Gravid spot

[emgclover]

Some of my fish keep pecking at me platy's very dark gravid spot. Why are they doing this? Will they harm the babies?

 

[emgclover]

PLEASE someone help!

 

[MerryCat]

I dont know why they're doing that, but if its stressing out the female, I'd remove the offending fish, or, failing that, Isolate the female. She doesn't need teh extra stress during pregnancy. Also, perhaps you could stick in a few more plants and/or hidey-holes that she could take refuge in?

 

[emgclover]

Thanx for the help. Also she is swimming up and down a lot and she never did it before she was pregnant, i've heard this can be a sign she is about to drop, is that true?

 

[snowyangel]

I notice my males will go after the female when she's about to give birth and ofcourse right after b/c they want some nookie. But non of my other fish do it. Is it only the males that do it to your female?
Yes, I've seen my female pase back and forth during labour(probably cus it hurts ) but I also see my males pasing too all the time. How far gone is she? She could be stressed if the males keep chasing her and don't allow her to rest and give birth.

 

[freak4mollyz]

Yah when your fish is pregnant they have been known to swim up and down i have a pregnant dalmation molly and she swims up and down a bit so i hope she is about to drop her fry

 

[emgclover]

I'm not exactly sure how far gone she is but i'm pretty sure she is near the end. It is only the males that nip at her, and there is plenty of hinding places that she used so i dont think she is stressed.
When she does have the fry, is it possable to keep them in a small tank with no filter, just a lamp over the top to keep the water warm. I know its not ideal but even if its just temperaraly(sp)!

 

[snowyangel]

It is only the males that nip at her, and there is plenty of hinding places that she used so i dont think she is stressed.

When she does have the fry, is it possable to keep them in a small tank with no filter, just a lamp over the top to keep the water warm.

Yes the males nipping is perfectly normal(my males do it all the time) its their way to get the females attention to look at them and probably mate as well.

As for the bowl question, I've been raising my fry in 1 gallon bowls for months, except that when they reached one month they were upgraded to a 5gallon, then to a 10 gallon at 3 months. But now I have one big 25 gallon so I've gotten rid of all the bowls and put all the fry in one. But at the time, the bowls did fine with just a desk lamp, bare in mind you must provide oxygen. We did water changes every 2 days in those bowls and it was fine. Here was our old fry setup :

 

[emgclover]

I really want to do that!

how do u provide the oxygen? stupid question i know but i've never brought babies up like this before and its somethig i want to do.
Do i have to have an air pump?

 

[snowyangel]

But at the time, the bowls did fine with just a desk lamp, bare in mind you must provide oxygen. We did water changes every 2 days in those bowls and it was fine.

Already told ya No air pump, just vacuming the gravel and putting new de-clhorinated water. We changed about 15% when we did do the water changes and once in awhile you'll have to clean the algae off the sides, but thats easy too. Just make sure your room temperature isn't below say 73F and you dont got any cats

 

[emgclover]

How do i ensure that the water stays the right temperature?

 

[Ben]

get a thermometre to mae sure the temperature is alright. alos u dont haeve to do all that changing water u can get a oxygen block from ur lfs or any pet shop. Its just a block u put in that desolves and as it desolves it gives off oxygen