Pregnant Platy. Help Me!

[nikkifro8994]

[font="arial][size="2"][font="arial][size="2"]I went to the store today to "look" at fish and bought 5 platys for my livebearer tank. 2 twin bars, 1 sunset wag, 1 sunset mickey, and 1 red mickey. I have 4 male guppies and 1 male platy (white mickey) in there (his friend is sick). Stupid me forgot to check the gender of the platys before I left the store. I just picked the healthiest looking ones. I came home and discovered 2 females (red and sunset mickey). 1 looked skinny compared to the other. Then I looked closer and saw that the other has a gravid spot and is pregnant!!! I have all males in my livebearer tank so I put these 2 in my 1.5 gallon hospital tank. I should probably take them back to the store tomorrow morning (they close in 5 minutes and it's a 15 minute drive). But I feel bad giving back a pregnant female when they wouldn't care for the fry. So I want to try to raise the fry. But that's insane!!! I don't have the tank capacity or the TIME to raise fry. But they won't survive at the store. They will be eaten by the other platys. I have a 1.5 gallon hospital tank and a 5 gallon Betta tank that I might be able to put the fry in. But What would I do with baby fish? I was about to buy a 5 gallon for dwarf frogs. I guess this could be a fry tank. Then where would I put the mom? She can't go in with my 8 MALE livebearers. I would need at least 15 more and then I would be WAY overstocked. Please help me! I have no clue what to do[/size][/font][/size][/font][font="arial][size="2"]![/font][/size]
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[font="arial][size="2"][font="arial][size="2"]fat platy[/size][/font][/size][/font]

gravid spot

 

[Crossfire]

[font="arial][size="2"][font="arial][size="2"]I went to the store today to "look" at fish and bought 5 platys for my livebearer tank. 2 twin bars, 1 sunset wag, 1 sunset mickey, and 1 red mickey. I have 4 male guppies and 1 male platy (white mickey) in there (his friend is sick). Stupid me forgot to check the gender of the platys before I left the store. I just picked the healthiest looking ones. I came home and discovered 2 females (red and sunset mickey). 1 looked skinny compared to the other. Then I looked closer and saw that the other has a gravid spot and is pregnant!!! I have all males in my livebearer tank so I put these 2 in my 1.5 gallon hospital tank. I should probably take them back to the store tomorrow morning (they close in 5 minutes and it's a 15 minute drive). But I feel bad giving back a pregnant female when they wouldn't care for the fry. So I want to try to raise the fry. But that's insane!!! I don't have the tank capacity or the TIME to raise fry. But they won't survive at the store. They will be eaten by the other platys. I have a 1.5 gallon hospital tank and a 5 gallon Betta tank that I might be able to put the fry in. But What would I do with baby fish? I was about to buy a 5 gallon for dwarf frogs. I guess this could be a fry tank. Then where would I put the mom? She can't go in with my 8 MALE livebearers. I would need at least 15 more and then I would be WAY overstocked. Please help me! I have no clue what to do[/size][/font][/size][/font][font="arial][size="2"]![/font][/size]
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[font="arial][size="2"][font="arial][size="2"]fat platy[/size][/font][/size][/font]

gravid spot

Just do what I did when my guppies had fry:
Leave them be, any survivors will be the toughest, so you can simply donate/sell them when they get old enough to your LFS or a friend.
Let nature work its course

 

[nikkifro8994]

I am taking the not pregnant female back tomorrow to trade for a male. But I want to try to raise the babies.

 

[XeroTolerance]

That sounds like a good plan.

 

[nikkifro8994]

I traded the other girl for a male platy. He it's in with the rest of my boys. I have a 5 gallon cycling for the mom. I seeded with part of the sponge from my livebearer tank. Ph is at 7. Ammonia is only 2ppm. Nitrite is 0 and nitrate is 10 ppm. Are these good readings?
I also bought a breeder net. When she gets closer to dropping I will get some plants. Right now I have a bare floor. Should I get some gravel? I can use some gravel from my gourami/tetra tank and have a double seed

 

[colleen0309]

2ppm!!! That is definately not good! that level is toxic. If it was me, I would do a big water change. As much as you can take out and the fish can still swim upright.

 

[nikkifro8994]

She isn't in the tank yet. Once it's cycled I will move her. For now she is in my hospital tank. Is 2 ppm ok for starting a cycle?

 

[colleen0309]

I am so glad I misunderstood!!! Unfortunately, I'm not sure about the ammonia for cycling. I've been in this hobby for 40+ years and I have only done 1 fishless cycle (I'm doing it now). I usually cycle a filter in my main tank and move it to my new tank after it's cycled. The only reason I'm doing a fishless cycle now is so I have the experience.

 

[nikkifro8994]

Would it be better to put the new filter on am old tank?