Sorry to be unoriginal but....

[beetlesteve]

I've only had her about 3 weeks, it used to be very hard to tell the difference between her and the male (before I read up on the genothingymajigy that livebearers have! ) but now she's got quite big! Is that what they call a gravid patch?

If she is how long do you think it will be till there are little ones? Also she's been hiding up by the filter, should I cover it with a stocking or something to prevent any babies getting sucked up?

Cheers,

Steve

it would let me post the picture it's here http/groups.msn.com/_Secure/0QgAAAEgUzaw...410494483395817

 

[William]

Yes steve she's pregnant alright From a side on view its hard to tell how long it will be an estimate would be any day to up to 1 1/2 weeks away! Its not very accurate!! but if you can get some more pictures I can probably time it a bit better especially ones from the back and front. I presume you want some baby to survive so the stocking/tights over a filter is a good idea, I found that by doing this from a batch you'll probably find it saves about 15-20%

 

[Mollymomma]

Definatly do the stocking trick I learned the hard way on that
I lost about 6 fry to the tanks intake tube..Was horrible

 

[beetlesteve]

Thanks Guys! I'll try and get some more pics of her from the front then, I've put her into the breeding net now just in case!

 

[beetlesteve]

Wooo! 12 (I think) little tiddlers in the net this morning!

 

[pondfreak4365]

Congratulations Beetlesteve on the babies. Nothing makes my smile bigger than finding babies in the platy tank!

 

[Mollymomma]

aww good luck with the little buggers

 

[Bradley]

Ah, the joy a simple mother fish can bring!


Great job! and congratulations!

 

[Lucy]

I bought 2 red wagtail platys at the beginning of january (a male and female). 2 weeks later she'd had 7 fry. Approximately 3 1/2 weeks after that, she had 3 more fry, now she's pregnant again and due to deliver any day soon judging by the size of her. I thought she was a complete tart until I read that female platys have evolved to be able to store enough sperm from one mating, to enable them to have monthly pregnancies for up to 9 months.

I bought a nursery tank for the first brood, and 3 have survived and are thriving. Once I'd read what she was capable of, I didn't bother to keep any more in the nursery tank - i'll be swamped with fry before i know it!!!! I think all of the last brood got eaten by other males in the tank. Brutal I know.

Lucy

 

[Bradley]

Fish fry disease.....

First Batch- you love and cherish
Second- you like
Third- you have a little too many
Fourth- a lot of free fish food

(you want more and more till you have too much)

 

[Mollymomma]

Ain't that the truth! I have got the small batch ,as you already know but I want more..Hubby is already to feed the next batch to the betta's! He touchca my fish I breacka his finger's ! He can just leave my babies to me and go back to the TV

 

[Bradley]

Let him watch animal planet if he wants to see something get eaten!

Ya, i wanted to yell when i gave my grandma and cousins some guppy and molly fry and they flushed them down the toilet(LIVE) because they diddnt want to feed them, it was too much work!!