How Do I Know When They Will Give Birth?

[freerunner416]

Hiya,

I recently was given 7 platy's by misspenguin from on the forum here. They have been in my tank a week now and are all doing great. She gave me 3 fry, a mickey mouse male and 3 pregnant females. All the females are getting larger and larger by the day and im worried that i will miss putting them into the trap!! Is there away i can tell when they roughly should go in?

I know i should have another tank set up for the fry but i dont have the space although i may end up with a small tank. I have two breeding traps that i will use to start off with and then may use a divider but my tank is already heavily planted and almost over stocked. I think i will have to let one female's fry run the gauntlet with my three angels!! Some of my fry will be going to my dad's tank and i will try to bring on some of them myself!!

Any help would be appreciated

Cheers


Craig

 

[dwarfgourami]

My personal opinion is that the female should not go in the trap. Ever. I have known females to get so stressed out by the trap that they pretty well collapse. Much better is to watch the female for signs of imminent birth, hiding in the plants, sinking to the bottom, stomach looks square- and be prepared to net the fry and put them in the trap. On their own. They won't want mummy in there with them, all peckish from her ordeal.

 

[Pheonix]

normally breeding is done also when the lights are out, (well thats always the case with mine anyway)
if you think they are about to "drop" knock off the light a few hours early that night stay up and watch the mummys and as dwarf said net the fry and get them into the traps alone

good luck!!

 

[cichlid-mad]

yeah im gonna start breeding platys and mollies again hopefully ... it allways seems to be hard catching the little buggers lol have fun