How long do I have?

[ellamarie]

This is going to be my first batch of platie babies. Based on these photos can anyone tell how long I might have before they are born? Lmk if another angle would be helpful.

I’ve decided to do a grow out tank and move them when they are close to birth, however I do not want to move them to early/to late.

 

[BullTerrierChild]

I don't know too much on the matter, but I believe you will see a gravid spot near the stomach area...

Good luck!!

 

[Back in the fold]

Within a month . And that is a nice looking wagtail Platy too , I might add .

 

[gwand]

I’m betting you will have fry within a week. But check for the gravid spot.

 

[Abaddon]

Once her stomach starts to get a more square, boxed-off shape, that'll be a sign she's close to giving birth. She's not quite there yet.

 

[Colin_T]

Within a month . And that is a nice looking wagtail Platy too, I might add.

LOL, yes, within a month because that is the normal gestation period for a platy

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For the OP, assuming the fish is gravid (pregnant) and not full of worms, then you might see young in the next 2 weeks.

 

[GaryE]

When the gravid spot lightens, you can sometimes see the eggs, or the eyes in the eggs through the reddish skin. That's when the fry are coming very soon.

 

[gwand]

Well we have 3 time dependent prognostications: one month, two weeks and one week. Can we place wagers on this forum?

 

[Naughts]

’ve decided to do a grow out tank and move them when they are close to birth, however I do not want to move them to early/to late.

Moving a gravid fish can cause the fry to abort and/ or internal damage to the female. Wait til the fry are born, then move the fry.

 

[emeraldking]

The light doesn't make it very clear. A gravid spot itself doesn't say anything about a pregnancy to begin with. It's just a piece of skin that lacks a high concentration of chromatophores (color cells) on that spot. Once a pregnancy develops more, the skin will stretch. And the more it strecthes, the more the skin overthere will become thinner. This way, the eggs or developing embryos will be seen more clear through the skin.

A huge belly doesn't always have to mean a pregnancy. Colin already made a remark about it.

The "average" gestation period of a platy is between 3-5 weeks. Only if such a female doesn't feel comfortable enough to drop her fry, she can hold on to it for longer. The size of the belly doesn't always predict the day of delivery. For the belly of each individual pregnant female which is almost due differs in size.

And not all pregnant females will have a squared off belly when due time. Squaring off means only that she's used her maximum pregnancy time. And that differs per individual female, depending on how far her skin is able to stretch. The flexibility of the skin differs per individual female.

 

[GaryE]

So back to how long you've got? Livebearers are hard to pin down for that. My first livebearer fry arrived 59 years ago, and I still have livebearers I can't always time right. So I'd say you've got a lot of time to come with the hobby!

 

[AtomicFish]

The baby is coming… no one really knows when for sure it just happens when ready.

 

[gimme30]

She's probably already squirted a few dozen out. And ate 'em.
You'll be overrun soon. Those things are like duckweed.

 

[emeraldking]

She's probably already squirted a few dozen out. And ate 'em.
You'll be overrun soon. Those things are like duckweed.

It's happened quite often that I didn't notice those platy fry but in a sudden they appeared and they'd grown. Not always are fry to be seen that well in a tank.