How Do You Tell If A Fish Is Pregnant?

[smudge_]

I thought my female platy was sick as she has spent the last two days staying rather still at the bottom of the tank for significant periods. However someone suggested earlier she may be pregnant as her stomach seems to have developed a dark patch and she doesn't seem to be showing sings of sickness (the male platy's behavior has never changed.) I was wondering if anyone had bred platy's and knew what the signs are?

 

[Keeper Of Cichlids]

She's most likely pregnant, the dark patch could possibly be a gravid spot?

 

[smudge_]

She's most likely pregnant, the dark patch could possibly be a gravid spot?

It could be, im not entirely certain I never really got a good look at her as the last few days she has been hiding underneath the pirate ship most of the day , she only follows the other platy about occasionaly whereas normally they are constantly beside each other. Is this common if they are pregnant? Also the dark patch doesn't cover a very large area?

 

[Keeper Of Cichlids]

It's very common, since their live bearers and most live bearers are commonly known for dropping fry nearly all of the time, can be quite overwhelming at times.

 

[Fishy friend2]

Does she look "bloated"

 

[Akasha72]

if there's a dark patch to the back of her belly and her belly is swollen she's more than likely pregnant. If you can get a look at her from the side you'll be able to see if her belly is squaring off. If she looks quite square the chances are she's very close to dropping.

Be aware that in a community tank a lot of the fry will be eaten pretty quickly - often by the mum herself. If you're heavily planted with lots of hiding places the odd one could survive.

She will isolate herself when she's ready to have her babies but in doing that she may also become the main focus for the other fish. I've watched my platy take herself off and the guppies swarm around her waiting for babies to feed on. It's not nice, I know, but I wanted to make you aware.

Good luck

Akasha

 

[smudge_]

Hey

Well its been a few more days and the platy has actually become a bit more active than when the post was made, but she has continued to get fatter and her "belly" is now a yellowy colour despite the fact she is a red fish.

It seems she may well be pregnant and I hope she is I like the idea of baby fish (I have an odd idea about using a Chinese take away box with lots of holes in it to keep the babies in if she is pregnant)

 

[the_lock_man]

Unless there's something wrong with her "internals", if she shares water with a male, she's pregnant. Don't bother looking for gravid spots, squaring off, etc., she is pregnant.

The behaviour of hiding away, with seemingly nothing wrong with her is classic birthing behaviour.

 

[The Taffy Apple]

Swollen feet? A strange craving for exotic/weird foods? Morning sickness? Bad back? Constantly telling you that you're scum and it was YOU that put her in this position in the first place? then yes, Pregnant.























Terry.

 

[N0body Of The Goat]

It's very common, since their live bearers and most live bearers are commonly known for dropping fry nearly all of the time, can be quite overwhelming at times.

One of the reasons I chosen Ilyodon xantusi, my six females have dropped their first nine youngsters over the last month or so, with a gestation period of just under two months to produce whopping 2.5cm babies

 

[OldMan47]

Goat, that is typical of the goodeids. I have several goodeid species and all have enormous fry compared to poeciliids. Taffy Apple, your analysis is a classic. Swollen feet and all.
On the serious side, we do have a thread that I provided to let people judge their own livebearers. You can reach it from a link in my signature area to My Molly's Progress. It has pictures every few days from one fry drop to the next along with commentary to help you judge your own female. The idea is to let everyone be the best livebearer drop judge that they can be. You can see your own fish far better than we ever will and know things like when you last fed the fish. This is important to know when judging a fish's progress.

 

[This Old Spouse]

Swollen feet? A strange craving for exotic/weird foods? Morning sickness? Bad back? Constantly telling you that you're scum and it was YOU that put her in this position in the first place? then yes, Pregnant.























Terry.