Dropsy or pregnant

[Krystall25]

Hello. I have a platy that I'm hoping is pregnant but just wanted to know if she could also have dropsy. She's very lethargic and seems to have been pregnant for a while. I don't think she is pine coning but I could be wrong.

 

[Krystall25]

This is her on November 27th

 

[MaloK]

Has it been more than a month ?

If the fish does not show any sign of distress, laborious breathing, redness around the tail belly and gills, Protruding scales.

Like this:


Later becomes this:


I have no experience with platies.

But I'm pretty sure that she's going to slow down a lot before giving birth.

Edit: Your last pic is not clear enough, But she looks beautiful on the first ones.

 

[Krystall25]

Has it been more than a month ?

If the fish does not show any sign of distress, laborious breathing, redness around the tail belly and gills, Protruding scales.

Like this:
View attachment 332630

Later becomes this:
View attachment 332631

I have no experience with platies.

But I'm pretty sure that she's going to slow down a lot before giving birth.

Edit: Your last pic is not clear enough, But she looks beautiful on the first ones.

Thank you so much. I think she is right around the 1 month mark. So perhaps I should move her to a breeding box?

 

[MaloK]

If you want to save all the frys, I would say so.

 

[GaryE]

I see fluid retention - possible kidney trouble. It may advance to dropsy. There is no pineconing, but her gravid spot looks as swollen as the rest of her. On nov 27, that was a very gravid platy. Now, it's wait and see which way she goes.

 

[MaloK]

I agree that she looks like having Redness on the belly near the tail on the last picture.

 

[Essjay]

So perhaps I should move her to a breeding box?

Please don't ever put a female livebearer in one of those. They are so stressful for the female. It is much better to have lots of plants, real or fake, for the fry to hide in and leave the female to give birth in the tank. The fry can then be moved into the breeding box if wished.

 

[MaloK]

Yes Understanding that the ideal situation would be to remove the parents and all other fishes in the tank, after birth...

It's not always possible to host the parents properly during this period, in many home setups.

It's a lot easier to separate the frys and host them in a smaller tank with a simple, setup if possible.

The best method is to move the female before birth to the fry tank and remove her as soon as done.

But I bred gazillions of guppies. In a single aquarium... the Box works perfectly... And the female found them as a safe heaven during this period.

Nothing prevents you to put a little decor in them. But I never had to...

 

[Essjay]

The best method is to move the female before birth to the fry tank and remove her as soon as done.

I agree, that's the best method. It's those boxes which are the problem. So many people put the female in them weeks before she's due to give birth or just in case she's gravid

 

[MaloK]

Yes I Agree, 100%, But The hobby is to become able to provide the best conditions as possible, It is your responsibility to learn and observe how the whole process works.

When you start to have the "eye" on how it's going. The lady won't go in the box for more than a couple of days.

With guppies, we where able to catch them the same day or close. loll... If we missed... It was live food...

At some point when you are watching more than a dozen of pregnant females,. You are going to miss some.

We had has much as 6 giving birth in the box at the same time..

From all these fry, there where less than 1% that became stunning specimen.

The rest was fed to other fishes.

 

[Krystall25]

I'm sad to report that she passed away shortly after this post. . I will be testing our water and hopefully we can prevent anymore loss.

 

[MaloK]

Oh boy, When I see a post with over 30+ views without reply... I have a tendency to try to help, or at least say something... I probably should shut up too...

Earliest possible diagnosis is primordial. Something as not obvious as swimming a little frantically without going anywhere could be a sign of stress.

But in any case, If you get your fishes used to large water changes you put the odds on your side.