Is My Swordtail Pregnant
- Thread starter crazycatfish
- Start date
nmonks
A stroke of the brush does not guarantee art from
Can't possibly tell from the photo.
Here's how you know if your swordtail is pregnant. Answer the following question:
[a] Has she been in the same tank as a male swordtail in the last month or so?
If the answer is "yes", then she almost certainly is pregnant. If you haven't seen an any fry, the chances are they've been eaten. Putting floating plants in the tank will help. Check every morning, and remove the fry to your breeding tank.
Never, ever put a swordtail in a breeding trap. She'll probably jump out anyway, but even if she doesn't, she'll be extremely unhappy and could well miscarry her brood, defeating the object of the exercise anyway.
Swordtails (like most other common livebearers) produce fry about a month to six weeks after mating, depending on various factors such as water temperature. The size of the brood will vary as well. Wild swordtails are said to produce well over 100 fry. This doesn't seem to be common in home aquaria, possibly due to inbreeding reducing fertility, but also because the cannibalism of the adults tends to mean few fry get seen by the aquarist.
Cheers, Neale
Here's how you know if your swordtail is pregnant. Answer the following question:
[a] Has she been in the same tank as a male swordtail in the last month or so?
If the answer is "yes", then she almost certainly is pregnant. If you haven't seen an any fry, the chances are they've been eaten. Putting floating plants in the tank will help. Check every morning, and remove the fry to your breeding tank.
Never, ever put a swordtail in a breeding trap. She'll probably jump out anyway, but even if she doesn't, she'll be extremely unhappy and could well miscarry her brood, defeating the object of the exercise anyway.
Swordtails (like most other common livebearers) produce fry about a month to six weeks after mating, depending on various factors such as water temperature. The size of the brood will vary as well. Wild swordtails are said to produce well over 100 fry. This doesn't seem to be common in home aquaria, possibly due to inbreeding reducing fertility, but also because the cannibalism of the adults tends to mean few fry get seen by the aquarist.
Cheers, Neale
LauraFrog
Fish Gatherer
In my experience with livebearers, almost all female guppies show a gravid spot (dark spot on the flank where the fry's eyes can be seen developing) but platies, mollies and swordtails almost never do. None of mine have ever shown an eye spot except my white molly and I can see half of her internal organs she's that seethrough.
Judging by her shape and size she looks pregnant to me, but probably not in the later stages. She would probably have a week or two to go before she drops. If you want the fry to live, plant the tank heavily. Otherwise they will get eaten. Last time I pruned my plants, my livebearers cleaned up an entire platy drop in one night, I know cause I was watching. (I didn't want to rescue the fry, I already have too many by that female).
Judging by her shape and size she looks pregnant to me, but probably not in the later stages. She would probably have a week or two to go before she drops. If you want the fry to live, plant the tank heavily. Otherwise they will get eaten. Last time I pruned my plants, my livebearers cleaned up an entire platy drop in one night, I know cause I was watching. (I didn't want to rescue the fry, I already have too many by that female).
OP
OP
crazycatfish
Fish Fanatic
Thank you for the help. I'll keep you posted on any developments
logansmommy41306
Fish Fanatic
I keep swordtails and guppies. My swordtails have always shown a dark gravid spot while pregnant. If she is pregnant i dont think shes very far along.
LauraFrog
Fish Gatherer
She would probably be more likely to show a gravid spot than most platy/swordtail also because she has such a light body colour. Belly does look distended a bit though - two or three weeks?
OP
OP
crazycatfish
Fish Fanatic
If she is due in 2-3 weeks it will be a nice christmas present.
LauraFrog
Fish Gatherer
Good point... I'm hoping that if Striker is a female she might have some fry for me by then - but there is a bit of doubt, male behavior, female fins.
OP
OP
crazycatfish
Fish Fanatic
altselgreen
Fish Crazy
From those pics, she definitely looks pregnant. I'd say about 1 week to 1 and a half, but don't quote me on that. Good Luck!
OP
OP
crazycatfish
Fish Fanatic
I sure will.Thanks for all your interest
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