2 Pregnant Platies-help

[Lexie3787]

Ok, I came home today to find that my bf got me 2 new fish. They are 2 female platies, and the thing is they are both extremely pregnant. He said he asked for them because they were "fat and cool". I dont think im ready for fry. Currently they are in my 10 gallon with 1 male platy, 1 dwarf gourami, 1 female betta, and 3 corys. I have 2 2.5 gallon tanks, but they need to be emptied, filled and cycled. Both platies look like they are about to explode. What should I do??? I can't clean out the 2.5 tanks tonight cuz its already 11 15 and I have to write a paper. If the mothers do give birth, can I leave the fry in the 10 gallon for now? Or will they get eaten? Ahhhh I dont know what to do....

 

[Lexie3787]

Anyone? pppplease?

 

[Sasha]

If the female platies give birth in the main tank, make sure there are a lot of hiding places for the fry. Some of the fry will get eaten, but most will survive if there are enough hiding places for them. You can always get a breeder net for the fry and keep them in there until you set up a fry tank or they're big enough.

Hope this helps!

 

[Lexie3787]

Thanks, im getting 2 2.5 gallon tanks ready, and I want to put sand in them too because I heard bad things about gravel + fry. Anyways one of the females I guess aborted, but the other should be any day now, anyways thanks again.

 

[Def]

Nothing wrong with fry and gravel. In fact, the fry will use the gravel to hide in - they bury themselves between the glass and the gravel, the other fish can't get near them.

 

[vidiots]

I have seen fry get trapped in coarser gravel (>5mm diameter), but haven't had any problems with finer gravel (<5mm diameter).

 

[Kittycat]

I think a bare bottom tank is recommended for breeding/fry tanks. These will be easier to clean (considering the amount of feeding). I use a 2.5 gallon tank as "birthing tank"/nursery for my livebearers, and toss in java moss at the bottom. I move the mommy out after she gives birth, raise the fry in there until they're big enough not to get eaten or start getting really crowded.

 

[Lexie3787]

Well both females aborted so I just put bettas in the 2.5 gallons

 

[Kittycat]

You sure they didn't just give birth and all babies got eaten? They might still have babies again next month...

 

[Lexie3787]

Well they were pregnant one second, and I looked about 10 minutes later and they weren't. I checked the whole tank and there was nothing.

 

[laboul]

Huh. But for the future, since those females can still get pregnant again - I guess they can store sperm? - it's OK to have fry in the big tank. I cover my filter intake with some pantyhose so the fry don't get sucked up and I don't use a breeding net. Some fry may get eaten, but to have that many fry isn't sustainable anyway, unless you can find a home for them. I have two mollie fry that are doing great, 2 weeks old and growing like gangbusters. I have plants they can hide in and they eat the same food as the adults but I grind it very finely. My fry are good foragers. I don't know anything about platy fry, though.