# Platy Population control



## RainSong (Jun 30, 2011)

I have a 90 gallon heavily planted tank and just bought 1 male and 2 female Platys today. I do not mind having a few offspring survive, but definitely do not want to deal with a population explosion. Should I return the females? Or will the fish eat the fry and keep the Platy population in check?

Other inhabitants: 10 Harlequin Rasbora, 7 Zebra Danios, 4 Boesemani Rainbows, 8 Gold Barbs, 5 Roseline sharks.


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## Jeffww (Aug 6, 2010)

The roselines and rainbows might snack on a few fry but won't be able to keep the population in check. a trio becomes a sextet which becomes a dozen then a gross and then a cloud very quickly. I'd just net up a few and sell them to the lfs for like a quarter each...


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## RandomMan (May 31, 2011)

I've found that platys don't seem to reproduce at anything near the rate I see with guppies or mollies.


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## JustJen (Jun 20, 2011)

My platies have been reproducing, but like RandomMan said, at a much slower rate than my mollies or guppies. I've got a reasonably peaceful betta in the tank my livebearers are in, and he (as well as the other livebearers) seem to be doing a pretty good job of keeping the population in check.


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## fresh.salty (Jul 2, 2010)

I started with two and six months later had at least 20 in the tank. The surface skimmer did most of the population control though. They could live for months in the canister. lol


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## The Dude (Feb 8, 2011)

I've got a pair that spit out 40 fry every month to six weeks. The Angel and Plakat eat all of them. I placed her in a fry trap and raised 40. They are bigger now and I'm going to reintroduce them to the tank along with an Angel and some RCS. These are all going to be distractions so the other Angel can get situated and I have space to swap the bully Angel into the 10g tank so that the 2 Angels can start getting along again.


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## jart (Jan 17, 2003)

My platy population in my 45 never stops growing. There is even a gold gourami in there. It is very heavily planted, though.


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## Pootie (Mar 5, 2010)

Thoes Zebra danios will do the job! lol

They are very activee and will eat anything mouthsized!


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## In2wishin (Aug 10, 2011)

When I had platies I put a male betta in the tank. Problem solved!

ETA: I also had blue danios, cory cats, and brilliant rasboras: nothing with long fins for the betta to nip.


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## RATTIE (Jan 20, 2010)

I'm not sure if a Betta would be good in your tank but when I added a Betta to my Guppy tank he ate all of the babies.


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## RainSong (Jun 30, 2011)

I really don't like the odds of adding a Betta to my community tank. I have a Betta in a 5 gallon and feel safer if he is by himself.


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## Pootie (Mar 5, 2010)

i mean if the Betta works, go for it! Its just ONE fish. Have him as hired help (place him in if you feel it's getting out of hand, and pull him once stable ). But borrow a Betta, lol!

When i had a saltwater tank, i had an outbreak of Asterina. I borrowed a friends Harlequin shrimp.. Took the little guy a month to get the job done then i returned him. lol


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## fresh.salty (Jul 2, 2010)

Good thing is they are one of the easiest fish to net from a tank.


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## kamikazi (Sep 3, 2010)

piranha, 100% effective in population control


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## RainSong (Jun 30, 2011)

kamikazi said:


> piranha, 100% effective in population control


... yeah, but I hate the idea of having to count my fingers every time I stick my hand in the tank :icon_eek:


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## Plant keeper (Jan 27, 2011)

My Angelfish keep the population down..:icon_wink


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## RandomMan (May 31, 2011)

I had a betta in a tank with Platys and Guppies. He ignored the platys, both young and old. He also ignored the baby guppies. He however HATED all adult guppies, male or female. He killed all but one female who learned to avoid him.


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## Benmightbehere (Jun 28, 2011)

alligator gar, all your problems will be solved....WIN


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## cyanophore (Jul 6, 2011)

I'm interested in this topic as well... I have three male platies in a 20 gallon tank (no other fish currently). I'm debating adding females, but if I did I'd want to return two of my males to my LFS, as I've read you should have 2-3 females per male and I don't want 9+ platies and the ensuing offspring!

I'm also thinking of just keeping the males without any females (perfect population control), but was wondering if that would be stressful to the fish. Does anyone have any experience/suggestions in keeping a group of all male platies?


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## RainSong (Jun 30, 2011)

Oh well ... I decided that I was not up to the risk of having a Platy population explosion in my tank ... too many hiding places in the heavily plated tank. I returned the 3 Platys to my LFS today.


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## Abrium (Jan 7, 2011)

Good for you, both platies and mollies are the scourage of any tank once both sexes are added. I have literally been finding fry of varying sizes since I have gotten rid of my platies for over a month now! I hate those things.


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## RandomMan (May 31, 2011)

Abrium said:


> Good for you, both platies and mollies are the scourage of any tank once both sexes are added. I have literally been finding fry of varying sizes since I have gotten rid of my platies for over a month now! I hate those things.


But they're so cute!


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