AboutRon Coleman Expertise I am an expert on cichlid fishes, particularly New World cichlids. My broader expertise includes the behavior, ecology and reproduction of fishes in general. (I am NOT an expert on Goldfish). Please do not use abbreviations, such as "my GT has a swollen eye" because I don't know what a "GT" is. The more clearly you can explain your question, the better chance I have of understanding what it is that you seek. I keep fishes both as a scientist and as a hobbyist and I currently maintain about 140 aquariums.
Experience I am an Assistant Professor at the California State University, Sacramento in the Department of Biological Sciences, and I run a website, called the Cichlid Research Home Page . I also write for many popular aquarist magazines, and I am editor of Cichlid News magazine. I am a scientist and I spend my time teaching fish biology, ecology, behavior and evolution and doing research on the reproductive biology of fishes, particularly cichlids. I do research in the laboratory and in Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Mexico. My main interest is understanding the evolution of parental care in fishes. I am interested in encouraging greater public awareness, understanding and participation in science.
Publications Cichlid News, Tropical Fish Hobbyist, Freshwater and Marine Aquarium, Science, Behavioural Ecology and Sociobiology, Copeia, Canadian Journal of Zoology, Trends in Ecology and Evolution, AUK, Environmental Biology of Fishes
Question OK. THANK YOU FOR TAKING TIME TO READ. I JUST BOUGHT TWO RED WAG PLATY FISH FROM PETSMART AND ON THE WAY HOME I NOTICE THAT INSIDE THE BAGGY THE RED WAG PLATY HAD 11 LITTLE FISH. THATS WIERD BUT IM GLAD. RECENTLY I LOST 30 RED WAGS WHEN CHANGING THE WATER IN THE TANK. SO MY QUESTION IS... HOW CAN I KEEP THEM FROM DIEING?.... OR HOW DO I FEED THEM? IS THERE ANY SOLUTION THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE. ALSO WHEN DO THE BABIE FISH START TO EXPLORE THE FISH TANK? AND CAN I KEEP THEM WITH THE REST OF MY FISH IN THE THE TANK? I HAVE JUST RED WAG PLATY AND SUNBURST SO DO YOU THINK THAT THE OTHER FISH MIGHT EAT THEM? PLEASE IF YOU KNOW YOU CAN HELP WRITE BACK AS SOON THANK YOU AND HAPPY 4RTH OF JULY TO ALL.
Answer Hi Crucito,
You should feed them once a day. Give them crushed flake food. If you want, you can also give them frozen baby brine shrimp to help them grow quickly.
As for keeping them from dieing, as with any fish, you need to do weekly partial water changes. You should be changing 25% of the water in the tank, once a week, every week. That is the most important thing you can do.
I would be very cautious about putting small platies in a tank with larger fish. Most larger fish, including other platies, will not hesitate to eat them, so you are best to keep them separate until they are too large and too fast to be eaten by the other fish.
-- Ron
rcoleman@cichlidresearch.com
Cichlid Research Home Page <http://cichlidresearch.com>
