Baby Sunset Swordtails

[finatic]

This is my first experience at being a fish grandmother. I put my sunset swordtail in a spawning tank at 9 AM. I walked by the tank at 10 and saw 1 baby. I was so excited!!! I have never had a fish have babies that I captured before. I lost my yellow wagtail platy babies at beginning of week. I put her in tank Sunday AM and she was so upset I let her out that night. By Monday she had her babies.......and so did my other fish.
My red wagtail platy is very pregnant and I put her in a spawning tank tonight. Looks like maybe babies any minute. I have 14 live and swimming baby swordtails. Now here is my question. She started having them at 10 AM. It is now 7:30 PM. Is she done or will more come. Been a couple of hours since last one born. How fast do they grow? How soon before I can give them to my friends (lots of fish aunts & uncles).
I am very excited. I hope I can take care of babies. Got liquid fry food today. All are swimming and eating. Looks like they have grown already!!
Thanks for your help.
Kim

 

[bigfish]

One way to tell does she still look fat? if so then maybe she hasnt finished some fish take couple of days to release all their babies.

I would wait until they are an inch in length (3 to 4 months time) or wait until they are big enough to eat normal flake food.

More important dont leave them under the aquarium lights as they will overheat and die, best to keep them in a mesh breeding net that you can get from you LSF because the water can circulate much easier, keep an eye on them developing to avoid future problems.

Hey congratulations on you little ones.

 

[William]

Yes turn off the lights if the babies are in a mesh breeder near the top of the tank Most females won't drop all their babies in one drop and sometimes can take a week!! keeping the mother in the breeding net too long will stress her out and since you already have some babies you may as well return her to the tank but keep an eye out for more babies in case

When the babies are 1" in length they can be reintroduced into the tank but i advice you buy a seperate growing tank as 14 babies will not grow in a mesh breeder!

 

[finatic]

Thank you bigfish. I have 14 babies. She only had 1 from 5 PM-10PM last night. No more over nite. She still has black spot, but no more babies yet. My red wagtail platy in spawning tank today. I'm going to need a nursery!!

 

[bigfish]

What colour are your babies hun? i only have redwag platy and 2 blue mickey mouse platies that are pregnant.

I would like some sunset platies in the near future but im gonna really have to sort out mt space issue, i need an unused garage quickly.

HELP!!!!!

 

[finatic]

I let the female back into tank the following morning. I got 14 baby Sunset Swordtails. They are all still alive and swimming. Very cute I went to a yard sale today and got a new 10 gallon tank for $2. No accessories, but still a steal. Hope to set it up with old rocks and stuff I had in another 10 gallon before getting my 55. Need a nursery Will have to hurry the cycle with bacteria. I have a red wagtail platy in spawning tank now, but not real sure how close she is. One minute she looks like ready to burst, next minute I'm not sure. New to this fish baby thing

 

[finatic]

Lights are out. Setting up a nursery.