The Platy fish is a popular freshwater aquarium fish that you can find in many pet stores. These little guys are charming, and it’s hard to resist getting one. However, when you get your first baby platy home, what color do they come in? All black! Many people are unaware that baby Platy Fish, also known as fry, take a certain amount of time to develop their colors. They may be born with stripes or spots, but the color will not fully develop. So how long does it take for baby Platy fish to develop their colors?
The platy fry come in various colors. They start as black at birth, but they can take one to seven months before their colors develop. Several factors affect this process: diet, environment, and water temperature.
It all depends on the environment they live in and the nutrition they receive. In this blog post, we’ll discuss how long it takes for a baby platyfish to get its colors and when it should start worrying about its color with questions like “How Do Platy Fry Look At Birth?”
How Long Does It Take For Baby Platy Fish To Get/Develop Their Colors?
Well, there is no definite answer to that question. There are several factors involved, such as the water temperature and diet change, among others.
Platies are livebearers, meaning their babies are born with the same colors as the adults.
In most cases, baby platies will have their full adult coloration within a month or two of birth. However, keep in mind that they can take longer than this if you are not maintaining ideal water conditions for them to live and grow healthily in.
For example, your platy fry may take longer to develop its color if the water is not at a stable temperature or high ammonia levels in the water.
Platies with common colors like red, orange, black, and purple will usually have these same colors when babies. However, some platy fry can be born white and turn into different colorful fish as they mature.
When Do Platy Fry Get Their Colors?
Shortly after they are born, the color development is so quick because Platies have such vivid and beautiful hues that it would be an absolute shame to let them go unappreciated for long.
The intensity of their colors will depend on your care for them though they usually get it when they reach sexual maturity at about three months old or in six weeks.
Your Platy fish fry will most probably get their colors within a week of birth. The environment and temperature play a huge role in how fast they will develop.
How Can You Help Your Platy Fry Get Their Colors Early?
You can help your platy fry get their colors early by keeping the water at a comfortable temperature and changing it regularly.
You can help the colors develop early by changing their water every day or at least three times a week. A diet change would also be necessary because they need more protein in comparison to adult platies.
If your tank has gone through an ammonia spike, then your platy fry will also have to deal with the consequences.
Change Water
You should do a 25-50% water change every day or at least three times a week if you want your Platy fry’s color to develop as soon as possible.
This is important because it removes all waste from the substrate before it causes an ammonia spike which can be dangerous. But remember too much water change in the tank is harmful to your fish.
Maintain Water Temperature
Another factor that contributes significantly is the water temperature of your tank, Platies are cold-water fishes, but if you turn up the heat too much, then it can be dangerous for them.
It is also important to maintain a stable water temperature. You should make sure that the temperature of your tank does not go below 68 degrees Fahrenheit as this can affect their colors too.
Lower temperature will turn Platy fish pale or even white, and this can be dangerous for them.
Diet
Another way to help your platy fry get their colors early is by changing the diet. For example, you can feed them the best fish food like baby brine shrimp and bloodworms. In addition, you should give your Platy fish a varied diet that consists of live and frozen foods.
Water temperature is part of the equation. But so are food and bottom-feeding. The mushier or softer foods can help promote color development in your baby platies, increase growth rate, and speed up the metabolism process, enhancing their beauty.
Check Ammonia Spikes
Ammonia spikes are equally as bad, if not worse, than low temperatures because it will affect their immune system, making them more susceptible to diseases they might contract from the other fish in the tank. Aquarium ammonia poisoning will not only discolor your Platy fish but also kill them after a while.
If you notice any ammonia spike, then do a 25-50% water change as soon as possible. You have to take measures to lower the ammonia level in the tank as soon as possible.
Don’t Overstock
You should not overstock your tank because this can cause many problems for Platy fish and their fry alike, especially if you are housing them in small spaces.
If too much waste is being produced, it won’t just affect their colors but might also cause the other fish’s behavior to change. You should always make sure you don’t overstock your tank because this can affect its colors too.
If there is a lot of waste in the water and it’s not being removed, that will also prevent them from getting their colors early on since they won’t be in a healthy environment.
You should ensure that you get the right number of fish for your tank size and not overstock. It can also prevent them from getting their colors since there will also be more waste in the water when they are overcrowded.
Comfortable Environment
Their environment should also be comfortable because this will affect how quickly they grow.
They need to have a healthy and both parents to get their colors early on, but it is not always the case as oftentimes if one or two of them look different, that’s where the problem lies.
You should make sure that your Platy fry live in a comfortable environment where they feel safe, secure, and have enough room for swimming around. If there is not enough space, then this can affect their growth rate too.
FAQs
I know that there are many questions that I haven’t answered in this blog post, but if you want answers to some more FAQs, feel free to comment below.
How To Care For Baby Platy Fry?
You should make sure that you do not overfeed your fry to prevent them from getting their colors.
If they are fed too much, there will be more waste in the water, which is dangerous for small fish like platies. So you should only feed them once every day or twice at the most.
How Quickly Do Platy Fry Grow?
The growth rate of baby platies depends on their environment and diet, among other factors. Generally, they grow about an inch every month, but some might take up to two months for that length.
Conclusion
In conclusion, you should always check the water temperature, not overstock your tank, change their diet, and make sure they have a comfortable environment if you want to get Platy fish fry’s colors.
I hope that you enjoyed the content and learned a lot of new things! If you want me to write a blog post on something, feel free to suggest it below. I will be more than happy to write one.