How to tell if your platy is pregnant

**lahlumdi** · 10-23-2009, 01:12 AM

I have four female platys. They are all three rather rotund, but so far I've not seen them have babies. How can you tell if they are pregnant or just plain fat from overeating?

**sid101** · 10-23-2009, 01:22 AM

When pregnant platys as well as swords, mollys, guppys and the like start to have a black spot in the back of the belly wich is called gravid spot this spot will get bigger as the pregnancy advances and by the end of the pregnancy you may be able to see the tiny fry through the spot (most likelly just and eye when someone moves inside), this takes arround 3 weeks (can't remember the exact amount of time), by the end of the pregnancy she will try to get away form the other fish and won't move much from a corner or within plants to protect the soon to be new borns from other fish.

I'm sorry i can't be more specific.

**lahlumdi** · 10-23-2009, 01:26 AM

You know what? This is helpful. I have one who is currently guarded and doing just as you said. Twill be interesting to watch.

**sid101** · 10-23-2009, 01:28 AM

If that behavior is already happening I would expect the new fry to be born within the next 24 hrs!, enjoy!!!

**lahlumdi** · 10-23-2009, 04:52 PM

No babies this morning unless they were all eaten before I got there.

I honestly don't see the black spot on their underside. In fact, I see a while spot on all of them. I tried to take some pictures from the bottom looking up. Here are two of them. They seem a bit round, but none of them have changed much from that in the last few weeks.

Not sure what the deal is.

**Little Embers** · 10-23-2009, 11:26 PM

Yep! Looks like they could be to me..especially the one on the left!

The "gravid spot" is not always noticeable lahlumdi....You can always see it in guppy's' because their skin is more transparent and their colouring allows us to see it quite easily, but with the other livebearers, platys' and mollies in particular, because of their colouring and thicker skin, it is not as prominent and sometimes not noticeable at all. I have had platys' and never noticed a gravid spot on the pregnant females.

The gestation period is approx. 21-28 days normally, but it can take longer, she can also drop some fry and then wait a day or so before dropping more. They can look very fat for weeks and then over a day or so they may look like they are going to explode, but may also look like this for days on end (can become very frustrating with all the waiting lol).

The behaviour is the same for all livebearers and the following is an answer I gave in another thread on what behaviour to look out for:

You may notice that she swims awkwardly or slower due to the extra weight. She may hide a lot more, either in plants, behind the heater, in decor etc. or just sit on the bottom in a corner....when it is very close to her dropping the fry, she may also stop eating, possibly swim/pace up and down the side of the tank at times (as she may become very restless) and she may seem to be a little more aggressive towards the other fish at this time as she just wants to be left alone, her stomach will take on a square box shape due to the birth canal moving into the right position for dropping the fry, she will try to find a good/dark hiding spot where she can drop the fry in peace.....I have probably forgotten a few other things, but hope this helps!

...If she looks a bit thinner, then she probably did drop fry during the night and it is possible that all the fry were eaten (they are very good at hiding in the gravel for a few days though).

**Cristoff** · 10-23-2009, 11:29 PM

With Livebearers it's pretty much safe to assume if they are still swimming and breathing, they are pregnant....

I have 3 female guppies housed with 2 males, and they drop fry faster than a crack addict on welfare!

**lahlumdi** · 10-24-2009, 12:06 AM

Well, I was just about ready to post a new thread, because she has clamped fins on the back now. Seems to be coming out to eat a little, but swimming very aquardly.

The tenor of the aquarium in the Platy world is akin to a hospital waiting room. She has posted herself today behind the filter as high up as she can possibly get. Two other females (the yellow wag in particular) has been nervously going up and down the filter depth (I have a full length canister from top to bottom with a powerhead filter). The male that loves her has been swimming aimlessly and keeps coming back and trying to squeeze in up there between her and the yellow one. It is like the midwives giving comfort and the male continuing to check on things. Such drama. I sure hope she is pregnant, because I will feel so sad if she is sick.

She started showing the clamped back fin after my water change yesterday. I supposed if she were pregnant it may have stimulated something.

Thanks for listening. This is my first potentially pregnant platy.

**Cristoff** · 10-24-2009, 12:10 AM

It will not be your last....

Grats mom!

**lahlumdi** · 10-24-2009, 05:25 PM

OK... This morning no fry. She was all night in the cave/castle. This morning when she was back by the filter again, I snagged her and put her in my betta hexagonal quarantine tank.

I put the tank on a stool next to the fish tank so she can see her friends and her lover.

But honestly she looks horrible to me with that back fin. Please take a look at my photos and tell me if you think it's the pregnancy or if she might be sick.

Here are two photos. Mostly she stays at the bottom as seen in the photo.