Super Pregnant Platy. When Will She Drop?

[nicopatch]

Hey guys,

I'm not exactly new to livebearers (I've had guppies and know pretty accurately when to put them in the breeding trap).
However this is my first time with a pregnant platy.
Do they act exactly the same when they are about to give birth?

Should i move her into the trap or should I wait a few more days? I don't wanna keep her in there more than necessary and stress her out.

I attached a pic of her.

Thanks for your help

 

[KrystaK]

She doesn't look to be squared off yet, but she is indeed huge. (Pretty sure I can actually see the eyes of the fry) but I'd give it a few days still. The picture isn't straight on so its hard to tell.

She'll pop within the week I expect

 

[This Old Spouse]

I wouldn't use a breeding trap at all. It really stresses out the mother sometimes to the point of death. There was a discussion earlier in the week about this.

Unless you're going to go all industrial and start breeding for the masses, it's easiest to let the fry drop when they will, then gather them up with a net or turkey baster and put them in a fry tank.

 

[KrystaK]

agreed. thats what I did when my molly popped. and I'm just waiting for my guppy to be finoshed and then I'll do the same with hers

 

[OldMan47]

Welcome to our forum Nicopatch.
Your platy has been eating well but is at least a week from a drop. To answer your question, the platy will act much like a guppy as she gets close to a drop. As has been suggested, a breeding trap, at least the ones I have seen, are a bit on the small side for a platy. I favor using a separate drop tank for a fish that I want to get maximum production from. In most cases I simply use heavy cover from things like java moss or najas grass to give the fry a reasonable chance at survival. The fry can swim freely through those kinds of cover while adults have a hard time moving through them at all.