Mickey mouse platy question

Hi, I just got 3 mm platys and I know 2 out of the 3 are female. 3rd one, I can't tell if the third one just has a clamped fin or if it's a male? Is there another way to tell besides the fun near the tail? Also, the female I got today looks like it might be pregnant, she looks big to me. What are the signs to look for ?

 

Do you have pictures? it could be a gonopodium (male organ) or it could be a clamped fin, but pictures are the only way for us to tell
The analfin (fin near tail) is the only sure-fire way to tell if a platy is male or female. Pregnant females will become very fat and will square up when almost ready to give birth. She is probably pregnant, live bearers breed like rabbits haha.
Pictures of your fish are the only way to tell for sure

 

. I think this one is pregnant?


male?


red female

 

It's very hard to tell from the pics though the middle red one does look like it's clamping its fins.
Can you get clearer pics of them?

 

Hello Kmc...

A more important question is what you plan to do with the fry. A 10 gallon tank is hardly big enough for Livebearing fish, unless you have all males. Livebearers, both male and female are kept together at the pet store, so a female will be pregnant.

Good luck.

Old

 

I will get another tank, I've thought about that.

 

It is hard to tell from the pictures, but I don't think the first one looks that big. Can you get clearer pictures? I disagree that all livebearer fish will be pregnant upon purchase. Its possible they haven't been in the tank long or males and females are in separate tanks. Ive been to one store that separates them.The second fish in question definitely looks like it has clamped fins. What is the size tank? Has your tank gone through the nitrogen cycle? What are your water parameters?

 

It's a 10 gallon tank. I just got the yellow one yesterday and the two red ones on Saturday night. So, the cycle just started. I had a Betta in there, before I got these guys and I emptied out the tank and filled with fresh water, added conditioner and quick start in there.

 

Do know what your water parameters are?

 

Not sure sorry

The numbers of the nitrites, nitrates and oh levels?

Are these pictures any better?

Do know what your water parameters are?

I have to get my water checked

 

I *think* both of the red platies are male, but it's a bit hard to see. I can't tell on the yellow one, the pictures are too blurry. Here's a diagram that can help you tell:


For now, while you don't know your water parameters, you should do a water change, just to keep toxins down for your fish. The tank may still be cycling and while you aren't sure, small water changes every few days will help keep your fish healthy.

As for water testing, you may want to get the API master test kit. It's very reliable and easy to use. It is a bit expensive, but it's worth it

 

I'll try to get a better picture. I know the yellow one is female. That's what I asked for... the one I think is male seems camera shy so it's hard to get a picture.

Thank you for the advice!

 

You have better luck than I do, my fish won't stay still for their pictures ever. It is still hard to see the fish clear enough but it almost looks like one of the red platies is a male. The diagram posted above should definitely help you. I would do a water change every other day of about 40-50% and dose Seachem Prime until you are able to get a test kit. You may have high ammonia and/or nitrates causing the clamped fins.

 

Yeah I'm a pretty good photographer! One of the red looks male to me too. I'll be getting the water checked tomorrow. I'll see about the sachem prime and do a water change. I appreciate the advice.

 

My fish are impossible to take pictures of too

 

Haha. That's why I do videos instead.

 

Hey, one of my fish is always having the other two. It's the one that I decided is male from our chats. My ammonia level is safe, nitrates good, but the water is soft...is that good or bad?

 

Hey, one of my fish is always having the other two. It's the one that I decided is male from our chats. My ammonia level is safe, nitrates good, but the water is soft...is that good or bad?

Has your tank completed the nitrogen cycle? By safe, you mean ammonia is at 0? And nitrates are below 20 ppm? Do you know what your nitrite, Ph and GH readings are?

Platies need harder water (150 or above) for the minerals in their water for proper osmotic functioning. Do you know the exact GH reading?

 

How long does it take to complete the cycle? I've only started this tank on Saturday. Ammonia is .5 , nitrates read 0, total hardness reads 75, chlorine 0, KH between 40-80 and ph is 6.8

 

How long does it take to complete the cycle? I've only started this tank on Saturday. Ammonia is .5 , nitrates read 0, total hardness reads 75, chlorine 0, KH between 40-80 and ph is 6.8

Tank cycling varies by each tank. I believe the "usual" amount of time is around 4-6 weeks. However, it could be more or less. What kind of test kit are you using? The API liquid test kit is the most accurate, paper strips almost always give inaccurate readings.

Your GH is too low for livebearers (needs to be 150 or above) and your KH at 2-4dkh is also a bit low. I know ammonia is toxic, but at your ph I believe it is less of an issue. I could be wrong and I don't want to point you in the wrong direction so please don't take my word on that. CindiL will be better able to give you the correct information on that.

 

It's a male even though the pics are hard to see.

 

It's a male even though the pics are hard to see.

It sounds like it, but how can you be sure when you can't clearly see the picture?

 

I'm using the strips.

It's a male even though the pics are hard to see.

Thanks Sarah! I thought so, but now I'm sure!

 

It sounds like it, but how can you be sure when you can't clearly see the picture?

If you look closely you can see that it looks like a small stick. I have seen many platy's in my life and I used to have one that was sick. It looked exactly like that.

 

If you look closely you can see that it looks like a small stick. I have seen many platy's in my life and I used to have one that was sick. It looked exactly like that.

I have platies, both male and female. Maybe you can see the picture clearer than I can.

 

I have platies, both male and female. Maybe you can see the picture clearer than I can.

It's very hard to see. Just look where the guy stick is

 

It's very hard to see. Just look where the guy stick is

I'm not saying you're wrong, I also believe it is a male. I'm just saying the picture is a bit unclear and when their fins are clamped its not always easy to tell if there is a gonopodium or not.

 

Hi, I would purchase some crushed coral, especially since we don't know if your KH is 40 or if its 80. You can mix it in your substrate or put it into a media bag into your filter. The coral will dissolve (very slowly) and increase your ph some and your KH so you won't have a ph crash in the future.

I don't think the crushed coral will be enough to get your GH up to what livebearers need. I'd recommend ordering some Seachem Replenish which is a pre-mixture of liquid calcium and magnesium. Use approximately 1 capful per 5 gallons initially and then after that just on the water you're changing out. Without it, you will probably lose the livebearers.

 

I'm not saying you're wrong, I also believe it is a male. I'm just saying the picture is a bit unclear and when their fins are clamped its not always easy to tell if there is a gonopodium or not.

I looked at him closely and his fun is not clamped. Thank God for that! I bought a breeding net last night and talked to petco about water conditions. I'm doing a water change today. He said to add salt to harden the water and they use the easy strips when they check water. So I think my readings were accurate...I hope!

 

I would not use salt in place of calcium and magnesium, I don't think that's good advice. When you say salt, what is it exactly? Many minerals are also called salts like there is calcium chloride, magnesium chloride etc. A little salt is ok for livebearers but it doesn't replace the minerals. You really need crushed coral or aragonite or limestone or sea shells even. Also the salt won't help your ph or kh as far as I know. I'll double check that.

 

OK thanks

I'll look into the coral

 

I looked at him closely and his fun is not clamped. Thank God for that! I bought a breeding net last night and talked to petco about water conditions. I'm doing a water change today. He said to add salt to harden the water and they use the easy strips when they check water. So I think my readings were accurate...I hope!

That is good to hear. If you continue to keep males and females together, be prepared to be overrun with fry. They reproduce like crazy.

I wouldn't add the salt to increase the GH. Replenish is really inexpensive, 250 ml for $2., and will increase the GH and provide the fish with the necessary minerals using both sodium and magnesium.

The coral would also be a good idea to increase the KH to keep the Ph stable so it doesn't crash. You really don't need much at all, just a small media bag put and left into the filter. That's it, really easy. Since you only need such a small about ( about a handful), you could probably ask your fish store for some.

 

I was looking in petco last night. They are having the $1 per gallon sale. What size tank should I get?

 

In my opinion, there is no tank large enough to house livebearers. The ones you have will have babies over and over, then those babies will start reproducing. It just never ends. Do you want to keep the fry or are you going to give them away?

If you really don't want the fry, I would return the females and get all males. I'm thinking Petco has 30 return, so it shouldn't be problem swapping them out. Another option, and I know it sounds harsh, don't use a breeder box. Leave the pregnant platy in the tank, some fry will survive and some will be eaten by the adults. You are still likely to be over run though.

It really depends on if you want to keep them, give them away or have no fry at all.

 

I would want to keep them

 

I wouldn't put the female in the breeder box at all, if possible. Being in such a small space is very stressful. Once she drops her fry, you can catch them with an unused turkey baster (you could also try a fine-mesh net, but fry are fast and you might not be able to catch them as easily). The fry could live in the breeder box though it's much safer for them and easier to feed them in a smaller space.

 

I would want to keep them

Then I'd suggest buying the biggest tank that will fit in the location you want. As I said before I wouldn't use the breeder box. Natural selection is your best option. If you do move the fry out of the tank and place them back once they're big enough, your tank will still quickly be overpopulated.

Maybe keep some and rehome the remaining fry.

 

I would want to keep them

If you want to keep the fry and have more survive, then I would first get a 30 gallon or 20 gallon long. Next, I would add a sponge filter, so your fry don't get sucked up. That is their biggest threat. Then I would add A LOT of java moss or hornwort, so they have some spots to hide, eat, and sleep. DON'T put a female in a breeder box unless you want her to either abort the babies, be to stress to even give birth, poop out eggs, or you want her to die. If you want to catch them, then either get a 5 gallon tank to place her in 10 days before she is rdy to give birth, so she isn't stressed or get your net and catch them then put the fry in the breeder box.

 

I did buy a 29 gallon tank yesterday that I haven't set up yet. How do I know if she is pregnant?

 

You will notice over a week her belly will get bigger and soon you will see black dots.