my swordtail has a white patch under her

you mean it looks like a gravid spot but light? that just means its babies are light (ime). if it looks like its part of its color (should be obvious) then dw. i wouldnt put it in a breeders trap until you notice strange behavior, or it might cause the fish additional stress being cramped in that trap
 
The thing i notice with my Female swordtail, is that normally she would swim around the tank like nothing, then close to birth there is a small section next to my breeding trap and she sit in there, also she swims against the glass, as if trying to get out and about, then a few minutes later, where she was sitting beside the breed trap, she has given birth to her fry, that is how i know when she is about to give birth... Now i wouldnt put her in the trap for too long, because she may not like it and begin to panick, and stress can make her abort her birthing and you will lose your fry, that is why it is best you keep a very close eye on her, and catch her before she does it, me on the other hand, i let her give birth in the tank itself, because she is VERY protective over her babies (Please note: This is not regular, for swordtails are renouned for eating their young and not caring for them) and so she protects them until i get in there with the net and put them into the breeding trap to grow up safely... but do keep a close eye, for that is your best bet...

;)
 
nobody can actually tell if she is going to give birth. they can give u a ruff guess but the only one who can tell is yourself. attitude changes. she may stop eating. hanging around in one area etc. nobody else studies ur fish only u. she maybe due but i have a platy that has that white mark on her bottom and has had it for weeks. u just have to look for behaviour changes. study ur fish and when there behaviour changes put them in a breeder.
 
If you can tell us her latest type of actions, like is she swimming rapidly around the tank, or constantly swimming against the glass walls of the tank, or laying on the bottom and not swimming around much, it could help us tell you...

My advice to you would get a mesh net as soon as possible, because there are other uses for it apart from breeding, you can contain aggressive fish in them, or put a injured fish in there to recover, because they are spaceous... and if you fish is going to give birth you have a safe place for the fry, you got to basically plan for the unexpected when it come to fish really, or that is what i have learned since i started keeping fish...

;)
 

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