Swordtails & Stress

[oh1costas]

Hey everybody.

Well I just bought a few new high-fin swordtails (2 females and a male) and both of the females appear to be pregnant. I've been told many times that stress, mainly caused by other more aggressive fish, cause pregnant fish to abort their pregnancies.

I guess my question has two parts: (1) would sudden movements around the tank or tapping on the glass constitute stressful situations capable of causing an aborted pregnancy, and (2) is there any way to tell if a pregnancy has in fact been aborted?

I appreciate any input. Thanks.

[gm72]

I can only answer this generally because of my lack of specific knowledge. Fish in general can get used to rapid movements in front of the tank, but tapping on the glass is not good. Remember that water propagates waves of sound VERY well (this is the reason whales can hear each other over miles of open ocean). Tapping on the glass would not be dissimilar to my smacking you on the forehead. I'd say that's fairly stressful! The type of conditions you describe would be particularly stressful to new fish in a new aquarium.

[kimmers318]

I believe that when platy abort their pregnancy they will reabsorb the babies into their own bodies. Several times I have had pregnant platy who for one reason or another never dropped any fry, dead or alive. Now that the male is gone they never appear pregnant so I think we are done with platy babies.

[oh1costas]

Thanks for the feedback. In my own defense I myself do not sit at my fish tank tapping the glass. I meant it more as a general statement as my tank sits close to my kitchen and a fair amount of activity takes place in the area.

[gm72]

I was thinking that maybe you had kids who were tapping!