Possible Pregnant Platy

[Dave T]

Hi
Was disgusing an issue with what i thought to be a sick platy in new to the hobbie and it was suggested that i look hear for help

If this fish is pregnant what do i do please and when do i do it
Have only posted one picture if more needed please let me know and ill try and get them she maybe he is a little camera shy

 

[Amberleaf]

Well, if she IS pregnant then she is not very far along; maybe just around a week or two or so.

Here is a picture of what they're *SUPPOSED* to look like when they're very far along, almost close to giving birth (can be up to 6 (!!!! I know) weeks before they give birth!):

(Sorry about the bad quality; and, yes, I know, you can't see her head. )

 

[Dave T]

Well, if she IS pregnant then she is not very far along; maybe just around a week or two or so.

Here is a picture of what they're *SUPPOSED* to look like when they're very far along, almost close to giving birth (can be up to 6 (!!!! I know) weeks before they give birth!):

(Sorry about the bad quality; and, yes, I know, you can't see her head. )

Thanks Amberleaf

Ok lets assume it is a she and its pregnant what do i have do for the fish i know i am asking alot but i really really dont have a clue
i thought i was getting all male fish this thought never crossed my mind

Maybe two weeks gone only leaves another four not a lot of time
sorry somting else i was thinking of adding some cardinal tetra am i better of waiting to see what happens with my He She Platy

Thanks

 

[Amberleaf]

*cracks up* Lol.... He She Platy.

Well, ANYWAYS; this platy should be pretty fine on her own until she gives birth. However, you may want to consider putting her in a breeding trap or net or something or just move her to another tank all together when she is very close to giving birth; the males and other fish might harass her and stress is NOT good for the babies inside of her.

And, then; get some java moss, or if you can't get that then either put some *other* dense plants on the surface of the tank and then maybe even add a bunch of marbles along the floor of the tank? Fry like to hide in those.... It saves them from being eaten by the greedy mother. But some kind of moss or plant is preferred.

And for fry food, you can either feed First Bites fry food or Liquifry, or *SOMETHING* along those lines; just make sure it is for fresh-water fish and preferably it will give a list of the fish you can feed it to on the package.... I'm using First Bites for fry food, as well. If you absolutely *can't* get those (although they are sold at most lfs; but just that, mainly), then you can crush normal fish flakes into a *really* fine powder and then feed it to your baby fish!

And, then, I think that's all!

And now, I will get off the computer; and I will go to the 5-gallon that my *REALLY* pregnant platy is in (she's a mickey mouse platy and her belly is *REALLY* squared off right about now ), and go chant at her, "Give birth, now! Give birth, go! Give birth, now! Give birth, go!" etc., etc., and you get the point. XD X3

 

[Platygirl11]

She is pregnant, though not very far along. How many males and females do you have? If you don't know, post pics.
With my pregnant females, here's what I do:
I just treat them as I would with any other fish. I just have many other females to distract the male, and provide a lot of cover and live plants for her to give birth in. Actually, most of my fry choose not to hide. They swim around the tank, and even eat from the surface. (I have around 28, soon to be more! )
I feed them any dry food I have, but crushed. I just put 2 types of flake and some dried shrimp in a bag, crush it with my hands, then put it into a container. They seem to like it.

 

[Dave T]

Sorry should of mentioned only had two platys as unfortunatly lost two.
Went out and got the little man another two girls but hoping they will have a little more restrant

Have also included a picture of the plant life to see if you feel its dence enough for fry
if not its ok i did get a fry trap today and have a small ten litre tank which if its dig enough i could use

And Thanks very much for the pictures Amberleaf at least now i have an idea of what she is going to lokk like
and did your chanting work or are you still waiting for the new arrivals

 

[OldMan47]

The original mickey mouse pattern platy with the reddish yellow body color is about 1 to 2 weeks along in a 4 week typical pregnancy. That new all red platy is a swordtail, not a platy. The blue toned mickey mouse platy may only be a week to 10 days from her next drop.
The plants on the right side of the tank look dense enough to give some protection from predation.

 

[Dave T]

The mickey mouse pattern platy is about 1 to 2 weeks along in a 4 week typical pregnancy. That new all red platy is a swordtail, not a platy. The wag tailed fish that does not have a closeup looks like it may be a platy and might be as far along as the mickey mouse platy.

Sorry if this seems stupid but i am assuming when you say mickey mouse and wag tail platy you mean the silver one and and the orange with the black tail
and if so i now have two pregnant fish this is all getting very stressfull

With regards to the swordtail should i take it back incase he haresses or the expecting fish and also because its on its own

 

[OldMan47]

The mickey mouse pattern looks like a stick drawing of a mickey mouse head and ears if you tilt your head sideways. There is an ear at the top and bottom base of the tail and a larger round dark spot in the center a bit closer to the main part of the body. Your blue colored platy and the original picture of an orange colored platy are both mickey mouse platies. A platy or swordtail with a solid black tail and usually a black dorsal on a fish of another color is generically called a wag, I have no idea why. At one time it was only swords and platies in red and green that showed a wag tail (red wags and green wags) but in recent years I have seen them on all sorts of colors in those fish.

It is up to you whether you return the red swordtail female. She will be fine living with and interacting with the platies. Platies and swords are close enough relatives that many of the colors and patterns that we see in modern aquarium strains are the result of crossing them intentionally, sometimes using artificial insemination because of slight mechanical problems of them breeding in a more natural fashion.

 

[Dave T]

Hi am a little worried about the length of time i have to set up this fry tank
so i was thinking and dont no if this will work so all help and input welcome.

if i take some of the medium of existing filter and put it in the new filter and the new medium back into my existing filter
and use the water from my tank,would this be sufficant

Also cant seem to get my hands on java moss an other plants that would be a good replacement

Cheers

 

[OldMan47]

Some good plants for livebearer fry to hide in include riccia, hornwort, elodea (often marked as anacharis) and even killie mops that you make yourself. A killie mop is nothing but a mop made of polyester yarn and either floated using a cork or allowed to sink to the bottom. Take a book and just wrap some yarn around it about a hundred times. Slip a piece of the yarn around the yarn loops and tie a snug knot. Go the the end of the book opposite the knotted bit and cut the yarn wraps there. You end up with about 200 strands of yarn as long as the book is tall. If you use a book about as tall as the tank, the mop you make will reach the bottom when floated using a cork. I use a long strand of yarn when making one so that I can use that same piece to wrap around a cork if I decide to float it. The fry can easily hide among the hanging strands of yarn and the adults can't find them there.