pregnant sword?

[calla]

whatcha think?

[tropfish]

i don't hae much experience in breeding livebearers, but it looks to be pregnant from what i've seen.

[salman]

It doesnt really show. But, if she is, her belly will keep getting bigger and show will look like she swallowed a molly.

[calla]

I've been trying to get a better picture but she is really fast, or hiding. Anyone know how long it will take, if she is pregnant, before she'll drop the fry? Or what I should do with her until then? She seems ok in the tank, but the male is starting to chase her around a little, and the other female.... he's acting more aggressive in general. I have a divider, but should I wait longer to use it?

[salman]

It is not neccesary to seperate.. But it might take up to 3 more weeks until she gives birth, once her belly is really big, you can move her into another small tank so she can give birth, once shes done, move her back in.

[nanaglen2001]

If pregnant then in an early state. That dark spot always shows.

You will know she is pregnant when she become sfatter and fatter and fatter till the moment you think she will explode. Then its still a few days to go:ezpi_wink1:

[gm72]

A couple of things here.

It looks like her gravid spot is dark. It will continue to grow darker still as the fry develop inside her. You are actually seeing the fry's eyes inside her body. Pretty cool.

Remember that swords can store sperm and may give birth to several batches of fry given only one mating "session". :41:

I would not wait to use the divider. The mommy-to-be doesn't need the added stress. As far as how long it will take? No idea. Could be weeks, but doesn't look like less than a week or two given the picture. She will get much bigger and the gravid spot will darken.

I have bred swordtails before and will be happy to help you as she comes along.

[calla]

well I'm wondering if she is even pregnant still.. so far she looks about the same, and I'm not sure if she is just growing or indeed pregnant. I'm pretty sure that they are fairly young, the male has just a tiny tale (that grows everyday it seems like!).. so she may just be getting bigger. Her belly does look squarish, and dark though.

if she continues to grow I'm sure I'll have a lot more questions. Thanks for your help :)

[calla]

I think she's definitely pregnant after looking at her really close today.... behind the gravid spot you can see all these clear round things that look like eggs...

I'm not sure if this is how livebearers work.... should I be seeing eggs or no?

my cameras battery just died but as soon as it charges we are going to try for a better picture.

[gm72]

Livebearers are just that. They bear their young live. Hence the name. No eggs.

[ChurchofAdam]

you can see individual circles in the gravid spot which are probably the fry's eyes. they are eggs at some point, but they hatch before leaving the mother's body (well, are supposed to. sometimes things go wrong)

[calla]

I know they have live young, but figured they had to start from something.. like eggs. Which is reallllly what they look like in her belly... she's not getting much fatter though.


The male is chasing both of the females around the past couple of days... I was wondering if I should use the divider and put the possibly pregnant one alone for now just in case. They aren't acting stressed really...

[calla]

here are some more recent pics of the pregnant (I'm pretty sure now) momma.

see the new coconut tunnel and cave? (thanks guys!)

[*Sarah*]

Oh yeah she's pregnant. I've had both Platy and Molly fry. If you want to keep fry, what I do is put the mom in a birth container..it has a removable floor that's slits so the fry when birthed fall thru so the mom can't automatically turn around and eat them. a couple of times I've had a couple of (not so bright) babies swim back up through the cracks and the mom was quick to gobble them up...but anyway, it's safer than just leaving her in the tank, because alllll the other fish will have a buffet.

[calla]

I can't decide what to do actually.... it's starting to look like the other female may also be pregnant, and at the rate I've read about these fish reproducing, I don't think I can keep up! I need to find out the details, quickly, of giving or selling the fry to my lfs, and if they will even take them. If not, I can't house all their babies for long, and have only a couple of people to give them to.

I was thinking about using a tank divider for her while she has the fry, then removing it and letting them fend for themselves. There are a lot of plants, a couple that float, and a the coconut cave is waay to small for the sharks. If a couple survive I can deal with that, but I won't know what to do with 60!

[*Sarah*]

a bunch can grow in the breeder basket until they're old enough to go the the lfs. Just call around I'm sure someone will take them.

That being said...they are really good (free) food for your existing fish...

[calla]

Live food is pretty hard to find around here... I figure my sharks would LOVE it, and having never had any before it would be quite the treat.

Still though, I feel bad about that idea. I'm going to call the whole 2 stores in my area that sell fish (woot woot)... see if they will take them.

[calla]

well, I put in the tank divider a few days ago, giving the momma a space of her own free from the harassment of the male. He has spent most of his time since very near to the divider, swimming back and forth as if frustrated he isn't with her. I came home from work yesterday and found him on her side of the divider! He must have jumped it.... or squeeeeeezed between this very tiny little space between it and the tank. I fished him out and put him back in the rest of the tank. He seemed broken hearted :( and stayed in a corner for almost a 1/2 hour. Just a few minutes ago, I looked in the tank, and he was in there with her again!

So, for now, I took the divider out. I'm going to look for the breeder things that hang on the side, or a better divider, today. I'm thinking she is due any day now, since my original post was about two weeks ago. And I think I'm going to let the fry in the tank with everyone else, maybe a couple will make it. If not, the sharks will be full!

[squirt_12]

Well i have some swordtails and they take about 6 weeks from the time they become fertilized until they will have the babies!!! Just thought that you would like to know!!

[calla]

Thanks! well I'd say it's been almost four weeks...... I posted this originally on the 5th, noticed it a litte before then. I was wondering if she was ever gonna have these things!! She's really big!