How Long Till My Platty Give Birth

[phinicfish]

I have a platty that is pregnant,but dont know when she is due.She has a square lower shape body and there is a white tube coming out at the back,where she does her business.I will try and upload the pictures later as they are big.Any advice is appreciated.
 
 
 

 

[fluttermoth]

Once they've squared off they usually give birth within the next 24/48 hours, although they can hold their fry for a short time if they're stressed (by being in a breeding box/net, for example.

 

[phinicfish]

The other thing I forgot to mention is I have a male blue wagtail that is protective over her and chases other fish, especially the males away from her.Is this normal for platties to do so? I also have a calico wagtail (I think its the right name) femail and she looks pregnant aswell ! Do you think I should her in the hatchery trap or should I just leave her alone for now?

 

[fluttermoth]

I do like your hypothosis that the male is protecting her, but that's unfortunately not the case, as such.
 
He'll be aware that she's near to giving birth and he's waiting to both eat the fry and impregnate her before another male can get to her 

 
We don't normally recommend the use of breeder/fry traps. They're too small for the mother to feel comfortable and for the fry to grow properly.
 
If you want to raise some fry, either add a lots and lots (and lots) of live plants to the tank, so the fry have plenty of hiding spaces or set up another tank for the mother to give birth in (it will need to be properly cycled, with a filter and also lots of live plants) and you can move her back to the main tank and leave the fry in there to grow on.

 

[phinicfish]

That is very interesting to hear that.Thanks for the heads up.It show how new I am to the hobby

 .Thanks again.I will have to buy loads of plants. My tank is not that big its 60x30x30 cm or so,what sort of plants would you recommend buying please?

 

[fluttermoth]

Fine leaved stems one are usually the best; look out for cabomba or elodea.

 

[phinicfish]

Thanks for the advice,I'll get some tommorow 

 

[phinicfish]

So I went and got some cabomba and elodea plants so that the fry can hide when she has them,but my platty has yet to give birth to any fry! I put her in a breeder trap to see if she would have them in there.I think that was just a waste of time because she got stressed after a while,so I let her out.I guess I have to just wait. Just one question.Because I put het in the breeder trap,would that have caused her to abort due to stress or is she still going through the gestation period?

 

[the_lock_man]

Difficult to say, it may have caused her to hold on longer, as Fluttermoth said.
 
Just remember that platies, as with all poecilid livebearers, have gazilions of fry, on the basis that most will get eaten, and some strong ones will survive. It is not unheard of for the mother to give birth, turn right around, and eat the newly-born fry. By trying to save significant numbers, you run the risk of overloading your tanks. Platies are not the easiest of fish to find homes for, because they are so readily available.