Platy fish (Xiphophorus) is a type of fish that has a variety of colors and is easy to care for. Platy fish are very fertile fish. Therefore, if you keep male and female fish, you may also have to raise platy chicks. Platy chicks are born after they are fully developed - the fish hatch from eggs inside the mother's body. Therefore, platy fish are quite easy to care for. However, adults may eat platy chicks. If you want your platy fish to survive, there are several things you can do.
Step
Part 1 of 2: Getting Ready
Step 1. Watch for pregnant fish
Platy fish that are pregnant are very easy to identify. Therefore, if you look closely, pregnant fish will not surprise you. Pregnant fish have a distended stomach. When it is about to give birth, the fish's belly may look boxy.
Generally, pregnant female fish have a black spot near their hind fin. This is caused by the eyes of the young fish in the stomach pressing against the scales of the mother
Step 2. Make sure the tank size is adequate
The 38 liter tank can accommodate several adult platies. However, if you want to breed platy fish and raise chicks, you will need a larger tank.
You need a tank that can hold at least 110 liters of water if you want to spawn fish and prevent the chicks from being eaten by the mother
Step 3. Consider using a different tank
Since the platy fish eat their own young, the chicks can survive well if you buy a new tank. This tank can be used for platy fish to grow and develop.
You can buy a new aquarium or tank at most pet stores. This tank must hold at least 20 liters of water (or more, depending on the number of fry)
Step 4. Purchase plants and/or spawning boxes
In order to survive, whether in an aquarium filled with various types of fish or in a separate tank from their parents, chicks need a place to hide. Therefore, you can place various plants or spawning boxes in the aquarium.
- You can use plastic plants. However, live plants can be a source of extra nutrients for fish. Fish will eat the plant as a supplement.
- There are various types of live plants that platy fish like. This plant can be purchased at the nearest pet store. One of the best choices are substrate-clinging plants such as anacharis and kabomba, floating plants such as hornwort and marsh ferns, and mosses such as Vesicularia dubyana.
- If there are plenty of plants for them to hide in, most (but not all) platy chicks can survive in an aquarium filled with a variety of fish.
- The spawning box is a plastic box with a small hole leading into the tank. The mother fish is placed in the spawning box, and when the chicks are born, the fish can escape using small holes in the spawning box to prevent them from being eaten. The mother fish cannot follow her young out.
Step 5. Separate the brood from the tank and wait
If you are using a different tank to separate the chicks from the adults, remove any brood fish that appear to be pregnant.
- Generally, you have 24 to 30 days to prepare for the needs of the chicks after the mother looks pregnant.
- After the mother fish gives birth, you may have to care for 20-40 chicks. Sometimes, the mother fish can give birth to 80 platy chicks.
Part 2 of 2: Caring for and Feeding Platy Fish
Step 1. Transfer the mother fish to its original aquarium
After the mother fish has given birth, you can transfer it back to its original tank (assuming you separated the brood into a new tank when pregnant). Baby fish can grow and develop safely.
Step 2. Feed the chicks
Platy chicks need the same food as adults. You can give the same pills or fish food flakes as given to adult fish. You can also give your chicks frozen bloodworms or silkworms. Shrimp is also a good food for young fish.
- Feed the young fish in small amounts several times a day. Make sure the fish can eat its food within 3 minutes.
- Some people prefer to grind or crush pills or fish feed into flakes. This is done so that the fish feed is easier to eat.
- In order for the platy fish to have a striking and beautiful color, the fish must be given a variety of feeds when they are babies. Give him foods that contain protein and plant-based.
- Feeds specially formulated for platy chicks are also sold at pet stores. However, this feed is not really necessary.
Step 3. Make sure the tank is kept clean
Like an adult platy fish tank, you must always keep the tank filled with young fish clean.
Changing 25% of the tank water every 2-4 weeks will generally keep the tank clean, but this depends on the number of fish in it. If the tank water looks cloudy or full of dirt, the water should be changed more often
Step 4. Add the new platy to the aquarium
Once your fish are old enough to look after themselves, you can move them into an aquarium with a variety of fish.
Platy fish take 4 months to grow up. If you want to quickly move the chicks into the aquarium, always keep an eye on the chicks to make sure they don't get eaten by adults
Tips
- Grind the pills or fish feed to make it easier for the young fish to eat.
- Do not leave the mother fish with her young for too long. A hungry mother fish can eat her own young.
- If you don't want to separate the chicks into a new tank, make sure there are enough plants in the tank for the chicks to hide.
- Pregnant platy fish have a black or brown spot on their belly.
- If the water in the tank looks cloudy, you may have added too much fish feed.
