# Mickey Mouse Platys



## Suess00 (Sep 5, 2008)

Today i bought 6 Red Mickey Mouse Platys and just placed them into my tank a couple of minutes ago and right away they seemed a little aggressive towards my ghost shrimp.

Two of the Platys started to go after one of the bigger Ghost Shrimp (around 1 inch in size) and made him back up all the way down the tank while he was trying to fend them off.

Right after that another Platy backed another Ghost Shrimp into a corner and kind of nipped at him.

I will kind of be upset if the Platys kill my Shrimp which my Peacock Eel was supposed to kill for the last 3 weeks but he does not even care about them lol...

Just wanted to know if that was normal for them to do?

Also what would be the best food for the Platys? I got frozen blood worms, Frozen Brime Shrimp, and tropical fish food that came with the tank when I first bought it. Also i still have some Oscar pellets and some food i got from my LFS which my Clown Loach is supposed to go crazy over.

Any suggestions or input?


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## fish_doc (Jan 31, 2005)

Try feeding them a few flakes to distract them at first. Hopefully they will adjust quickly to their new surroundings and forget about the shrimp.


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## jones57742 (Sep 8, 2007)

Suess00 said:


> Any suggestions or input?


Chris:

How was your trip to Amazonia? Please tell the truth as the Owner and I visit every now and then.

Although I do not currently keep Platy's they are not aggressive fish.

I imagine the motion of the shrimp caused what you perceived to be their aggressiveness.

As fd indicated fish flakes may help.

Also please consider filling "their bellies up" with brine shrimp or blood worms.

TR


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## Suess00 (Sep 5, 2008)

First off thanks for the information.

Second I went there yesterday to check Amazonia out and it was both good and bad.

The store had some extremely nice Oscars and tank set ups and all the fish looked extremely healthy and well kept up with.

When I entered the store I just started to look around and no one asked me if i needed help or what I was looking for at all, which some people like not to be bothered but I like to be approached.

I went there for three main reasons
1. To buy Red Mickey Mouse Platys for a good price ( Accomplished)
2. To look at Eels which they had (Not Accomplished) seemed like they had no eels and the only thing close was the Rope Fish.
3. To buy two more Clown Loaches which are bigger then one inch (Not Accomplished)


The Clown Loaches which they had were over priced and extremely small for the size which they called "medium". The clown loaches which was supposely "medium" were priced at $17.99 for one and $29.99 for two. Their size being around an inch not even close to two inches. 

I can go to Petsmart and buy bigger clown loaches that are in the same good health for $8.99 and have two weeks warranty with them.

Well Back to a positive note the Lady at the Register was very Knowledgeable and helpfull in some of the questions I had about my tank set up and suggested me some good food for my Clown Loaches (some red looking stuff). She showed me how her full tank of Clown Loaches went crazy over them. 

Also I loved their trade in policy they will take any fish in any condition so that is good when one needs to get rid of a fish and does not want to kill it or had no place for it.

Overall it was a good experience but the prices were a 30% high for me and what i am used to but beatiful place and set ups.


Back to the Platys my clown loach likes to swim with them its kind of funny and i gave them some dried up blood worms they loved those and last night they ate some Frozen blood worms which they loved also.

Well i am off to get two more clown loaches.


Also Jones how did you know that I went there? I didnt put anything in my post saying that i went there yesterday?


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## jones57742 (Sep 8, 2007)

Suess00 said:


> Also Jones how did you know that I went there? I didnt put anything in my post saying that i went there yesterday?


Chris:

You now know that I did not matriculate at A&M.

TR


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## fish_doc (Jan 31, 2005)

That is the thing with locally owned stores. The prices are usually a bit higher but many times they have the knowledge that the chains don't. Generally if you "play nice" with the owner or employees and frequent their store they will not hesitate to special order somthing when you want somthing not stocked anywhere nearby. THe chain stores generally leave you to choose what they have on the shelves or in the tanks.


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

I have to think its normal for platys to eat shrimp if they can catch them. I have heard you can keep shrimp with fish that would eat them if you have have lots of low, flat rocks or flower pot shards for the shrimp to hide under.


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## Suess00 (Sep 5, 2008)

Yeah I know Jones your not from A&M and either am I (From Baylor). 

I would buy from them again but its a pain in the butt to drive up there with traffic and the well educated drivers (they suck at driving in Austin).

I still have my shrimp and added 5 more making a total of ten. I was 6 days late in cleaning my tank and cleaned two days ago and it was the cleanest that I have ever seen it from vacumming the gravel, I mean i was extremely amazed.

The Platys are eating everything they can get their hands on but I try to feed them dried up Bloodworms so they will not eat all the Frozen Bloodworms for my Eel and my Kuhli Loaches (which are having a hard time getting food im kind of worried).

I think one of my Platys is pregneant she has a big stomach and swims around by herself and when another platy goes near her she goes away from it unless it is feeding time. Does that sound right? 

I will try to post a picture tomorrow so yal can see her.

I tried to give the Platys some frozen Brime Shrimp they would eat it and spit it back out 2-3 times and the eat and keep it down. Maybe was too cold for them?


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## jones57742 (Sep 8, 2007)

Suess00 said:


> Yeah I know Jones your not from A&M and either am I (From Baylor).


Yea: but Chris you would think that I did not like you if I did not occasionally aggravate you about your collegiate affiliation due your proximity!!!!




Suess00 said:


> I think one of my Platys is pregneant she has a big stomach and swims around by herself and when another platy goes near her she goes away from it unless it is feeding time. Does that sound right?


Chris:

She probably is and this behavior is typical of live bearers.

Hopefully you have a source for some floating plants as these will make her more comfortable as well as provide cover for her fry.

TR


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## Suess00 (Sep 5, 2008)

lol I know Jones, to make you feel better though I was close in going to A&M but Baylor had a better Criminal Justice Program.

I bought a tank diver thing you hang of the edge of your tank so just in case she is pregneant i can place them into this little container and keep them in the tank because my other tank is not cycled yet.

But Jones you still have not answered my question how did ya know I went to the store?

The only hint you could have gotten is that I told the Lady at the register that someone on Fishforums told me about this store and how good it was. She might have told her boss who in turn told you? Am i close?


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## jones57742 (Sep 8, 2007)

Suess00 said:


> I bought a tank diver thing you hang of the edge of your tank so just in case she is pregneant i can place them into this little container and keep them in the tank because my other tank is not cycled yet.


Chris:

Just noting that without floating plants most will be consumed fairly quickly.




Suess00 said:


> But Jones you still have not answered my question how did ya know I went to the store?
> 
> The only hint you could have gotten is that I told the Lady at the register that someone on Fishforums told me about this store and how good it was. She might have told her boss who in turn told you? *Am i close?*


Chris:

I am obviously enjoying this very much and would also like to very much say *yes* for egotistical purposes only but alas I cannot as I have not visited with Matt or Caroline since after the Missouri game.

If you insist on spoiling my fun here!!!

In another thread you indicated that you were going to a "large (I believe)" fish store in Austin and you did not report any disasters. Hence you wound up at Amazonia. (I know: the first game this year I checked out several although I no longer remember their names but one was in the old North Mall.)

TR


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

If you have another tank, use it for the female even if its not cycled. Seed the filter with material from the other tank and do large water changes. I hear too many reports of dead females in those little boxes. The bigger the fish, the more likely it will jump out, wedge herself in a crack, or "hold fry" until she dies. Guppies seem to do fine in them, but swords are dicey and platys are in between. Or let the female drop in the main tank and net the fry into the box.


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