Red Wagtail Platy Diet and Feeding Platies
Platy
Platy is a common name of freshwater fish in the genus Xiphophorus that lacks a "sword" at the bottom of their tails. Both species are livebearers, similar to other fish of the family Poeciliidae, such as the guppy and molly. Platies are native to the east coast of Central America and southern Mexico.
How do you feed a platy fish?
Feed the fish small amounts several times a day, about as much food as they can eat in three minutes. Some platy owners like to crush or grind pelleted or flaked food before feeding it to fry, as this will make it easier for them to eat.
What do wagtail platy lizards eat?
Red Wagtail Platy Diet. In addition to the foods listed below, they thrive on vegetables such as cucumbers, squash, and spinach. It's also a good idea to select flake foods that include vegetable supplements. Platies need to eat once or twice a day, and they are usually eager to eat, but don't overfeed them.
Is the Red wagtail platy a good fish to keep?
The red wagtail platy is a pleasant and peaceful freshwater fish that's both hardy and active. It's also small, pretty, and a great fish for hobbyists of any level; in fact, it's one of the most popular in the fishkeeping industry.
How do I care for platy Fry?
Platy fry are born more or less fully developed - they hatch from eggs inside their mothers' bodies - so they aren't difficult to care for. However, it is very common for the adult fish to eat the fry, so if you want many of them to survive, here are some actions you'll need to take to ensure this. Be on the lookout for pregnant fish.
What is the best food for platys?
As for live foods, platies will happily accept most of the more common live foods. They will eat blackworms, bloodworms, daphnia, brine shrimp, fruit flies and mosquito larvae (illegal to culture in many areas). If you can't provide live foods, then frozen foods are nearly as good and far more convenient.
Can platy fish eat goldfish flakes?
Goldfish food includes a higher amount of cereal and vegetable content with protein. But, if you feed goldfish food to platys, select food with minimum cereal content. High cereal content is not suitable for the platy diet. Always pick goldfish food with an increased range of vegetables and protein.
How do you take care of a red platy?
Platy fish prefer water on the alkaline side. Plants should be hardy and able to tolerate similar water conditions. Ideal plants include hornwort, duckweed, and java moss. Create the ideal environment with plants, a gentle filtration system, and clean water with moderate hardness.
What do platys like in their tank?
Platies originate from Mexico and Central America, so they require warm temperatures between 70° and 80°F (21°-27°C). You'll need to add a heater to your tank in order to provide them with the temperatures they need. Pro Tip: Keeping the temperature stable in your aquarium is an absolute must.
What do platys like eating?
What Do Platy Fish Eat? These undemanding fish are omnivores and will eat virtually anything you put in the tank. Make sure to feed them a wide variety of foods – such as high-quality flakes, pellets, freeze-dried foods, and frozen foods – so that they get a complete diet with all the necessary vitamins and nutrients.
How many platies should be kept together?
At least three to five platies should be kept together. Platy fish are shoaling fish. They may not form a close-knitted group like schooling fish, but they still seek safety and comfort in numbers. A small group of three to five platies will be a great starting point for beginner fishkeepers with limited space.
How do I know if my platys are happy?
Your fish are happy and healthy when they:Swim actively throughout the entire tank, not just hanging out or laying at the bottom, floating near the top or hiding behind plants and ornaments.Eat regularly and swim to the surface quickly at feeding time.More items...
How often should you feed platys?
As adults, you'll be able to feed these fish just once a day like most other mature fish, which makes them generally easy to keep happy. In the wild, it's common for a platy to go without food for a day or two, so if you plan on going away overnight and are concerned about them starving, there's no need to be.
How do you play with platys?
1:255:47Platy Fish Tank Mates - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSo you'll definitely want to make sure to keep them in groups of six or more and to avoid damagingMoreSo you'll definitely want to make sure to keep them in groups of six or more and to avoid damaging the barbells. You'll also want to make sure that you avoid substrate with jagged edges.
What plants are good for platy?
Just like other fish, platys do like plants, rocks, decorations, and that kind of thing. To mimic their natural habitat, you should put some plants in the aquarium that are native to central and South America. Some planted options like Amazon sword plants and Amazon Frogbit will do just fine.
How long until platies are full grown?
Once they have grown large enough to fend for themselves, you can move the young fish to the community tank with the older fish. Platy reach full size after about four months.
Do platy fish like bubblers?
I checked on them last night and they are not gasping for air at the top of the tank, however they do like to spend time at the top and play with bubbles. Several will grap air at the top and take the bubble halfway down the tank and release the bubble. One will do this hundreds of times.
Can platies eat betta food?
Feeding platies is similar to feeding bettas. You can feed them anything you feed your betta.
Can tropical fish eat goldfish food?
Top and middle feeding fish, such as guppies, tetras, barbs etc will not eat sinking pellets as they will not want to venture down to the bottom of the tank to eat. If you only have bottom feeding tropical fish in your tank, then they are fine to eat goldfish pellets.
How do you feed platy cucumbers?
1:345:21How to feed Cucumber to Fish, Snails and Shrimp - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipI have got a pan going with boiling water and then what I'm going to do is then add in the cucumber.MoreI have got a pan going with boiling water and then what I'm going to do is then add in the cucumber.
Can platies live in cold water?
Though typically found in Freshwater aquariums, Platy fish can also thrive in coldwater tanks, as long as the water parameters are kept consistent. Plenty of water changes and a consistent temperature will keep your Platy fish happy.
What to feed a platy?
Be sure your platies get plenty of fiber in their new aquarium home. In addition to the protein foods, they thrive on vegetables such as cucumbers, squash, and spinach. It's also a good idea to select flake foods that include vegetable supplements.
What is a red wagtail platy?
The red wagtail platy is a pleasant and peaceful freshwater fish that's both hardy and active. It's also small, pretty, and a great fish for hobbyists of any level; in fact, it's one of the most popular in the fishkeeping industry. You can find platies in several different colors which make for an eye-catching tank.
How often do red wagtail platys give birth?
Females can warehouse sperm for up to six months; they are almost always pregnant with fertilized eggs and can give live birth to 10 to 40 fry every 4 to 6 weeks. Huge broods of up to 80 fry are even possible.
What are the different colors of platys?
Different platy varieties are similar to each other in size and shape but come in many color combinations. Salt and pepper platies are, of course, black and white; tuxedo and " Mickey Mouse " platies have unique markings described by their names.
What are platies' goals?
You can find platies in several different colors which make for an eye-catching tank. The platy has two goals in life: eating and breeding. They will circle the tank eating anything, including algae, and their breeding can't be stopped! Like guppies, platies are live-bearing fish.
What color are wagtails?
Like many platies, Red Wagtails are trapezoidal in shape and have an orange-red body and black fins. Platies are usually brown and yellow with dark spots in the wild (though colors vary to some degree), though coloration varies based on the specific body of water in which they originated.
How to rear a brood?
If you want to rear a greater percentage of a brood, use a separate, bare, 10-gallon grow-up tank with an air-powered sponge filter to prevent fry being sucked in . Feed them liquifry initially and then finely crushed flakes after a few days. Fry grow very quickly when fed two to three times each day.
How to keep platy fry alive in a community tank?
(In fact, one way to control their population is to allow the other adult fish to eat the fry so that only one or two from each batch will survive.) If you wish to increase their survival rate in a community tank, provide lots of decorations, rocks, wood, or live plants as cover for the fry to hide behind. Also, if you're using a hang-on-back or canister filter, make sure to cover the filter's intake tube with an appropriately sized pre-filter sponge so that they don’t accidentally get sucked up.
What fish can live with platies?
Some peaceful tank mates to consider include small tetras and rasboras, cory catfish, snails, bristlenose plecos, and rainbowfish.
What are Platy Fish?
Platies are a popular livebearer in the freshwater aquarium hobby that are native to Mexico and Central America. The two species most commonly available in fish stores are Xiphophorus maculatus (southern platyfish) and Xiphophorus variatus (variable or variatus platy). They can crossbreed with each other and with swordtail species, which has resulted in many different color variations.
How Often Do Platy Fish Make Babies?
In the right conditions, female platies can give birth to 20 to 50 babies per month.
How long can a platy go without food?
How long can platies go without food? In the wild, food is not always available, so fish do not necessarily get to eat every day. If you are going on vacation for a week or less, your fish can easily survive without any food. However, if you will be away for two or more weeks, consider getting an automatic fish food feeder or finding a pet sitter to take care of your fish.
How much does a platy fish cost?
How much do platy fish cost? Platies are relatively inexpensive and can be found at fish stores for $2 to $4 each, depending on the type.
How big do platys get?
How big do platys get? Platies grow to around 2-3 inches (5 -7 cm) in size, but dwarf platies (which have been selectively bred for their shorter body length) usually stay around 1 inch (2.5 cm).
How to raise platy fry?
Platy fry are easy to raise. At least a couple per brood would probably survive in a planted community tank. But if you want to save more of them, then you could use a separate “growing on” tank. A bare 10 gallon tank again would be enough. Just use an air powered sponge filter so the fry don’t get sucked in. You can feed them a variety of things such as liquifry for the first couple of days, then move up to fine crushed flake foods. Baby brine shrimp would also be a welcome addition. Remember to keep these tanks very clean as fry are more susceptible to pollutants than adult fish, so a small water change every day will be necessary, and also remove any faeces or dead fry.
Can you add a cycling fish to a tank?
Additional Information: These fish are undoubtedly one of the most popular in the hobby. They come in a massive variety of coloured strains. Many fish stores recommend these fish as suitable for first time fish owners. They are easy to look after, but will usually struggle with a cycling tank, and would probably die, so they should not be added to a tank until the cycle has been completed.
What is the best tank mate for a platy?
The ideal tank mates for the platy are other peaceful freshwater fish. The most obvious choice is other platies. While they aren’t a shoaling species, platies do like to be around their own kind. Always keep them in small groups to ensure that individual fish don’t get shy or anxious.
What is a platy fish?
Platy fish are the epitome of “team players.” They’re one of the quintessential community fish because they get along well with others. They’re playful and social creatures that usually don’t show signs of aggression at all.
What color is a sunburst platy?
Sunburst Platy. This type is quite common and very much adored. The front half of the fish is bright yellow, while the back half is intense red. A nice transition in the middle creates the effect of a sunset. Some sunset platies also have black fins to add even more visual contrast.
Why do my Platy fish's fins rot?
It makes the fins slowly decay and slough off. In most cases, it’s caused by bacteria or fungal infections. Platy fish don’t have the biggest fins in the fish kingdom, so fin rot can take hold pretty fast before you realize it. Like Ich, many medication products exist for treatment.
How long do platy fish live?
The typical platy fish lifespan is between three to five years when kept in optimal conditions. As you probably know, there are no guarantees when it comes to lifespan. There’s a certain amount of luck involved, especially when it comes to health factors and genetics.
How many platy fish species are there?
Technically speaking, there are two platy fish species. These are the Southern platy and the variable platy. However, these two species crossbreed to create the color variations we see today. They’re interbred so much that it’s difficult to distinguish the two!
What is the shape of a platy?
If you’re familiar with other popular fish in the trade, the platy’s shape is pretty iconic. They are relatively short and stout. Their bodies are laterally compressed, giving them a sleek profile that easily zips through the water.
How to feed a baby platy fish?
2. Feed the fry. Baby platy fish do not require different food from adults. You can feed them the same pellets or flakes that you feed the adults, as well as freeze-dried bloodworms and tubifex, and brine shrimp. Feed the fish small amounts several times a day , about as much food as they can eat in three minutes.
What plants can you put in a platy fry tank?
Good choices include bunch plants, such as anacharis and cabomba, floating plants like hornwort and water sprite, and mosses such as java moss. Many (but probably not all) of your platy fry will survive in a community tank if it contains enough plants for them to hide in.
Why does my platy have a dark spot?
It's also common for a pregnant female to develop a dark spot near her back fin. This is caused by the eyes of the unborn fry pressing against her scales.
What is a platy fish?
Platy fish ( Xiphophorus) are a common variety of fish that come in many different colors and are easy to care for. Platy are a prolific fish, so if you have both males and females, there is a strong possibility you will end up with babies (also known as fry). Platy fry are born more or less fully developed - they hatch from eggs inside their ...
What does a pregnant platy look like?
A pregnant platy will have a black or brown dot on the end of her stomach.
Do platy fry eat fish?
However, it is very common for the adult fish to eat the fry, so if you want many of them to survive, here are some actions you'll need to take to ensure this. Steps.
Do platy fish eat pellets?
Some platy owners like to crush or grind pelleted or flaked food before feeding it to fry, as this will make it easier for them to eat. For platy fish to develop the brilliant colors that make them so beautiful, they must be fed a varied diet early in life, containing both protein and plant-based foods.
