Lyretail Swordtail Fry! *2 Month Old Update, Pg 4*

[fishRfriends]

So, Ive had my breeding set up done for quite a while with the mom in the breeding tank, the sponge filter, the live plants, everything I had been told to do. And she just never gave birth! She has been squared off for about a week and her stomach looked so stretched that it would burst. And today, on my birthday no less, we have babies!! I can count about 8 so far. They are just so tiny and cute and Im so exited lol. My parents were singing Happy birthday to you, and I said and you and you and you and you...Its just so exiting that she "waited" until my birthday lol.

one question though, how do I know when she is done giving birth? She is with the babies because I wazs told not to use nets with swordtails so I want to know when she is done so I can take her out and she doesnt go eating the babies first.

Thanks!

 

[Fire_an_Ice]

Congratulations! From what I've read/been told, Swordtails can giv ebirth to as many as 80(!) fry per birthing...phew! Dense floating cover is reccomended to protect the fry from the adults...I'm using floating plants to keep my baby gupps safe from maurauding mums I'd think that when she's retuned to 'Normal' size (ish) you'll be pretty safe to return her to your community tank.

Let us know how they're getting on!

Cheers and Beers

F&I

 

[blitztidus]

I have been waiting too, Congrats, get pics up as soooooon as posible ok.

 

[bleechme]

are you ysing a male lyretail? If you are, LUCKY for you! Everytime I buy a male, it seems to not work with breeding.

 

[fishRfriends]

Ok, Pics. These guys are soooo fast so sorry about the bluriness of some. I tried my best!

This is their new tank, They have a sponge filter in one corner and a heater on the other. Its a 5.5 gallon setup and its soooo huge to the 30 babies.

This is my favorite pic of them near the heater.

This is just a pic of bunhes of them trying to swim away from my flash

I think this one came out ok.

This one is a little blurry but still cute.

This is the best pic I could get of mom. Ever since birthing she has just hovered in the back near the heater so its nearly impossible to get her, but I lured her out with some food long enough to get this.

and this...

Sorry about so many pictures. I have more too lol, and I couldnt decide.

The babies re doing unbelievable. The orignal set up we had was them in the 29gal with a divider separating them from mom, but guess what? They got through the holes! So we sat there and scooped every single baby and put htem into the small 2.5 I had for emergenies and they just looked so cramped so we went out and got them the 5.5 which they love. In the 2.5 they were very stationary and wouldnt eat but in the larger tank they dont stop! And they are always eating! They will have some guppy fry joining them very soon as my guppy is about to pop.



Re Bleechme--She was already pregnant when I got her from the LFS and she was in with only other lyretails, so I think its fairly safe to say she was pregnant by another lyretail, but only time will tell!

 

[Bloo]

The babies are ultra cute great piccies.

But the mom looks like she has finrot on the dorsal fin and tail

 

[blitztidus]

those babies r really adorable I love babies, that def. looks like fin rot, I would check into that so that it doesn't get to the babies.

 

[fishRfriends]

Yup, you guys are definetly right about the fin rot. I just peeked in on her and gthe base of her dorsal fin is all white and her fins are discolored. I bought those tank buddies things that you put in the water to kill the fin rot fungus so now her tank is all blue lol. Should I treat the baby tank as well?

 

[blitztidus]

NO, because the treatment can kill them, they are better off without it. Treat the mom ASAP though.

 

[fishRfriends]

Ok, the mom has got the "Fungus Clear: Tank Buddies" treatment and I added aquarium salt which I was told helps in fin rot. She is deteriorating so fast though! An hour ago, when I left to get the medicine, she was fine like in the picture. When I got home, her whole back is white, her fin is almost gone, her tail fin is black, and she is just sitting in the bottom of the tank. I cant believe how fast it attacked her, Ive been watching her like a hawk for the last week for signs of birthing and she was fine yesterday. This all must have started this morning after she finished giving birth.

Please pull through little girl! *fingers crossed*

 

[clareriley]

those babies are adorable. I hope the mum pulls through

 

[blitztidus]

Salt almost helps anything for most livebearers, but in small proportions. It helps with ich and many others

 

[fishRfriends]

Just though Id let you know mom didnt make it I keep wondering if I did something wrong. I mean, she was soo healthy and then after having her babies she just crashed. Is it common for moms to die after birth? I just wish I could have done more. I gave her all the medicines and homeremedies I could and she still just went downhill. At least I have her babies to remember her by

Thanks guys.

 

[wendywc]

Those babies are cute.

Sorry the mom didn't make it. But good going for her, to keep going until she had her babies.

 

[nobody]

I have only got 2 out of 10 livebearer moms to survive. It is mostly becuase I get very excited over the young and forget to adjust her to the new tank water, but yours seems to have been pretty well treated. I'm sorry she chrashed, but glad she left you a present.