How long left?

[Jordannegiudici]

Hi does anyone have an estimate of how long they think till labour, worried o am not going to save any?

 

[dmpfishlover]

How long has her belly been that large?

 

[Jordannegiudici]

It's been about 20 days since her last unexpected fry and noticed her getting bigger again about a Week after

 

[dmpfishlover]

It looks like she has a gravid spot (dark spot near the base of her anal fin) in the picture (as far as I can see?), which if you are seeing one too(?) is a sign that she is definitely pregnant and could be close to getting ready to deliver. Live bearers are typically pregnant for around 4 weeks (~28 days), but the internal development of the fry is temperature dependent so it can vary some. Typically the warmer the water temperature, the shorter the gestation. In cooler water temperatures their gestation could be closer to 35 days. So perhaps she will be ready to deliver in the next few days or week? This is just based off of her last delivery... but then again, I have heard of some Platys delivering and then turning around and delivering again two weeks later. The females can store sperm "packets" in their bodies for a long time, and continually have their eggs fertilized for a period of time... So, it is hard to tell.

to the Forum btw!!!

 

[Jordannegiudici]

Thanks!
Does it look like her belly has went down since I last posted?

 

[dmpfishlover]

Perhaps? It is so hard to tell from a picture.. Can you still see a gravid spot? Looks like there might still be one... but again, it is hard to tell from a picture. It is so much easier in person to see.

EDIT... I looked a some of the first pictures again, and yes, I think her belly does seem a bit smaller in comparison to the most recent pictures.... You might want to inspect any areas of your tank where there are places to hide for fry... among plants, rocks, among the gravel... Who knows, there might be some fry hiding somewhere...

 

[Jordannegiudici]

Perhaps? It is so hard to tell from a picture.. Can you still see a gravid spot? Looks like there might still be one... but again, it is hard to tell from a picture. It is so much easier in person to see.

EDIT... I looked a some of the first pictures again, and yes, I think her belly does seem a bit smaller in comparison to the most recent pictures.... You might want to inspect any areas of your tank where there are places to hide for fry... among plants, rocks, among the gravel... Who knows, there might be some fry hiding somewhere...

the first time since she got pregnant I have always seen a wee dark spot near the anal fin, Had a wee look and can't find anything, in the tank

 

[dmpfishlover]

Keep an eye out... Even though you couldn't find any fry immediately, doesn't mean they aren't there. They are really good at hiding!! I had Platys in the past, and I didn't even know that one of my females had given birth until weeks later when there were miniature Platys swimming around in the tank. They had hid for weeks among the plants in the tanks and finally emerged when they were too big to get eaten. Some were probably eaten, but a few survived.

 

[Jordannegiudici]

OK thanks wil keep a lookout

 

[dmpfishlover]

What kind of Platy is she by the way? She is very beautiful.. especially in the very first picture where you can see a sheen of blue/green against the red..

 

[Jordannegiudici]

I actually don't know I just bought a few for my 2 wee boys to have as there first pet animal type of thing, I think it myt be a southern platy or a rainbow platy. Have no idea if there the same type, I was shocked when I first saw she was pregnant because I got told all my fish were female but studied the fins and soon found one of them is male

 

[dmpfishlover]

I actually don't know I just bought a few for my 2 wee boys to have as there first pet animal type of thing, I think it myt be a southern platy or a rainbow platy. Have no idea if there the same type, I was shocked when I first saw she was pregnant because I got told all my fish were female but studied the fins and soon found one of them is male

Unfortunately, often times, fish store staff are not trained and not very experienced, so you really cant trust what any fish store employee tells you... You need to do your own research and use that information. It will be really neat if you end up with fry, as I am sure your boys will enjoy watching them grow up.