When to put in breeding trap? - Aquarium Advice

xxxcellarator · 07-11-2006, 02:35 AM

Hello, ive just had one of my Swordtails give birth yesterday. I noticed the night before that she was pregnant and the next day she gave birth. Now i can see at least 2 more that are pregnant and it looks (but im not sure) liek one is about to give birth quite soon, 1 to 3 days probably.

So my question is, if i place her in the hatcher trap (i have a 5 in 1 hatchery, so its quite Large) how muhc is it going to stress her? if she wont give birth in 1 or 2 days, is it going to stress her too much, or should i put her in now? thanks!

07-11-2006, 06:57 AM

Swords are like mollies, You can tell a day or two before they are ready to drop the fry. By looking at there anaul area it will start to become square looking in shape. It's always going to stree them out by putting her in a breeding net. But if it's agood size space she wil settly down after a few hrs.
I'd look to see if her belly area by the anaul area was looking squre shaped and if so put her in and if after a couple of days maybe three. If she hasn't droped her fry. Then release her for a day or so and then add her back to it. Most of the time the stree from beig in the net wil case her to drop the fry.

Alshain · 07-11-2006, 01:09 PM

I put mine in as soon as I'm positive they are pregnant. This allows them to calm down and get used to it before the additional stress of giving birth. They will be ok in the chamber for a week or two.

xxxcellarator · 07-12-2006, 02:38 AM

wow, thats interesting. ur mentioning time in terms of weeks, but i was thinking more in terms of days. anyways, ive already placed her in the trap. The reason why i did so was because she is definetly the Largest one in the tank, and the Darkness goes almost all the way to the back to the anal area. i understand the Squarness that u guys are talking about, since ive seen it already (had 2 sets of babies in my lifetime

) so i know what it would look like. She doesnt quite seem to be square, however just like i said, i beilive the fact that she is quite large and that her darkness is almost till the end, may cause her to give birth real soon.
Anyways, THANK YOU BOTH, and we'll see.

Oh and one more thing, pretty much all of the Females (i have orange and silver swordtails that are relatively transparent) have darkness in their stomachs, even when they are not pregnant (ive had one female for 1/2yr all by herself and she had the black stuff right begind the stomach the whole time) they still have the darkness. SO WHAT COULD THAT BE? thanks

Alshain · 07-12-2006, 09:06 AM

Thats probably just the variation of swordtail you have. Not all of them are transparent.

xxxcellarator · 07-12-2006, 05:35 PM

ok.. ive run into a problem. She seems quite stressed out in the trap and she isnt eating any of the flakes i throw into the trap. they all fall to the bottom of the trap eventually. how long can she stay in there like that, and should i keep her in there that way?

Alshain · 07-12-2006, 06:02 PM

If she doesn't start eating (or give birth) within 3 to 5 days then you can release her. Not eating could also be a sign that she is ready to give birth and not eating for up to a week won't shouldn't hurt her. You could alternate foods. Its ok to deviate from a staple diet for a short time during pregnancy (heck, human women do that too). One of my swordtails doesn't eat her flake food when I put her in the chamber but she will eat freeze dried bloodworms every time. Just remember, the blood worms are a treat food to feed once a week when she is not in the chamber.

**Zagz** · 07-12-2006, 08:57 PM

Doing a water change can also sometimes bring on birthing. Not sure why but sometimes it does.

Alshain · 07-12-2006, 11:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zagz

Doing a water change can also sometimes bring on birthing. Not sure why but sometimes it does.

My best guess is stimuli. This is all a guess but I'm betting that in the wild, many fish mate and lay/give birth during rainy seasons. Its instinct.

xxxcellarator · 07-13-2006, 02:08 AM

hmm interesting. ok ill try to feed it some Blood Worms tomorrow cause right now the ligths are already off. Hopefully shell eat it. ive noticed she has decreased in size quite a bit since shes been in the trap. Probably because of not eating.

07-11-2006, 02:35 AM	#1
xxxcellarator Aquarium Advice Regular Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Toronto, ON Posts: 54	When to put in breeding trap? Hello, ive just had one of my Swordtails give birth yesterday. I noticed the night before that she was pregnant and the next day she gave birth. Now i can see at least 2 more that are pregnant and it looks (but im not sure) liek one is about to give birth quite soon, 1 to 3 days probably. So my question is, if i place her in the hatcher trap (i have a 5 in 1 hatchery, so its quite Large) how muhc is it going to stress her? if she wont give birth in 1 or 2 days, is it going to stress her too much, or should i put her in now? thanks!

07-12-2006, 09:06 AM	#5
Alshain Aquarium Advice FINatic Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Tyler, TX Posts: 807 Images: 4	Thats probably just the variation of swordtail you have. Not all of them are transparent. __________________ Remember to vote For AA! 55 Gallon Planted Tank

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07-11-2006, 06:57 AM	#2
Guest Posts: n/a	Swords are like mollies, You can tell a day or two before they are ready to drop the fry. By looking at there anaul area it will start to become square looking in shape. It's always going to stree them out by putting her in a breeding net. But if it's agood size space she wil settly down after a few hrs. I'd look to see if her belly area by the anaul area was looking squre shaped and if so put her in and if after a couple of days maybe three. If she hasn't droped her fry. Then release her for a day or so and then add her back to it. Most of the time the stree from beig in the net wil case her to drop the fry.

07-11-2006, 01:09 PM	#3
Alshain Aquarium Advice FINatic Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Tyler, TX Posts: 807 Images: 4	I put mine in as soon as I'm positive they are pregnant. This allows them to calm down and get used to it before the additional stress of giving birth. They will be ok in the chamber for a week or two.

07-12-2006, 02:38 AM	#4
xxxcellarator Aquarium Advice Regular Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Toronto, ON Posts: 54	wow, thats interesting. ur mentioning time in terms of weeks, but i was thinking more in terms of days. anyways, ive already placed her in the trap. The reason why i did so was because she is definetly the Largest one in the tank, and the Darkness goes almost all the way to the back to the anal area. i understand the Squarness that u guys are talking about, since ive seen it already (had 2 sets of babies in my lifetime ) so i know what it would look like. She doesnt quite seem to be square, however just like i said, i beilive the fact that she is quite large and that her darkness is almost till the end, may cause her to give birth real soon. Anyways, THANK YOU BOTH, and we'll see. Oh and one more thing, pretty much all of the Females (i have orange and silver swordtails that are relatively transparent) have darkness in their stomachs, even when they are not pregnant (ive had one female for 1/2yr all by herself and she had the black stuff right begind the stomach the whole time) they still have the darkness. SO WHAT COULD THAT BE? thanks

07-12-2006, 05:35 PM	#6
xxxcellarator Aquarium Advice Regular Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Toronto, ON Posts: 54	ok.. ive run into a problem. She seems quite stressed out in the trap and she isnt eating any of the flakes i throw into the trap. they all fall to the bottom of the trap eventually. how long can she stay in there like that, and should i keep her in there that way?

07-12-2006, 06:02 PM	#7
Alshain Aquarium Advice FINatic Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Tyler, TX Posts: 807 Images: 4	If she doesn't start eating (or give birth) within 3 to 5 days then you can release her. Not eating could also be a sign that she is ready to give birth and not eating for up to a week won't shouldn't hurt her. You could alternate foods. Its ok to deviate from a staple diet for a short time during pregnancy (heck, human women do that too). One of my swordtails doesn't eat her flake food when I put her in the chamber but she will eat freeze dried bloodworms every time. Just remember, the blood worms are a treat food to feed once a week when she is not in the chamber.

07-13-2006, 02:08 AM	#10
xxxcellarator Aquarium Advice Regular Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Toronto, ON Posts: 54	hmm interesting. ok ill try to feed it some Blood Worms tomorrow cause right now the ligths are already off. Hopefully shell eat it. ive noticed she has decreased in size quite a bit since shes been in the trap. Probably because of not eating.