Platy Pregnant?

[Kexmonster]

So, in the last few weeks my Platy has been getting bigger and bigger. I've concluded with it beeing pregnant, although she has been like this for an awful long time (4-5 weeks, maybe even more). I went away 2 days ago, and told my dad to feed my fish. I know he loves to overfeed them, but this time he said he fed them an appropriate amount. I got back today, and my Platy is HUGE - compared to how she looked 2 days ago.


(Click the picture for bigger version)

I apologize for the bad picture quality, but these fish wont stay still for a second! Anyways, from what you can see, would you say that this platy is pregnant or overfed? I am seeing what i would think is the "boxy" shape these fish get when they're ready to give birth.

 

[Akasha72]

I'd say she's pregnant and I keep platies myself. Once they look 'boxy' (it's more noticable I find from the side) it usually means they are very close. I've also noticed when my female is ready her bottom looks swollen ... no other way to put it. She'll also start to isolate herself and get stressed if another fish comes too close. I also find my male platies and guppies are obcessed with her. I've caught mine and trapped her just to give her a break and she gave birth to 15 fry in the night

 

[Cazgar]

I think it's a combination of the 2
One if my platys was pregnant then gorged on my Oto's algae wafers & she looked like that.
A couple of days later she dropped her fry.
Keep an eye on her.
Also, what other fish do you have in the tank apart from the neons?

 

[Kexmonster]

I think it's a combination of the 2
One if my platys was pregnant then gorged on my Oto's algae wafers & she looked like that.
A couple of days later she dropped her fry.
Keep an eye on her.
Also, what other fish do you have in the tank apart from the neons?

4 platies, 3 neontetra, 2 gouramis and 2 ghostshrimp. The platy has now been put in a pregnany-cage (is that what it's called?)

 

[Kexmonster]

I'm happy to say that there are now 5 (as i'm able to count) new additions to my tank

 

[Kexmonster]

One question, how long until my platy can get pregnant and give birth again? Becayse right now, she looks the way she did the day she gave birth, which was 13th januar.

 

[the_lock_man]

One question, how long until my platy can get pregnant and give birth again? Becayse right now, she looks the way she did the day she gave birth, which was 13th januar.

Platies have the ability to store sperm packets for 6 months, so she will be a baby-machine from now until she dies or 6 months after the last male in the tank dies. Fry drops occur every 4-6 weeks.

 

[OldMan47]

The size of your female platy is probably much like the size before a drop. If she is well fed, she could be huge and still be weeks from her next drop. From the time that gestation begins, the typical value at normal temperatures is 4 weeks but it can be a bit longer or shorter depending on that temperature and individual variations. As said, common livebearers store sperm packets which can be used for later drops but that does not mean that a new gestation starts immediately. 5 to 6 weeks is not at all uncommon between drops.