hey i have a photo of my platty.
im not sure if it's pregnant. it is really big and has this red spot where the gravid spot usually is

Cos if she is pregnant. i dont want to leave it long just incase.

Its very hard to tell from your picture. Try looking at her from above. If she is very heavy looking from the top right in front of her anal fin then she is well along in her pregnancy.

Ohk , i will check.
hmm i really dont know!
whats with the red spot though ?
from the top she looks like i really dont know!
but. it has a red spot instead of black. what does that usually mean?
the fish is pretty big. like its either really fat or in the last stages of pregnancy,
i really dont want to leave it too long.
that red spot is in the exact spot where the gravid spot is. as you can see in the picture.
how can i tell if it's heavy looking?
lol.
thanks.

She will become very big. The red spot I think could be ealr stages as it will get darker the later on in pregnancy she is, as the black dot will be the fish' eyes.

Leaving her won't affect when she drops, she will most likely drop - when she's ready - at night or when noone is looking.

I think jenna means putting her in breeding trap. I don't think she's far enough along yet but it's very hard to tell as the photo is blurred. She's obviously pregnant, but the size of the abdomen at full term varies - obviously a fish that's going to drop 20 fry will look a lot different to one that's going to drop 80 fry. The best indicator is the shape, which you can't see in that photo.

lol ,
sorry. i try heaps to take pictures of her.
she just keeps swimming!
so do i need to worry if she drops at anytime?
the fry will hide?
thanks.
ox

thank's everyone.
on sunday i am going to get 3 more plants to fill up the tank a bit and so all the fry can hide.
INCASE i dont put her in the breeding trap at the time..
so ofcourse. SOME wont survive. but most will (:
oxox

Most of them will probably survive if the tank is planted. Look for elodea (they hide at the leaf bases) and cambomba or ambulia (very fine leaved, hide fry). They're your best plants. I use natural wood as well, the fry hide in the knots where the adult fish can't reach.

My personal favorites for hiding fry are java moss and hornwort but neither one is the worlds best looking plant.

This post has been edited by OldMan47: Apr 25 2008, 09:44 AM

hey ,
thanks.
i have never heard of them.
lol.
where would you get them sorts of plants from..
also where would you get natural wood from ?
thanks.

Most good fish shops should sell bogwood and java moss.
If you can't get the java moss you could ask around in the "Buy, Sell and Swap" section. I haven't known of a shop that doesn't see bogwood. It's pretty easy to find.

Hornwort goes by the scientific name Ceratophyllum demersum. In the US it is sometimes called coontail. I am attaching a few links to places in the UK where you might find it.

http://www.lifeforceonline.co.uk/coldwater...roduct1509.html
http://www.mimmacks.co.uk/product~Code~P47.asp
https://shop.waterlily.co.uk/product.php?id=O020
http://www.plantsalive.co.uk/index.php?_a=...2bea1ca72e8af66
http://www.puddleplants.co.uk/pages/plantpages/plant3010.htm
http://www.dartfordaquatics.co.uk/fish_det...at=8&fSub=0


Some other sources of information if you want to know more.

http://www.torrens.org.uk/NatHist/Aqua/hornwort.html
http://www.fishkeeper.co.uk/plants/plantDa...l=bdp&gid=0

Java moss goes by the scientific name Vesicularia dubyana. Here are a few links to it too.

http://www.wilder-reptiles-shop.co.uk/pet-...offer--67-p.asp
http://www.snailshop.co.uk/p/323901/java-moss.html
http://www.seapets.co.uk/custom-page/file/Aquaticplants.html
http://www.plantsalive.co.uk/index.php?act...mp;productId=81


You may also find these places interesting to read up on java moss.
http://www.aquahobby.com/garden/e_dubyana.php
http://aqualandpetsplus.com/Plant,%20Java%20Moss.htm
http://www.petfish.net/articles/Aquatic_Plants/jmoss.php
http://www.thetropicaltank.co.uk/Plantdir/javamoss.htm

I live in the US where these pants are commonly available in local fish stores but I don’t know how common they might be there. I definitely have never dealt with any of the listed shops because they are very far away for me.

She looks pregnant but it looks like it will be at least a week before she gives birth (can't say for sure exactly though), female platys usually become quite large in the chest and dark in the gravid patch before giving birth.

This post has been edited by Tokis-Phoenix: Apr 25 2008, 11:29 PM

ROFL !
one problem..
i don't live in the UK..
i live in australia... adelaide
thanks anyway

Look up 'aquarium shops' in the phone book. Anywhere decent will have hornwort. Ambulia also works, it's very similar. You can also use fine leaved fake plants.

oh ok (:
thanks.