Pregnant Platy.. Very Pregnant!

[notyourstar7]

Okay so, I know you guys get a lot of these "Help my fish is pregnant!!" but I'm completely clueless when it comes to fish. I just moved out of N.C. to M.N. and couldn't take along my beloved furry friends from back home so I decided to get some fish. Well, I purchased three platy's from Petsmart almost 2 months ago. I noticed that one of my platy's, herman (or so I thought "he" was herman!!) got really fat over the past 3 weeks. I just thought maybe herman was eating more bloodworms than the other two. Well, after reading through this forum and other sites online I think herman might be pregnant. Can you guys tell me what I can do to ensure a smooth delivery if herman is infact preggers; and when I can expect these little bundles of joy? Also I've been reading about breeding separating tank things. I saw a couple at petsmart. Should I invest in one if I want to save the babies?

Any other helpful hints would be awesome. Here are some (not very great!) pics of herman that I took tonight.

 

[hakisuma_chan]

Congratulations!! Your fish looks very close to delivering. Is the tank only occupied with the platies? I've read that platies tend to ignore their offspring (but there are always ones that are exceptional, of course) so you can just keep Herman in there. I've also heard that breeding traps are stressful for fish because of the small confinement, so personally, I don't invest in them. Breeding nets are flimsy (at least the ones where I am) and I wouldn't invest in those either. Personally, I would keep Herman in the tank and when she gives birth, remove the fry to another tank or container. Oh, and I would wait 24 hours after she gives birth to remove the fry because she might not be done, and if you're scooping up fish as she's releasing them, it might stress her out, unless, of course, the fish turn hungry eyes on the fry. Good luck!

Keep us updated!

 

[fishlette]

Congratulations!! Your fish looks very close to delivering. Is the tank only occupied with the platies? I've read that platies tend to ignore their offspring (but there are always ones that are exceptional, of course) so you can just keep Herman in there. I've also heard that breeding traps are stressful for fish because of the small confinement, so personally, I don't invest in them. Breeding nets are flimsy (at least the ones where I am) and I wouldn't invest in those either. Personally, I would keep Herman in the tank and when she gives birth, remove the fry to another tank or container. Oh, and I would wait 24 hours after she gives birth to remove the fry because she might not be done, and if you're scooping up fish as she's releasing them, it might stress her out, unless, of course, the fish turn hungry eyes on the fry. Good luck!

Keep us updated!

they should be alright in your tank just provide them some floating plants and other plants so they can hide in them if they have to

sorry hakisuma_chan didnt mean to reply directly to you pressed the wrong button oops

 

[notyourstar7]

Congratulations!! Your fish looks very close to delivering. Is the tank only occupied with the platies? I've read that platies tend to ignore their offspring (but there are always ones that are exceptional, of course) so you can just keep Herman in there. I've also heard that breeding traps are stressful for fish because of the small confinement, so personally, I don't invest in them. Breeding nets are flimsy (at least the ones where I am) and I wouldn't invest in those either. Personally, I would keep Herman in the tank and when she gives birth, remove the fry to another tank or container. Oh, and I would wait 24 hours after she gives birth to remove the fry because she might not be done, and if you're scooping up fish as she's releasing them, it might stress her out, unless, of course, the fish turn hungry eyes on the fry. Good luck!

Keep us updated!

I have one african dwarf frog in with her. Should I move him out? I have a separate fish tank.. She hasn't delivered yet! I'm getting anxious! I feel like I've been waiting for a while.

I just have a one more question. How do I get the fry out? I have a net to get the fish out of the tank when I need to do a half water change, will that be okay?

 

[theotheragentm]

African Dwarf Frogs will eat fry. If you really want to save the fry, getting a separate birthing tank is best. That way you don't have to watch the mother all the time. The fewer predators around, the more likely the fry will survive. If that's not an option, some of the fry are likely to hide themselves, so I wouldn't worry too much as you will probably get a couple.

 

[mommyof2bettas]

And for future reference the males have a gonopodium (modified anal fin).

 

[kribensis12]

What type of platy is that? I just got one and cant remeber the name. It is about 1 and a half inches long and it had 53 babies yesterday and only 3 dead ones( by that I mean 2 eggs and 1 with a bent spine). She has great fertility and go to my post called extremly pregnant platy, she was so huge.

 

[notyourstar7]

What type of platy is that? I just got one and cant remeber the name. It is about 1 and a half inches long and it had 53 babies yesterday and only 3 dead ones( by that I mean 2 eggs and 1 with a bent spine). She has great fertility and go to my post called extremly pregnant platy, she was so huge.

She is a sunset platy. Still no babies though!! I'm hoping they will come soon.

 

[kribensis12]

Post a pic when they do.

 

[theotheragentm]

Sunset Platy fry just look orange to begin with, but they will slowly show their colors after a couple months.

 

[helterskelter]

I have to say that is one fat fish!!!!!!!

Expect a lot of fry when she dose fineraly drop them.

Your frog would eat any babies silly enough to swim infrount it it, if it fit's in the mouth it will go as lunch, so large frogs can eat fish upto an inch long in size.

 

[leighann]

actually your fish is called a xiphorus maculatus.

 

[notyourstar7]

She still hasn't had them yet. Any ideas on when I can expect them??

Are there signs of labor? She's been swimming around and eating. But the male fish keeps sticking really close to her stomach. Any ideas on what that is about? She seems to be getting angry sometimes when he does that. I'm just afraid he is going to eat the babies as they pop out!

 

[theotheragentm]

She still hasn't had them yet. Any ideas on when I can expect them??

Are there signs of labor? She's been swimming around and eating. But the male fish keeps sticking really close to her stomach. Any ideas on what that is about? She seems to be getting angry sometimes when he does that. I'm just afraid he is going to eat the babies as they pop out!

The male is still trying to mate with her. That's what male livebearers do.

She may isolate herself away and get defensive, lying near the bottom of the tank. You can't force the birthing process. Just be patient.

 

[notyourstar7]

She still hasn't had them yet. Any ideas on when I can expect them??

Are there signs of labor? She's been swimming around and eating. But the male fish keeps sticking really close to her stomach. Any ideas on what that is about? She seems to be getting angry sometimes when he does that. I'm just afraid he is going to eat the babies as they pop out!

The male is still trying to mate with her. That's what male livebearers do.

She may isolate herself away and get defensive, lying near the bottom of the tank. You can't force the birthing process. Just be patient.

Wow, he isn't even going to give her a chance to get out the babies she has!

Thank you so much for the information! (and everyone else too!!!)