I need to check my platies ARE platies!

[William]

http/perso.libertysurf.fr/a_novak/poissons/platy.jpg

Is that what a pregnant female looks like? If so then none of mine are pregnant =(.

Also my male "platy" seems to have an extension to the bottom of his fin it is not as long as the swordtails I have seen but it is still there!! Argh!! Please help are they hybrids?

William

 

[William]

the tail on my male is like this:

http/www.h-nds.de/fische/xiphophorus_helleri.jpg

 

[Rose]

To set the record strait, your male is a Swordtail not a platy. As for the pictures of the females I have no clue as the link isn't working. All the females will look alot alike, weather they be Mollies, Swordtails or Platies. A pregnant liveberer (Platies, Mollies, Swordtails) will have a black triangle spot on their stomach. On most breeds you can see this. If it's not there chances are they are NOT pregnant. They will also get deeper bodied in the stomach area when pregnant. Rose 8)

 

[William]

nooooooooooooooooo!

I guess that means no fry for me :but: :what: bother!

William

Ah well when I get my guppies then we will have some fry hehe

The odd thing was the shop sold them to me as platies. All the picture above showed was an EXTREMELY fat (pregnant) platty. Thanks for your help

 

[Davy Reynolds]

Looks like you'll just need to get some more :grin:

 

[William]

Hehe my plan exactly

But if I get more then I will have to get less of the other fish I had planned to get :what:

William

 

[Rose]

William, chances are if your male was sold as a platy that the females are swords as well. Don't give up yet. Platies and Swordtails can interbreed. They are very closely related. Rose 8)

 

[William]

They were sold as:

"assorted platies"

So I guess they are probably all hybrids and .'. infertile. But lets hope you are right rose! I am sure that the red wagtail ones are platies, i have never seen swordtails like that...

William

 

[Rivulus]

There are a lot of different species of platies and swordtails. The three most common are Xiphophorus helleri (swordtail), X. maculatus (common platy), and X variatus (variatus platy). The news is a mixture of good and bad.

Bad: Unless you are getting your fish from a breeder with extreme care and good connections, your fish are hybrids.

Good: All of the Xiphophorus species are interfertile and show absolutely no discrimination in choosing mates. All of the fancy varieties were developed by breeding different species together and then line breeding for specific colors and patterns. So whatever you have, they should breed and be fertile.

 

[William]

Wow I heard that the hybrids were infertile!! This is excellent news thanks! I love my fish just the way they are but would love some fry!

William