Breeder's Award Program

BAP Report from: Benjamin E. McGrew

Video Journal

Species

Xiphophorus maculatus

Platy (Female Sunburst Mickey Mouse / Male Sunburst Wag)

Reproduction

Method of Reproduction: Livebearer

Number and Gender Distribution of Parents: Single Pair

Origin of Parents: Tank Raised (Purchased from LFS)

Approximate number of fry: 11

Date of Birth: (06/26/2019)

Approx. Number of Fry at 30 Days: 11

Aquarium Conditions

pH — ca. 7.3-7.6

GH — 7 (125.3 ppm)

KH — 3 (53.7 ppm)

Temperature: 79-degrees Fahrenheit in tank, 74-degrees F in fry container

Average Nitrate: 10-15 ppm

Aquarium Size: in inches, 10 X 20 X 12 — standard 10 Gallon aquarium

Water Source: town / city water

Water Changes: 50-60% 1x per week

Filtration System: basic hang-on-back, with additional small sponge filter

Décor & Environment

Live Plants: Ludwigia Repens, Amazon Sword (small), Java Fern

Caves or Similar Hiding Places: “Dragon Stone” cave

Substrate: Tan, generic Pea-sized gravel

Lighting Type and Timing: two low-light LED strips, one came with 10 Gal.

kit, the other bought from WalMart and attached to the lid underside

with zip ties. Lights are on for 14 hours, from 7 am to 9 pm

Feeding

Food Fed to Parents and How Often: 2x / day — mixture of live baby brine

shrimp that we hatch, Fluval Bug Bites, and Cobalt Fry Minis

Food Fed to Fry and How Often: 2x-3x / day — first weeks, mixture of Sera

Micron powder mixed with tank water, and baby brine shrimp that we

hatch; after two weeks, we feed same foods to fry as parents, in

smaller amounts

Photographs

Comments and Additional Information

We built a small rig using a critter container with unequally drilled holes, and airline attached. Air lifts water from the 10-gal tank up one hose into the fry container, and a lower outflow hose returns water down to the tank. This keeps fry separate from the parents without dramatically changing the water chemistry. The water temperature is about 5-degrees Fahrenheit cooler in the rig than in the tank.

A small sponge filter was added to the tank before transferring the month-old fry over from the small fry rig. This was to help account for the greater bio load.

A young long-finned albino bristle nose pleco was added to help moderate some of the algae build up . . . and because we plan to breed plecos eventually, and were eager to find this variety.

The fry vary slightly from both parents in darkness of orange-yellow coloration, and in the tail patterning. This may change with growth and maturation.