JRob

OK. So I have six Coral Sunset "Dwarf" Platys (parents were from Petsmart) that were born in my 29 gal. about four months ago. Most of the fish are now between one and one-half inches except for one. He is only about half an inch long. Plus, I only think it's a he because unlike the other fish, he hasn't matured enough to tell for sure. However, he does try to rub up against all the females (even the female minnows ), so I'm guessing it's a boy. Is it true that livebearer fry can sometimes have stunted growth or is this a result of the breeder trying to produce extra small platys for Petsmart?

I'll try to get some pics up.

TFA101

Maybe he just needs a little more time. I think he's a male, they usually develop slower than the females. And yes, it is possible to have stunted growth as a result from too much inbreeding, causing bodily deformations to occur in the fish as they grow. Give him some time, and if he doesn't hit his growth spurt in a month or two, I'd say he's a dwarf Dwarf Sunset Coral Platy.

Nate the Fishkeeper

It's most likely a problem with genetics. Breeders have, for a long time, been breeding colorful fish with colorful fish/appealing fish, and as a result, some fish have developed weaker genes, leading to poor growth, deformities, etc.

A four month Platy should be a little more than 1/2", but most Platys only reach full maturity in six months or more. Just make sure you feed him a varied diet, and not just flake foods (you'd be surprised how many people do this!)

Good Luck, and Happy Fishkeeping!