Sunburst mickey mouse platy still hasn’t given birth

[LittleBlueGuppy]

So, about a month ago, I got a pair of sunburst Mickey Mouse platies. Shortly after acquiring them, the female got pregnant. I have been watching her closely. I very much want to keep these fry. I got to work and set up my 3-4 gallon hospital tub/tank with a cycled sponge filter, a small heater and some plants for cover. Last week-ish she started getting the signature square shaped abdomen and I got excited. Within day or two, her gravid spot got very dark and I thought I saw sets of eyes in her tummy. Her vent became and “outie” so to speak. “This is it.” I thought, so I moved her to the fry tank. But she still hasn’t given birth! It’s been like 5 days of this and she hasn’t dropped a single fry. I’m actually worried now. I don’t want to leave an adult platy alone that small space for so long, and I’m really worried that she hasn’t dropped fry yet. Is she just really late? Is this normal?

This is my first livebearer pregnancy, so I suppose I might just be a worry wort, but still, I thought she would have given birth by 3 days ago!

 

[Naughts]

The move may have stressed her out so the labour was halted. If you netted her the weight on the pregnancy could damage her and/ or the fry. Leave her for a few days (or a week after giving birth) then move her using a bowl.

 

[LittleBlueGuppy]

The move may have stressed her out so the labour was halted. If you netted her the weight on the pregnancy could damage her and/ or the fry. Leave her for a few days (or a week after giving birth) then move her using a bowl.

She still has not given birth. She is active, eating fine and doesn’t seem stressed, but no fry yet. I don’t see fry eyes in her tummy right now, but then again, the fry tank is much darker than the big tank.

 

[emeraldking]

Is she reallly pregnant and not just bloated? But females don't have a tight schedule when it comes to pregnancy and delivering. If she's pregnant, she'll drop them when she's comfortable enough. In case she's pregnant, give her the time to drop fry. 4 Weeks is just an average gestation period. So, it can be shorter or even longer. If she's indeed pregnant, I wouldn't be worried about her. But again, maybe she's bloated.
Are you able to take picture from the side of her? So, we can get a impression of her.

 

[LittleBlueGuppy]

Is she reallly pregnant and not just bloated? But females don't have a tight schedule when it comes to pregnancy and delivering. If she's pregnant, she'll drop them when she's comfortable enough. In case she's pregnant, give her the time to drop fry. 4 Weeks is just an average gestation period. So, it can be shorter or even longer. If she's indeed pregnant, I wouldn't be worried about her. But again, maybe she's bloated.
Are you able to take picture from the side of her? So, we can get a impression of her.

She dropped her fry this morning! I woke up to mama looking thin and 5 healthy, beautiful, little fry (at least that is what I counted, there could be more in hiding). I moved the mama back to the big tank and she is happy and socializing with her partner.

I’ve fed the fry egg yolk twice today. They are up and about, but I don’t know if they are ready for solid food yet.

Thank you guys for your advice.

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

She dropped her fry this morning! I woke up to mama looking thin and 5 healthy, beautiful, little fry (at least that is what I counted, there could be more in hiding). I moved the mama back to the big tank and she is happy and socializing with her partner.

I’ve fed the fry egg yolk twice today. They are up and about, but I don’t know if they are ready for solid food yet.

Thank you guys for your advice.

Platy fry can eat normal food as soon as they've finished absorbing the yolk, after about 24 hours. As long as it's small enough to fit in their mouths, they'll eat it.

Crush flake food so it's fine, use Bug Bites Microgranules, can feed things like frozen cyclops, daphnia, moina etc. The same foods the adults eat, just crushed smaller for their smaller mouths.

 

[emeraldking]

She dropped her fry this morning! I woke up to mama looking thin and 5 healthy, beautiful, little fry (at least that is what I counted, there could be more in hiding). I moved the mama back to the big tank and she is happy and socializing with her partner.

I’ve fed the fry egg yolk twice today. They are up and about, but I don’t know if they are ready for solid food yet.

Thank you guys for your advice.

Congratulations!
They don't need to be fed the first day. They will absorb their yolk sac first.

 

[Ichthys]

Livebearer fry absorb their yolk sacs before birth (unless they’re premature), so they should really be fed straight away. They’re totally independent and looking for food from birth.

 

[emeraldking]

Livebearer fry absorb their yolk sacs before birth (unless they’re premature), so they should really be fed straight away. They’re totally independent and looking for food from birth.

I do have to disagree with that. Fry from ovoviviparous livebearers still have their yolk sac the first (part or the whole) day. Doesn't have anything to do with being premature.