playts fry

Question
I have a 20 gallon tank with 1 bristlenose plec 3 neon tetras 3 harlequin rasperos 3 zebra danios and 3 sunset coral dwarf platys a hang on filter and we've had the tank about 6 months anyhow ive noticed one fry in there its been about a week but my question is how many fry do they typically have and are they all born at the same time

Answer
Hi Sherry,

If you have a male and female present they will reproduce every 28-30 days like clockwork until the end of time.  A younger livebearer can deliver 10-30 fry at a time but as they mature it's more like 60-80 at a time.  Yes, that's 30 babies every month - forever!  If you have all female platies they were likely pregnant when you bought them from being in the tank at the store with males.  They can still store sperm and deliver every 28-30 days for up to 6 months with no male present.

They are all born at the same time, one right after the other in a few minutes time.

If you only have one fry left it's likely the others were sucked up by the filter intake or eaten by the adult fish in the tank.

Good luck : ) April M.