question re Platys?

Question

Are platys good communial fish - I have a very large tank, with neons, Mollies and now some Platys in. I have notice over the last few days that a few neons have died and the platys (and the Mollies) are eating them. I have not seen the neons being attacked tho. Also we had a fighting fish that we took out last week cos it was attacking the neons - could it be delayed shock that is killing them now ?

appreciate the comment about not putting a fighting fish in, we we're advised by the Aquaruim shop we got it from that it would be OK as long as it wasn't kept with another fighting fish (being fairly new fish keepers we took their advice)

thanks all I will check out the tank conditions (4ft tank BTW) and keep an eye on the neons, they all look OK tho ?

Answer 1

Platies are very good community fish. Get the neon's out of the tank as soon as they are dead! They might have had a disease and the others could catch it from eating the dead fish. I doubt it is stress from the Betta. What size tank do you have? Have you checked the ammonia levels? Do the tetra's show any signs of illness?

EDIT* Lola read up on Betta's before you start ranting and raving about how they are killers. Betta's are very peaceful fish if they are kept with fish with the same temperament and without fin nippers.

Answer 2

I'll say ditto to the others telling you platys are generally good community fish. Of course, you can always get a platys with an attitude problem, just like any other fish, but it's really rare. It's completely normal for fish to eat a dead tankmate if the dead fish is not removed. As another poster pointed out, you need to remove any dead fish as soon as possible to prevent he possible spread of disease.

There could be any number of reasons for your recent fish loses. Many would depend on the age of the tank, when fish were last added and where or not you quarantined any new fish before adding them to the tank. My first thought is a possible rise in ammonia due to adding new fish to a fairly new tank. You can check the ammonia with a test kit or take a sample of the water to your local pet shop.

Your shop was correct, a male betta makes a good community fish and is far more likely to be a target than an aggressor in fights.

If I can help further, feel free to email me

MM

Answer 3

Platys are excellent community fish. I have 2 red wag platties in a 20 gallon tank with 7 neon tetras, a snail, and a male betta. Everyone gets along fabulously, even at feeding time.

Your mollies may be the problems--I added two dalmation mollies to my established tank (listed above) and the betta immediately saw them as competitors and began flaring his gills and chasing them around the tank. I took them out and put them with my goldfish tank where they promptly fin-nipped my goldfish to death.

Other possible answers: isolate your neons to see if they're spreading disease amongst themselves. Also, the addition of new fish (the betta plus X number of new platys) may have spiked your ammonia, which in turn may have spiked your nitrate. You should really only add fish one or two at a time.

Answer 4

=) Any way you could be suffering from new tank syndrome?

Check your params and check back with us. I think this tank's lacking a cycle. Neons are usually -very- susceptible to that sort of thing.

As far as bettas go? I've got a betta in with a platyx right now. So long as the fins of the fish aren't long and flowing, most livebearers have no problem with a docile betta... same with the betta. Abernith loves the community tank. I wouldn't trust my crowntail, Patriot (he refused to be called anything else -.-) alone with an oscar.

Answer 5

Platies are usually quite good with neons. I have kept them together for years many times.

I have had problems if the neons were very small, say 1/2 inch, with larger ones, 3/4 to 1 inch they were always fine.

Answer 6

I have platys, neons, danios and guppys in my tank. I found platys to be very hardy. Out of the 6 neons, I started with 7 months ago, I only have 3 left.

It is best to remove a dying fish and euthanise, otherwise if they have a disease and are eaten, you have a risk of the others getting this. Do this by putting in bag with some aquarium water and place in freezer. The drop in temperature sends them to sleep, this is the most humane way.

Answer 7

They are communial fish. Usually get on with everything. We found with our neons that they dont tend to last that long anyway and once there dead, other fish will eat them.

Answer 8

you will understand in the adventure that your platties are approximately to furnish start in the event that they're staying remote from different fish and not eating, i don't trust breeding traps stresses the fish out in case you have circulate them to a cycled breeding tank in any different case, placed them on your traps with some plant coverage for the fry to conceal. I actual have mine in a breeding aquarium and then circulate the mummy to a distinctive one so she would be able to recuperate until now putting returned interior the main tank. Your temp is wonderful.desire this helped and robust success

Answer 9

Platys are normally good community fish.Neons that are small always seem to die in my tank.Bettas are okay to have with other calmer fish that aren't nippers.They pretty much keep to themselves unless their tormented by more aggresive fish.

Answer 10

well it sounds like the mollies/platties are just eating to when they died. not to kill them. sounds like the neons died of natural causes, or something in the water. but is sounds like the mollies/ platties/ are just eating them. (all fish eat other fish when they are dead in the tank)