New platys pregnant??

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david.molloy2009

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I have just started keeping fish and think I have been doing ok
I have a 40ltr biorb {see pic}(not the best I know but it was for the kids to start with and will hopefully be upgrading to a bigger tank soon)
Current stock is 4 danios 5 platys 6 shrimp and a zebra snail.
I did start with the danios, then added 4 platys 2 weeks later, unfortunately 2 platys died (figured it was due to high anomia levels as didn't cycle tank properly). My levels are now holding well at 0ppm.
I added 3 female platys the other day to bring my stock to the current levels.

My main question is.... 2 of the platys I have just added have gravid spots, did I buy them pregnant or can platys have these spots as markings without being pregnant?. I wanna be prepared incase I get a bunch of fry
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Well, if they've got gravid spots then I'm assuming that they're pregnant. @Colin_T told me this yesterday, so this may be the case.
All common livebearers (mollies, platies, guppies and swordtails) carry up to 6 sperm packets and use them to fertilise eggs when conditions are good. So if you ever want to breed them, just buy some females that have been kept with males and you will get up to 6 batches of young and not have to worry about males harassing the females.
If you wind up with fry, keep us updated! I love seeing baby fish.
 
Female platys can store sperm for months, so they were probably pregnant when you bought them.
Prepare for many, many fry....that little tank may be overwhelmed sooner, rather than later.
 
Both! They can have a gravid spot without actually being gravid, especially some varieties that are more transparent than others. But many female livebearers you pick up at the store have already been exposed to a male. Either because the breeder didn't separate the sexes in that batch of fry early enough (and they can start breeding/store sperm packets much younger than many people expect) or in the store. It's super common for a male platy/guppy whatever to jump from the male tank to the female tank, and have a fantastic night knocking up every girl in there...!

So anytime you buy a female livebearer, expect that she'll probably be producing fry. As @Slaphppy7 says, your current tank will be overstocked very soon, especially since fry need feeding often and lots of fresh water to grow well, so would be wise to be searching for that tank upgrade now! Hang on to Biorb, you can use it as a quarantine or nursery tank, or just have it handy in case of emergency. :)
 

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