Is my swordtail pregnant?

[Keedee]

I've never had swordtails before and it seems like my females are getting very big, especially the one in the picture. Is it possible she's pregnant?

Thank you!

[Sorry the pictures are awful, they're just from my phone]

 

[Fishfanboy]

Yes she looks preggo

 

[Keedee]

Do you know how long until she'd have her fry? I want to try and keep them and raise them.

 

[Fishfanboy]

I'm not sure how long but a couple weeks is probably the minimum

 

[Crazyhermitcrab]

She is early in pregnancy

 

[mattcham]

Among all live bearers I think swordtails are most likely to eat their fry. Make sure you plan ahead to prevent this from happening or to reduce it. A crazy mom can easily consume all 50 of her fry. Even when well fed with live adult brine shrimp food swimming in her densely planted tank, a crazy mom will go out of her way to maim and kill every single one of her young.

That fish in your picture will probably give birth in about 2 weeks from date of photo, give or take 5 days.

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[Keedee]

I bought a breeding box and I've been keeping a careful eye on her. She doesn't look too much different (no dark spot on her belly, or - from what I can tell - box-ish shape) but she is hiding a lot more. She likes to float near the bottom by the back, behind a piece of wood. It's been three days since the picture was taken.

 

[mattcham]

She is either ready to give birth soon or is sick, based on that behavior. If her fins are not clamped then she is probably not sick.

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[Keedee]

I don't think she clamps her fins. She spends a lot of her time with the other fish swimming near the front and is eating well but then sometimes I'm like 'where's my other fish?' and she's just floating at the back. It always seems when I see her back there she swims back to the front a moment later.

I took some pictures of her today as best I could. (apologies, they're with my phone again)

 

[mattcham]

OK then she is getting ready to give birth. Read the reviews of breeding boxes in amazon. It will give you an idea of various scenarios and what to expect. Breeding boxes are stressful to the mom but sometimes there is no alternative unless you are able to get another tank and can stock it full of plants, which for swordtails may not be an adequate deterrent for cannibalism.

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[mattcham]

Also livebearers can hold on to the fry for many weeks after they are due, if mom doesn't feel safe. Its as if the fry in her belly are in cryogenic stasis. This is the only protective instinct left in this domesticated species. Cannibalism was unfortunately a destructive behavior that became established with selective breeding for bright colors.

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[Keedee]

I've got my breeding box, now I'm just wondering if it's still to early to put her in?

 

[mattcham]

It might be best to put her in now so she gets used to the space. Some say if you put her in breeding box too close to delivery time it can result in stillborn fry (dead at birth).

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[Keedee]

Okay, I put her in the breeding box last night right before I turned the light off to help the transition hopefully. I then also added a couple leaves that I trimmed from my plants as a place to hide. It's been about 24 hours and she seems calmer than she was when I first put her in. So I hope everything goes okay.

Thanks!

 

[mattcham]

Everything sounds right on track. Try to use your cell phone to take a photo or video every day, to keep track of whether she is growing or shrinking. If she shrinks and you don't see any babies, then she may have eaten them all. Without daily photos you may wait months wondering whether she ever gave birth...

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Aquarium Advice mobile app

 

[Crazyhermitcrab]

Among all live bearers I think swordtails are most likely to eat their fry. Make sure you plan ahead to prevent this from happening or to reduce it. A crazy mom can easily consume all 50 of her fry. Even when well fed with live adult brine shrimp food swimming in her densely planted tank, a crazy mom will go out of her way to maim and kill every single one of her young.

That fish in your picture will probably give birth in about 2 weeks from date of photo, give or take 5 days.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Aquarium Advice mobile app

I think you are being a little extreme. My fish never eat their babies.

I bought a breeding box and I've been keeping a careful eye on her. She doesn't look too much different (no dark spot on her belly, or - from what I can tell - box-ish shape) but she is hiding a lot more. She likes to float near the bottom by the back, behind a piece of wood. It's been three days since the picture was taken.

She has no box shape yet.

I don't think she clamps her fins. She spends a lot of her time with the other fish swimming near the front and is eating well but then sometimes I'm like 'where's my other fish?' and she's just floating at the back. It always seems when I see her back there she swims back to the front a moment later.

I took some pictures of her today as best I could. (apologies, they're with my phone again)

She has about 2 weeks till birth

OK then she is getting ready to give birth. Read the reviews of breeding boxes in amazon. It will give you an idea of various scenarios and what to expect. Breeding boxes are stressful to the mom but sometimes there is no alternative unless you are able to get another tank and can stock it full of plants, which for swordtails may not be an adequate deterrent for cannibalism.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Aquarium Advice mobile app

Get hornwort.

 

[Crazyhermitcrab]

I've got my breeding box, now I'm just wondering if it's still to early to put her in?

Breeding boxes are too small for swords, you are going to stress her out, Put her in the main tank

 

[Crazyhermitcrab]

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f12/crazyhermitcrabs-complete-guide-to-livebearers-310919.html

 

[Keedee]

Thank you guys! I'll keep her in the main tank. Should I still put her in the breeding box when she looks really close to having the fry?
And thank you for the link! I'll update if I see any fry or anything. I feel like there are lots of places for them to hide in case they are born in the tank, lots of plants and roots and places under my driftwood. My only concern is them getting sucked in by my filter.

 

[Crazyhermitcrab]

Thank you guys! I'll keep her in the main tank. Should I still put her in the breeding box when she looks really close to having the fry?
And thank you for the link! I'll update if I see any fry or anything. I feel like there are lots of places for them to hide in case they are born in the tank, lots of plants and roots and places under my driftwood. My only concern is them getting sucked in by my filter.

You might stress her out. Put a prefilter on the intake tube.