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In my tank i have two male platies, but one is about 4.5cm, and the other is only around 3.

1)The larger is the biggest fish in the tank, and is sometimes stopping the Corys eating their food.

2)The smaller dosen't seem to get any flakes in the morning either, and only seems to eat live foods because he is picky.

I am completely stuck on problem 1, as i keep all of my fish well fed, especially him (greedy pig)

Would buying some freeze dried foods help with problem 2??? He dosen't seem to like flakes.

The tank is 15 USgal, and currently contains those 2 and 3 Corys, i am about half way through stocking.

Thanks in advance

BNF

BlackNeonFerret,

Interesting, I have never heard of a platy being a picky eater (I mean the one that only likes live food). I never fed my platies any live food, only flake mixes and freeze dried options (and peas).

One thing you can try to give your cories a share of the food is to feed flakes and sinking pellets at the same time, spread out throughout the tank. As you have a small fishload you may want to break up the pellet into smaller pieces (and if you don't do that already, also crush the flakes into smaller pieces) to avoid overfeeding.

Hope this helps,

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

As well as my platy being picky, he wont feed at the surface. He only eats stuff that has floated down a bit. He is strange, but not unhealthy.

I always do feed the food at the same time, however i will try spreading it out more. I think that the problem will resolve itself after the Corys get bigger, but currently the platy is the biggest fish in the tank.


I will try buying some freeze dried foods to see if my picky platy likes these better.

try freeze-dried bloodworms, and tubifex worms.

*Chelle*
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I love the fishes cuz they're SOOO delicious...

Ok. He seems to like Brine Shrimp the best.

Picky eaters can sometimes be a problem.... especially since a varied diet is recommended for healthy fish.. What I've found that works best (for me anyway) to force a fish into a more balanced menu is simply to stop feeding the food that they accept for about a week - in your case, live food - feeding only the less favorite.... Eventually, my "stubborn" fish comes around to accepting the other food... (My lfs appears to feed the majority of their tanks brine shrimp --- so, I usually feed flakes for about a week when the newcomers are added as they don't seem to know that its' food! )
Now as far as your larger platy goes - preventing the Corys from eating at times... Have you ever considered adding females to the tank? In my personal experience, I've had better luck with just having females - no matter what size - if I don't want babies... While with just having males - well, they seem to be a bit more aggressive... Not to the extent of fighting or killing (at least not with platys!) - but harrassing! Right now I have both sexes, and while I do have some babies - things are still under control - population wise AND in the area of serenity.... The males are too preoccupied with the females to bother any of the other fish - and as I have more females than males, even the female platys aren't too overwhelmed by the attention! Hope I've given you some options to at least consider....

To thine own self be true...

Well, i have solved the problem with the larger platy. I broke the algea wafer up, and dropped it into different places in the tank, and i stuck a tiny fraction to the glass for my platy to pick at. So that problem is sorted.

The problem with the picky however, is very strange. I have worked out that the reason he dosen't eat flakes, is he refuses to eat at the surface, and he genuinly believes that he is a cory catfish. God i have wierd fish. I am going to buy some freeze dried bloodworms, and vary the live foods, and the frozen foods, but he also eats algea, and whatever else it is that my corys eat. Thanks for replys.

Great. The larger platy has reverted back into his old ways, and is now bullying all 3 corys, my other platy, and my new Black Neons. aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaar. I can't get any more females of anything, as my complete stock will make the tank COMPLETELY stocked. Any more suggestions.

(the picky eater gave up after i refused to give him Brine Shrimp for 3 weeks!)

Sorry to keep bugging you, but my smallest Cory is now pretty much refusing to eat round the front of the tank because my larger platy is bugging her so much, and i never get to see her any more

Usually, all it would take is for one of the fish to stand up to him, but the smaller platy (the most likely candidate) is naterally tiny and is scared of him. This might result in me having to trade the larger in. I don't want to have to do that, but i don't want my other fish harrassed either. (no females, i have no room)

Thanks for suggestions so far.

BlackNeonFerret,

If he is such a , then trading him in or simply bringing him back to the LFS seems to be the best you can do, given that you say your tank is fully stocked.

Sorry,

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

Well, me and my mum tryed feeding brine shrimp yesterday, and when he interfiered, i blocked his way with the brine shrimp spoon. He might go soon, but i hope not. I'll see if my LFS do let me trade (i am tranding in my corys later they are too big and i am getting dwarfs, but i am worried he'll harrass tehm more)

I have to keep him for a while anyway, but i'll see if, when the fish grow bigger, he'll grow out of it. The only thing that is weakening him, is that my tetras see him as a threat, but he is intimidated by them shooling. I am going to get 2 more to see if he stops, but getting rid of him is a last resort.