Very Pregnant Platys

[tetra_danio_girl]

So, I have a question for those of you who have had livebearers bear live fry...

I have four platys. Two male, two female. The females seem to be very very pregnant. They look almost like balloon mollies now. So, how do I know when they're going to pop? Seriously, one of them looks like she's about to explode!!

I got them about a week and a half ago, and I'm quite sure they were pregnant at the time. I haven't had livebearers since I was a kid, so I just don't know what's normal for them.

[Gayle]

They are prego around a month. (28 days but some say 20-40 days) If they were in with males then they are more than likely prego. Here are a few sites to help.

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[troy]

Probably in the next week or two.

[sid101]

One of the common ways to know when a platy is about to give birth is to look at her behavior, ussualy she hides herself or just separates from the male and stays either "sitting" in one corner of the substrate or very close to the surface, again in both cases trying to avoid everyone specially the male or males.

If she can't get away from the male i would recommend you to put her in a breeder while she gives birth and after that in another tank for about a week so she canhave time to recover before the male starts to chase her again.

[Gayle]

Look for the gravid spot if the fish are not too dark, but sometimes hard to see.

DO NOT MOVE THEM!!!!!!!!!! If you move them before it is time, they will become stressed and lose the pregnancy. It does not always happen, but i would not risk it.

When they do start to deliver move them, They release a hormone and the other fish can sense that she is having the babies, and that is why they follow her. They will eat them. The moms will too sometimes, so make sure the babies have lots of places to hide.

[tetra_danio_girl]

Okay, so the females like to hang out around the plants and behind the castle. Sometimes I find them near the rocks or under the bridge.

Here are a few photos. One of them you can see how she's pretty ballooned. :P

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[Gayle]

They look like they may be getting close! Do you have a fry tank set up?

[tetra_danio_girl]

They look like they may be getting close! Do you have a fry tank set up?

Sort of, but not really. -_- I still think it's a little early and hasn't cycled completely yet. So I don't want to take chances.

I'm thinking this time around I'm just going to put a bunch of plants in there and hope for the best. I have some grasses and a TON of moneywort, so I can make a virtual forest in one of the corners.

[tetra_danio_girl]

One of my females is still pretty boxy and heavy, but I think the other one dropped her fry last night.

And since there's no sign of the little ones in the plants or under the castle/bridge/other hiding places, I think it's safe to assume that my danios and tetras had a little midnight snack. :P

The danios are actually swarming around the base of one of the plants, so I wonder if they're looking for more food-on-the-swim.

At any rate, I think I'll get a net for the next time they're pregnant. Might pick one up today, just in case the other one hasn't popped yet. ^_^

[tetra_danio_girl]

Yup, overnight, she birthed. She was kind of tired this morning, and more than ready to get out. Although I think she was well-fed. There were some fry below in the little fry tank, and some up in the plants.

So, I guess I'll just keep an eye on them for now. I don't want to let them out into the main tank until they are a little stronger, right? I guess I can just keep them in the birthing cage until... when?

Well, anyway, thanks for your help, everyone. I think next time I'm going with a net. :P

[Mith]

Dayuuum! She's HUGE!

Ya gonna get us some pictures of the kids??

[tetra_danio_girl]

Dayuuum! She's HUGE!

Ya gonna get us some pictures of the kids??

I need to get batteries for my camera, and that's gotta wait until payday, unfortunately. :P

Oh, the life of a single mom. Never enough money for even the simple things.