Are My Platy Pregnant?

[Bumbliana]

Hello all, I am firstly going to apologise for asking a question that has probably been asked 100 times before. So, I am sorry.

However, I am really excited that my platies could be pregnant. I have easily learned the difference between male and female, so I don't even need that question answering.... I am also no David Bailey, so I again apologise if my photograph's offend anyone too *blush*.

Please see attached, I have tried to add them to a picture media holding site.

The first pictures are of my female black and orange Platy...

http/img253.imageshack.us/i/cimg1276.jpg/
http/img407.imageshack.us/i/cimg1255.jpg/
http/img519.imageshack.us/i/cimg1273q.jpg/
http/img519.imageshack.us/i/cimg1269.jpg/
http/img141.imageshack.us/i/cimg1256k.jpg/

Is she pregnant? If so, how long would you think before she is due to drop fry?

The second pictures are of one or other of my orange mickey mouse tailed Platies...(please ignore the gold/yellow one on one of the photographs, he is one of my two males)

http/img256.imageshack.us/i/cimg1266.jpg/
http/img21.imageshack.us/i/cimg1268x.jpg/
http/img682.imageshack.us/i/cimg1264.jpg/

Any help would be appreciated, but, I am just too excited for words and would hope I don't mess this up (If they are pregnant). I have read all about "how" to look after them, but, fear that I have just gotten myself too excited that I will spoil it by doing everything needed "too early".

 

[OldMan47]

You can have the pictures show on your thread by copying the image version of the URL from your photo storage location and pasting it in here as text. Let me try a few examples to show you the results.

and your second picture group

I find this kind of thing much easier to do from my own photo-bucket account than by chasing back to your image-shack account and copying raw links but it still works.

 

[LauraFrog]

They look, but not very pregnant... they both have about 2-3 weeks to go. The orange mickey mouse looks closer than the tuxedo going on shape. In another week we'll be able to guess a lot more accurately when they might drop.
Oh, and you know how there's two tuxedos? In the photo where you can only see the front half of one of them, she looks a bit closer than the others, but I can't really tell without a side on photo.

 

[Bumbliana]

Thank you so much for both lots of advise, it is much appreciated. I will keep an eye on them, probably too closely *laugh*

 

[Bumbliana]

and today....I am the proud Mummy to atleast 50 Platy Fry!! Weeeee. I only put her in the breeding net last night, because she was acting a little "weird".

I will post photo's as soon as the excitement stops and I stop shaking.

Thank you for the help on this site.....now to keeping them alive.

I was due for a small water change today, is it still ok to do this?

 

[Bumbliana]

http/img685.imageshack.us/i/cimg1390.jpg/

http/img252.imageshack.us/i/cimg1389.jpg/

 

[Harlequins]

Aww congrats,its great having fry

You can feed them on liquidfry 2 for a few days then give them finely crushed flakes or you can buy powder form for fry.feed them 3/4 times a day,small amounts
You don't need to feed them for the first 24 hours has they will live off their egg sac,and any food won't be eaten.

No harm in doing a water change has long has temp matched they should be fine

Good luck

 

[Bumbliana]

Thank you so much Harl.... I have fed them already *laugh* that will stop now. It is great, I am loving having the two aquariums and it's nice to think I am doing something right, that they are breeding....

I will do the partial water change now. Thank you so much for the advice. I have liquifry, bought that as soon as I knew she was pregnant....only three more pregnant females to go in this tank, then the pregnant Guppy's to keep an eye on *groan*.

My problem is, I am not one for killing them, so I hope the local pet shop will be happy with an intake..... If not, I can see me purchasing more aquairiums as Christmas Presents for friends *laugh*

 

[Harlequins]

I havent the heart to see them eaten etc either my fry tank is very overloaded with platy/guppy fry

I keep saying the next drop will stay in the main tank,but i always save them
have a look in my profile,you will see have often they've been dropping!

 

[OldMan47]

Congrats on a nice fry drop Bumbliana.
I gave up long ago trying to save all fry from my livebearers. I do go out of my way to save certain ones, but I would have far more than my present 23 tanks if I saved them all. As it is, I always have a surplus to sell when my local fish club has an auction. Rather than just breed common livebearers out of control, which can certainly happen, I focus on rarer and even quite hard to find livebearers. There is always a ready market for them in the clubs and among other livebearer specialists and it keeps me from becoming complacent with my fish breeding.

 

[Joe97]

Congrats!