Pregnant Platy (Pics Inside)

[joegti]

AHAHAHAHHA. well keep the lights off and stop peaking

Ive been watching closely the past few days and ive noticed that the male platy of the tank is constantly on the pregnant ones tail, does not leave her alone for a minute. Not necessarily pecking at her or anything, not sure if hes waiting for the fry to come out to eat or is he protecting the female pregnant fish. Maybe someone with a good understanding of their natural behavior can answer that.

I have put him in 'isolation' for a day or so...maybe that will give her some peace and she can deliver this litter. Im not sure how much bigger she can get without bursting.

 

[OldMan47]

What a male is doing around a soon to drop female is trying to be first in line for her next drop. Sex in all animals is about making sure your own genetic material is passed along and a female that has just rid herself of a competitor's genetic material is a great way to make sure your own genetic material is passed along to the next generation.

 

[joegti]

What a male is doing around a soon to drop female is trying to be first in line for her next drop. Sex in all animals is about making sure your own genetic material is passed along and a female that has just rid herself of a competitor's genetic material is a great way to make sure your own genetic material is passed along to the next generation.

My platy gave birth sometime last night after i turned the lights off. I have spotted about 5 fry hiding out in the plants, im sure theres more. They are alive, swimming and seem okay.

Shes still got a large belly and i dont think shes close to being done. Going to leave the male in isolation until this afternoon.

 

[joegti]

 

[joegti]

I had to put the two rosy barbs or whatever theyre called in jail because they were going nuts eating babies. Mother is still delivering, i watched about a dozen be born in the last 2 hours. Mother or father so far seems not interested in eating the babies. I still think shes got a lot left. I have not done a count yet but im estimating shes had maybe 20 so far. I saw 4 get eaten and two get sucked up the filter. Filter has been turned to the lowest setting so thats not a problem anymore...i see at least 10 swimming in the plants i now have very tightly packed.

I have a small breeding type of tank i can keep in the main tank...thats where the barbs are now. I plan on waiting until mother is done delivering and then going on a hunt for fry to be housed in the seperate enclosure...they stand no chance loose in the main tank against the barbs. I plan on upgrading from a 29 gal tank to maybe a 60 in the near future. Having many platy is no problem. Plus my LPS said they would buy them from me when the time comes.

Heres some new pics.

 

[Kerri Gronow]

Awwwwwwk.... Congratulations!!!

 

[joegti]

I havent counted but ill say theres 40-50 of them. Still not sure if shes done dropping yet.

 

[joegti]

 

[Gytas]

wow that is a lot o fry well done !


they will be hard to count

 

[joegti]

wow that is a lot o fry well done !


they will be hard to count

Indeed it is. I should have counted them as i took them out of the main tank and put them in the breeder. I lose track at around 35...im estimating i have somewhere between 50 and 60 fry. Plus i personally saw 5 get eaten and 2 go up the filter. This was one large drop...thats for sure.

In the 36 hours since being born and put in the breeder box, not one has died. They are swimming around and eating.

 

[OldMan47]

Congratulations Joegti. I just love it when my livebearers can provide me with new fry to admire. Right now I am trying to catch my mouthbrooding betta simplex doing much the same thing. The male B. simplex is the one who carries fry in this case. The female is about to be removed to avoid that evil temptress tempting the male to spit his charges before they are ready to fend for themselves.
.

 

[joegti]

6 days in and not one fry has been lost so far....

 

[Gytas]

how are the fry doing ? any pics?

 

[joegti]

how are the fry doing ? any pics?

They are doing well...10 days old and i still havent lost any.

I made a new thread with pics from 2 days ago here

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/339526-platy-fry-pictures/

 

[jugs]

so sweet