Stocking Question

[jmm]

Hello Everyone,
New to the forum and really enjoying reading the threads. I have a 10 gallon tank which has had 3 peppered cories for over a year. I tried guppies for a while but find them more fragile than I expected. When my last guppy died I decided to try platies. I have 3, 1 male and 2 females. I had them only a week when one of the females gave birth, the fry have been left in the community tank and there are five which will be 2 weeks old tomorrow and seem to be doing great. My adults don't seem to care about them either which is a bonus. My question is how many platies can I keep in my 10 gallon with my 3 cories without overstocking. I keep a very clean tank and am diligent about keeping my water at good levels. Thanks and I look forward to your answers

[sheamurai]

This is my opinion only, but I wouldn't be keeping any of them. You are close to stocked in that tank already - the only thing I would add to it would be a dwarf gourami (which some would disagree with) or something along that line to provide fry control. The platys will keep right on breeding - and once the fry start growing and breeding you'll be up to your ears in platys in no time!
My own ten gallon at work has 2 otos, 3 platys, and a dwarf gourami, and I consider that well topped up for a ten gallon.

[jmm]

thanks sheamurai,
I thought I was probably full, I guess I was hoping I could maybe keep 1 female because the male seems to favor the one female and maybe it would give her a break. I live in a small town with two lfs's and both will take the babies off my hands so that is good news. How big do the fry need to be before I can give them to the shops

[rich311k]

I would leave it the way it is, that is a good stocking you have now.

[jmm]

Thanks Rich311k,
I will do, if it ain't broke don't fix it right. Will the fry be a concern with reguards to stocking until they are big enough to leave .

[rich311k]

Not really. As long as you remove them as they get larger you should be ok.

[jmm]

Good to know. There is already quite a difference in development. One in particular is quite a bit larger and more developed than the others. So my guess is they will be removed over time individually as each one develops at its own pace. Probably by that time there will be more fry from what I have been able to gleen from this site. My goodness this will be an ongoing event I think. (haha) Oh well always a good excuse maybe to buy a bigger tank.