# Is it hard keeping platy fry alive?



## JFancy (Sep 4, 2011)

My platy had 35-40 fry a 4 days ago and I transfered them from a gallon jug to a net breeder today. Well I checked on them 30 min. later and found one of them dead I. I really want them all to survive...any tips keeping them alive? I plan to move them to a ten gallon tank in a couple of weeks.


----------



## ZebraDanio12 (Jun 17, 2011)

DOn't wait a couple of weeks. Given you have so many thats really not a great place for them to live in. If your're worried they'll be sucked up throught the filter, stick foam into the filter or put a panty hose over it (the panty hose idea has to be changed when it starts to rip)

I'd move them straight over to the ten gallon once it's cycled and ready for them.

As for the one that died, I've only had one baby die before, and I belive he was deformed. YOurs may have been a weak one, and most likely not going to survive anyway.

Fry are easy to keep, you just need the right living conditions.
80 degrees is a good temp. They grow faster when water is warmer.
Feed 3-4 times a day. Bloodworms help them grow better and faster too, just crush them up good. Thats what I feed mine along with crushed flakes. Variety is good for them, and shows more color.
I have some guppy fry that are only a month and two weeks, bout an inch long, but tiny, and they are already showing color. They were from an orange delta female, so naturally their tails are turning orange. Its really cool to watch them grow.

Good luck! If theres anything else you may need to know just ask!
~Zdanio


----------



## JFancy (Sep 4, 2011)

This is my first time dealing with fry but 2 weeks ago I found one survived and he looks to be about 3 months old, he appears to be a sunburst platy. That was a surprise!!!
Ill move them to the tank as soon as its cycled but I was afraid of them being sucked in the filter , I will try the panty hose.

Should I use some water from the main tank?


----------



## Betta man (Mar 25, 2011)

Water from your main tank might be a good idea... congrats on the fry! Don't keep the water too warm. If you do, the fry might develope to quickly and have problems.


----------



## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

Clean water, abundant small food. Starting with water from the main tank means no acclimation, but you can change water with clean. Get a sponge for the filter intake. The hose will stretch and clog but its okay for a few days.


----------



## ZebraDanio12 (Jun 17, 2011)

JFancy said:


> This is my first time dealing with fry but 2 weeks ago I found one survived and he looks to be about 3 months old, he appears to be a sunburst platy. That was a surprise!!!
> Ill move them to the tank as soon as its cycled but I was afraid of them being sucked in the filter , I will try the panty hose.
> 
> Should I use some water from the main tank?


Yeah, do use water from main tank. What I do to help cycle my tank, is after 24 hrs I add a mystery snail. They get rid of any bateria or any harmful things that could be in the tank. I have snails in all of my tanks. Even my bettas. Baby's can be added maybe 3 or 4 days. Babys are easy to move comparred to adults. It will be fine, I promiss. I have never had problems with switching them that fast. But once I have them in a tank, Id leave them for a week if I was gonna switch again, so it doesn't shock them. Make sure temp is the same as the main. YOu can increase it slowly to 80 or so. I have found 80 is the best temp. My 3 week old fry grw super fast. They are almost as big as my month and 2 week old fry. Its amazing.

~Zdanio:fish:


----------



## lohachata (Jan 27, 2006)

i often tell people that if you are going to keep fish that you know will breed or are going to try to breed.....PREPARE IN ADVANCE !!!!!
in this case...livebearers...
if you want to keep as many of the young as possible , i would suggest this.....keep your fish in a 20 long with a couple of larger sponge filters...lots and lots of floating plants with proper lighting and maintain a stable temp..(76-80).......
keep several sizes and types of food on hand..from a small powder to a small pellet...feed the appropriate size food at each stage of growth...
keep them well fed...3-5 times a day...
you will lose a few of the fry to the parents ; but if they are well fed it will be minimal..

the more you jostle a pregnant female around ; the more likely you are to lose her to stress...and the more likely you are to not get fry..

for angels.................a bare 20 high for the pair...4 10's for hatching eggs..and about 12 75's for growing out fry to quarter size..(about 10 weeks)

for bettas.....2 5's for keeping and priming the adults....a 10 for breeding......a 40 breeder for growing out the female fry......and 100-200 1 quart containers for growing out the males..

again...i am no world authority on this stuff ; but this has been my experience......if you are not going to prepare ; then you are just going to kill a lot of fish...and fail...

i never use breeding traps or net or tiny tanks for them...

once the fry are about an inch or an inch and a half , they can be moved to their own grow out tank....or tub....if you want to sell them , you will have to get them to adulthood..shops will not pay for fry....just adults...for the most part ; the males bring more...try to sell them as pairs....if you want ; you can separate the sexes as soon as you can tell so they don't mate and will grow faster...


----------



## finnedfish123 (Oct 26, 2011)

Remember to give them lots of different foods because it will build up their strengt.


----------

