Is my Platy pregnant? NEWBIE

[SallyG90]

So I’m a very new newbie! Had my 64L tank for a few weeks - I started with 2 platy and some cloud mountain minnows. I got 2 more platy at the weekend and one is really quite podgy. I chose 2 females so now my platy tank ratio is 3 females to 1 male. But she arrived like this- so she’s really ‘girthy’ compared to the other females, has a black area and my male platy will not leave her alone. I don’t intend to breed them so just advice on what to do if she is! Will this happen often, can I leave the fry in the tank, is it cruel to let other fish eat them, can I keep any surviving babies in with their parents...thanks!

 

[SallyG90]

So I’m a very new newbie! Had my 64L tank for a few weeks - I started with 2 platy and some cloud mountain minnows. I got 2 more platy at the weekend and one is really quite podgy. I chose 2 females so now my platy tank ratio is 3 females to 1 male. But she arrived like this- so she’s really ‘girthy’ compared to the other females, has a black area and my male platy will not leave her alone. I don’t intend to breed them so just advice on what to do if she is! Will this happen often, can I leave the fry in the tank, is it cruel to let other fish eat them, can I keep any surviving babies in with their parents...thanks!

Replying to my own post! I’ve seen LOTS of threads on here very similar so apologies for repeating it! Seems they breed easily and frequently which answers my question. Still feel a bit mean that the fry will most likely be eaten

 

[Essjay]

Female platies kept with a male will have fry roughly once a month. Even without a male in the tank, if they ever been with a male, they will be storing sperm and can use it to have babies for months afterwards.

If you can find a shop which will take the fry, that's one option - but they usually don't take them until they are big enough to sell, and only give you store credit. But as you've discovered, the usual advice is to leave the female in the tank to give birth and let the other fish eat the fry. If there's a good amount of decor in which the fry can hide (plants, real or fake) some will survive.

 

[emeraldking]

Well, even if she is pregnant, she'll have to wait for a while anyways before she will deliver babies. For she's not due yet looking at her bodyshape.