Platy Pregnancy Length, Would Appreciate Some Help

[KeramiRoberts]

We've had 3 community tanks of platys, now of all ages between 18 months and 3 days for the last few years. Not experts but not completely beginners. All tanks are similarly stocked with cory catfish, a few small shrimp, apple snails and a few nerites.
 
Have set up our 5th tank (4th was a rescue goldfish.... who is going to a friend's pond soon...) last October and in early December (after fishless cycling) I moved 3 female platy fish into this tank.  

Lemony seemed pregnant
Satsuma maybe pregnant
Opal only 2 months old

No further contact with a male platy..... And I waited excited for fry!    And am still waiting (now March)...... Lemony has seemed 'squared off', her opening seems stuck out, she is doing the 'sitting on the bottom and looking broody' behaviour and ha a belly with peach coloured 'eggs' (fry?)  but is still eating, pooing, swimming round and nibbling around and to my novice eyes, seems really healthy.
 
I would swear she has not given birth as when our other platys in other tanks drop their fry it's really obvious: changes behaviour, changes in feeding, we generally see the fry a few days later.  Shrimp were only put in last week so they haven't eaten them.

I have 5 books about platys and breeding and have searched online and I can't see any scientific evidence of anything but 'normal breeding'...but surely it must happen. I did see some stuff written online about popping out peach coloured eggs...and aboutunfertilzed eggs.....


I would love your opinions, especially those that go outside the norm as I am really interested in this fascinating species.  But also, I want to know if we should still expect babies and most of all....will Lemony be ok?



P.s.   ..yeah... i know the names are daft... but please allow me this indulgence  

 

[Far_King]

Some of my females seem to be pregnant for ever!  You may find that a water change will encourage them to give birth.

 

[BaylorPerez]

under the assumption its not bloating you can do a water change to promote birth, if not birth than bloating/overfeeding may be the cause of the big bellys

 

[KeramiRoberts]

Would you tell me the symptoms of moat (beside.... The bloat). She poos beautifully

What are the orange balls in her belly?

 

[BaylorPerez]

unfertilized eggs probally and moat?

 

[NickAu]

They give birth when they are good and ready, Inducing a fish to give birth may result in premature fry.

 

[KeramiRoberts]

No! Not inducing fish in any way... But it not been weeks.. Its been months!

 

[betta fish]

I guess if she had fertilised eggs within her you should be able to see the eyes of the fry through her skin, if they just look like eggs then they have not been fertilised is the only thing I can come up with, she certainly looks gravid looking at the pics! I'd imagine she'd be ok.

 

[Far_King]

They give birth when they are good and ready, Inducing a fish to give birth may result in premature fry.

 
I didn't mean my post to sound like inducing, I've always found that my platy's give birth after a water change for some reason