Platy Giving Birth?

[Manniac]

I posted about her a few days ago because I was worried that she was spending so much time hiding... Anyway I put some more plants and rocks in to hopefully make her feel more secure, and today when I checked on her she was still on the bottom but seemed more alert. I looked her over, and there's something coming out of her that I am pretty sure isn't poo. It looks pretty clear and roundish, like a little ball (egg? fry?) coming out of her. I didn't think she was pregnant, but I'm not very experienced breeding fish so I could have been wrong. Is this her giving birth? Or do I have a more serious condition to deal with?

 

[khial]

If it is fry it would/should be pretty obvious. They should be swimming around and if they are left in the main tank you should see them shooting off to try and hide. Without pictures or a video I wouldn't know exactly. If you are unable to get a picture/video then your best bet is to go on youtube and just search for platy giving birth, there's tons of videos online

 

[Manniac]

Welp, I found a fry just now, but one of the other fish got to it before I could... Do you recommend moving her into a breeder trap now that she's obviously in labor or would it be a better idea to just catch the fry as I find them? Also, will newborns be okay with 3-4 week old fry? My other platy had some awhile ago and I found two of them...

 

[khial]

If she's already started then personally I would leave her to it (that's just me though, alot of people do move them it just depends on how you feel). If you plan on keeping the fry then by all means try to catch them before the other fish can,  but you just don't know how many she will produce, she could be finished or she could carry on for another hour.
 
As for the newborns....The general rule is...if the fish is small enough to be eaten...then it will be eaten.
 
In future, if you plan to keep breeding them, then you are best to put her into a breeder trap before she gives birth, usually once her belly is "squared off"

 

[Manniac]

Haha I would have put her in the trap if I knew... Thinking back I guess she was showing signs, but the shyness and such lasted a lot longer than I thought it would so I thought she was sick or something... I know what to look for with her now though!

 

[khial]

yea the hovering around one spot and hiding is the first sign i noticed but the squared off belly is the major one