Ok Ok So You've Heard It All Before!

I just had to tell someone who i knew would be interested...

TWO of my Platys are pregnant! I'm a newbie and i know a lot of the problems and blah blah blah

but i just had to post and try to deplete some of my excitment because i'm driving my boyfriend CRAAAAAZZZY!!

Both Platys look close-ish to giving birth. (like i can tell! its not like their waters are going to break!!! lol)

But i can't say for sure when the little blessings will arrive but to not stress them out too much they're both going in a birthing chamber (with separate compartments obviously) from tomorrow cos i think it's going to be any day now!

I hope i get to witness the little act of nature!

Any tips or hints that might be useful?

I've read lots but first hand experience is always handy and i know different people have very different experiences..

Wish me luck!!!!!!

First I just wanna say congrats on the coming babies!!!!


but second, and Im a newbie and Im sure someone will correct me if I am wrong..but hon I really think you are WAY over stocked in your 20 gallon tank!

Platys alone....7 of them x 2 inches (min) each is 14 inches of fish
Plecs I think get HUGE
Gouramis? dont they get huge as well?
The tiger barbs I saw at the LFS the other day weren't no small things either...about 3 inches each I think


and your expecting babies too!

Im not having a go at you..HONEST...I just think I kinda wondered because Im thinking about upgrading from a 10 to a 20 gallon tank and wondered if you really CAN have that many fish in a 20 gallon and not be overstocked?

woo cool!

make sure the fry have somewhere to hide, cause with what you have your liekly to lose some!

plants, or maybe even a breeder net either when they drop or as the mummy is giving birth

LionessN3cubs said:

First I just wanna say congrats on the coming babies!!!!


but second, and Im a newbie and Im sure someone will correct me if I am wrong..but hon I really think you are WAY over stocked in your 20 gallon tank!

Platys alone....7 of them x 2 inches (min) each is 14 inches of fish
Plecs I think get HUGE
Gouramis? dont they get huge as well?
The tiger barbs I saw at the LFS the other day weren't no small things either...about 3 inches each I think


and your expecting babies too!

Im not having a go at you..HONEST...I just think I kinda wondered because Im thinking about upgrading from a 10 to a 20 gallon tank and wondered if you really CAN have that many fish in a 20 gallon and not be overstocked?

Click to expand...

well, i too thought i might have been overstocked but i've been assured by lots of different people that its fine....

... again one man's meat another man's poison!!

Anywho... i'm gonna upload a pic of one of my pregnant platys just cos i'm excited!!

I've already got homes for any survivors and ive got lots of plants in my aquarium so i think i'm good to go!!

oooooooooooh sara, your profile piccy, is that a puffer fish?

i saw one in my lfs today, it was tiny but oh so cute! is it true they attack other fish and have to be kept apart?
they were selling him for €1 (about 60p!) but i thought i better make sure he didnt eat my others first!!

probably the same Platy but i think its going to be any day now

ooh no, my platy get MUCH bigger than that before they give birth, they look almost squarish from behind!

Spishkey said:

oooooooooooh sara, your profile piccy, is that a puffer fish?

i saw one in my lfs today, it was tiny but oh so cute! is it true they attack other fish and have to be kept apart?
they were selling him for €1 (about 60p!) but i thought i better make sure he didnt eat my others first!!

Click to expand...

Yeah it's a green spotted puffer

Yes they do attack other tank mates they're best kept in a species only tank. Mine was briefly in my community tank until it started trying to ravage everything in sight so now it's in it's own tank with another green spotted puffer

they are great characters!

Spishkey said:

ooh no, my platy get MUCH bigger than that before they give birth, they look almost squarish from behind!

Click to expand...

ok good news. means i've got a bit longer to get the birthing tank ready!!!

i have heard that Platys kind of 'go into hiding' when they're about to pop and one of mine is certainly spending more time in amongst the plants.

Based on the pic any idea how long?? i know its like how long is a piece of string but i thought it might be worth asking!!!

could be tonight, could be tomorrow, could be a few days?? mine go down to the bottom of the tank and 'hide' before giving birth.


one of my platys go huge but the other stays small when pregnant.

sorry cant help you furthe!

i also read somewhere that they are more likely to give birth early in the morning.



mine gave birth (both times) at midnight lol!

ok as im very quickly learning in this game fish are like people, they all have different personalities and don't all behave exactly as they should... i'll just take each day as it comes but of course i'll keep ya'll posted lol!!

The behavior is often a better indicator than appearance, so if you think they are behaving differently you probably know better than us.

If all the fish in the tank are small and it is cycled and very well filtered (ie 8-10 x the amount of water in it is turned over daily) the tank is not overstocked. However you have to take into account that the fish will grow. Gouramis don't get all that big, but angelfish get to the size of the palm of an adult's hand and can be aggressive and territorial when mature. THe silver shark will get bigger - read as huge - and the plec might - do you know what species it is? Silver sharks aren't aggressive but he might prefer a bigger tank when he grows some more.

How big is the breeding trap? Often putting platies in a trap when they aren't ready is so stressful it can cause them to abort. I've had better luck with a breeding tank. Get a 5 gallon plastic bin. Fill it with water and treat it. Add a heater ($15 from cheapie department store.) Add a corner filter (air driven - air pumps are about the same price and you'll need one eventually if you ever get a sick fish and have to set up a quarantine/hospital tank). Put in some fake plants and a fake bark tunnel or something as a hiding place. Fill a small tray with gravel for the fry to hide in. Put in the female. She can live in that tank for over a week if the water is changed and cycled media put in the filter. It sounds like an expensive operation and a lot of work to set up a breeding trap, and if you're not seriously trying to breed livebearers it might not be worth it, but most of that stuff (ie spare air pumps, heaters, and a quarantine setup) is wise to have anyway in case of emergencies (heater blows at the beginning of a long weekend etc).

well in terms of overstocked ive got an internal fluval 2 and an external fluval 205 maximum capacity of 200litres. (the internal filter will be removed in 2 months once the external filter is ready)
I know my fish will grow - luckily i have a very understanding LFS who are more than happy to take off my hands any fish that get 'too big' which i am fully aware is not an ideal solution however i am going to be upgrading to a larger tank soon
I have no idea what species the Plec is - i havent located him yet today - he can still hide away in my little tank!


I'm not seriously trying to breed livebearers but i understand where you're coming from in terms of having spares...

omg
i have the same plattys as you
and mine didnt get a belly looking like a ball like that
lmao
mine just got big.
then she had her babiess.
i got 4 baby plattys and 30 guppy fry.
i feed them all crushed up tropical fish flakes.
that works for me.
prob work for you too.
try it?
xo
goodluck with them

as i learned brimeshrimp and some other food is best to give them 3x a day, as just flake food will make them grow very slowly.