Think I may soon have platy babies?

[sarah5775]

I went away for a week's vacation, and my parents were watching my fish. I got back yesterday. I noticed that my female platy was spending all her time hanging out in the middle of my huge clump of java moss, but didn't think much of it. Noticed today when she came out at feeding time that she has a big round belly. I think that after four months swimming around with my platy male, she might be pregant. She won't leave the java moss. I've never seen her hang out in there before. As a new fish owner I don't know anything about breeding. Could she be seeking out cover because she's about to give birth? IF so, what do I feed the babies? I dont' have another tank to put them in. I have a ton of java moss in my tank, in fact its practically taking over. Do you think some will survive in my tank? Otherwise, I could put poor Leo (my betta) in a bowl and use his cycled five and a half gallon to raise the young. I hate to uproot him though, but I know he will survive if I have to. I dont' think I have time to buy and cycle another tank. I know I will have to get another tank eventually if I keep the babies (if any survive, which I hope they will) but I may just give them to the pet store.
Do you think I will have platy babies soon?

 

[Zagz]

It is quite possible if she has a big belly she is about to give birth. The java moss should provide cover for some of the fry. What are the other tankmates? What size tank?

 

[sarah5775]

It's a 29 gallon with

4 black longfin tetras
3 mollies
my two platys
4 tetras of unknown type (long story)
6 neons
1 (unfortunately) chinese algae eater - 4 inches, bad attitude, dont know how to get rid of him
1 otto

Today - no big belly. And no babies. BUT there is so much java moss in my tank it could hide a medium size oscar. Short of pulling it all out, finding the babies would be impossible. She did have a gravid spot last night. So I am reasonably sure she either gave birth or miscarried during the night. I can't find hide nor hair of any babies though. So there is not much chance of me netting and moving them. My question is: assuming they exist, how do I feed them? I head they have to eat powdered food six times a day. Do I increase my feeding of my fish, do I powder some of their food? I'm afraid if I release it over the java moss this will attract the other fish to it. Not only that, my mystery tetras hang out in my java moss all the time, and I am afraid they'll eat the babies. I really hope some of them survive. (assuming that there are, in fact, babies) Even if I have to get a whole new tank for them. IF I decide not to keep them, the lfs said they'd take them. Hope I see some, hope they exist.

 

[MyCatsDrool]

When my mollies have babies, they get eaten pretty quickly by the other fish in the tank. Pretty much anything big enough to eat them will dine on the small fish.
When some do survive, I feed them powdered flakes, sinking food pellets (suprisingly, they do very well nibbling on them) or boiled egg yolk (I eat a lot of boiled egg sandwiches). I usually only have 2 or 3 that make it.

 

[sarah5775]

I have a ton of java moss in the tank. Might that provide cover?