grow up but i dont want them anymore Sad

. two are enuf. just trying to find some good home for them. i had guppy fry too but unlike platy guppy fry have beautiful tails and we just love them. tired of breeding them though

Subject: Re: Platies in a 29 gallon community tank? Thu Sep 08, 2011 11:05 pm

That's what happens with livebearers Wink

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Platies in a 29 gallon community tank?

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