Why YOU need to get yourself some platies
1) They eat algae. THEY LOVE ALGAE - even that stuff that grows on driftwood! Everyone hates algae….besides platies. Algae is ugly. Algae takes away nutrients from your plants. Things that eat algae are either generally considered pests (ie pond snails) or really, really, large (plecos - some species grow 2 feet +). It has come to my attention that nobody seems to realize how useful platies are in controlling algae. They constantly scavenge for food, and because they don’t eat plants (too big to fit in their mouths/not generally recognized as edible)…they eat the algae on plants (or glass, or rocks, etc.). My platies love to clean the crypt’s leaves of algae in-between feedings.
2) They are smaller than plecos, easier to care for than most other species, and do not *require* being in a school. I would recommend no more than 2 (max 3) platies in a 10 gallon, and never keep platies in anything smaller. They are SUPER active and much prefer lots of space. Either way, they are not going to grow as large as plecos, and are longer-lived than your average snail. They also breed like crazy if you have males/females together…so you have a never-ending supply of algae-eating babs (keep a ratio of 1:3 males : females if you keep both sexes!) They are also super hardy, so can tolerate some fluctuations (ie if your tank is not very well established - but I don’t recommend fish-in cycles.)
3) They are a GORGEOUS addition to any tank, and come in many colours!
They also come in different fin types, and some even have those metallic *dragon-scale* colouring so sought-after in betta fish. A large group of different coloured platies would make an astonishing showcase tank! They are also extremely active and social, so they are quite fun to watch and play with if you like to spend time with you fish. I can distinguish the personalities of many of my platies from each other even if they look similar.
4) Also, they will literally eat any kind of food you feed them that they can chew/fit in their mouth. Literal garbage bin fish. Picky eaters in your aquariums refuse the new expensive treats you got? The platies will LOVE them! Flakes about to go stale? Give them to the platies too! Platies are omnivorous, so will appreciate any food with a little plant matter, but also LOVE freeze-dried or frozen meaty treats! (Note: I still recommend feeding a varied diet, not just one type of food)
tldr: algae-eating zambonis that can live in a 10gal, reproduce easily, hardy as heck, many varieties, and cute to boot!
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lamblita reblogged this from iwannagetbetta and added:
Why won’t my three jerks help with my hair algae! Lazy!
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im-looking-for-the-booty liked this kouha said: personally i wouldnt keep platys in 10gs. i wouldnt go less than 20g
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smol-juju said:
That’s a super good addition! Obviously I’d hope people thoroughly research fish before they buy them, and not just plop a single platy in with their discus setup or something. My point with this post is that many aquarists want ‘clean-up-crews’, and often just resort to getting a pleco….which then outgrows their 20g/29g etc. measy46 liked this
narelleart said: I’m all about promoting different fish species and trying to get people interested in more variety, but platies are generally regarded as being social fish, so they DO need at least a small shoal, and won’t work for every tank as they like cooler, harder, higher pH water than most tropical fish. They should never be housed with soft water fishes.
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