UG filters and baby platys?

[graceluvsplatys]

Can baby platys get sucked into a UG filter?

[toddnbecka]

I don't see how it could happen, though I did once find a yellow Lab fry living under the UG filter plate in a 55. I could only imagine it swam down the lift tube while I had the powerhead off for cleaning. I was looking at the tank one day, and saw something yellow pop up into sight in the lift tube briefly a few times. Since the tank was sitting on a 2x4 stand with an open bottom, I was able to see the fish (not a tiny fry either, at least 6-8 weeks after being released by the mother) swimming under the plate. The wee bugger was quite well-fed and healthy, and I had a devil of a time convincing it to come out.

[graceluvsplatys]

ok, cuz a week or so ago i had about a dozen platy fry, and they all seem to have dissapaered. some were big, too! i put the remaining smaller ones in a breeder box, but now my biggest and favorite is gone!

[toddnbecka]

What other fish were sharing the tank with the fry?

[graceluvsplatys]

oh cories platy gourami
but they had been all there for weeks, and then they ALL dissapaered.

[Sounguru]

I'm taking a bet someone got hungry.... Gourami.

[toddnbecka]

Likely the gourami, possibly the adult platy/s as well. There's a guy in Hawaii who keeps an Arowana in a 500 gallon tank with an incredible mix of cichlids, African and otherwise. No problems for the longest time, then just the other day the Arowana seems to have discovered (or decided) the other fish were edible after all. Sadly, most of them are small enough to be eaten. The moral of the story? If the fish are small enough, chances are they'll be food sooner or later. Never trust a fish, even if you THINK the smaller ones are safe. I once had an ornate bicher chow down several juvie Synodontis eupterus, spines and all. I actually saw one do down the hatch tail-first, squeaking in distress like it was calling out for help. I thought the spines would be adequate protection, the bicher thought otherwise, and once it had the catfish there wasn't any way to save it in time.

[Gemstone]

lol...the rule is...if it can fit...it can be swallowed.....bottom line...

[graceluvsplatys]

ok.... and the thing is, that the babies who got eaten were the red and orange ones, not the white or silvers.
camoflaoge..............

ok!

[toddnbecka]

Murphy's Law applies to aquariums too. It's always your favorite fry that get eaten, your best fish that jumps out/gets Ick/dies for no apparent reason. This list could go on and on...

[nwnittany]

You've probably done this, but in case you haven't..... in addition to the breeder box (where I'd put 'em if I caught 'em) I always found it helpful to have some floating plants in the tank.

You can get these cheap, plastic, grass-like plants. They come with three round bunches of grass snapped to a thin plastic base. You can simply remove them from the base and toss them in the tank. I normally catch my survivors in the grass....

Here's a link ([Only Registered Users Can See Links.])