Help!!! Platy givng birth!?!?

[Fishlover24]

I don't know if she is of not. She was hyperventilating and hovering around the bottom of the tank. I know she I prefnat because she was huge. She has been with the male in that tank for aloft a year. So does anyone have any aid is on if she would be or not?!? Any help would be appreciated.

 

[Ian086]

I don't know if she is of not. She was hyperventilating and hovering around the bottom of the tank. I know she I prefnat because she was huge. She has been with the male in that tank for aloft a year. So does anyone have any aid is on if she would be or not?!? Any help would be appreciated.

Can you post a pic??

 

[Fishlover24]

 

[Fishlover24]

Sorry for the bad pics

 

[Ian086]

Sorry for the bad pics

I would say she is preg. How far, it's very hard to tell. I have a very similar platy to that and the first two batches, she was huge, like she swallowed a marble. Lately she barely looks pregnant. I have only just got a male for her. She came from the lfs pregnant, so her last 4 births were from stored sperm. I'm guessing that's why she was so small lately!!. Back to you, i find the behaviour your describing as a sign she might be ready. I assume your water tests are ok lately??

 

[Fishlover24]

Yes theya re perfect. And my other two female platies have not been acting strange like the red one. So should I put her in my breeding net?

 

[Ian086]

Yes theya re perfect. And my other two female platies have not been acting strange like the red one. So should I put her in my breeding net?

Thats also a tough one(i'm not really any help am i!!). Is she still eating??

 

[Fishlover24]

You have been plenty of help. My whole family thinks she is just big not even pregnant! Well she ate in the morning and didn't seem like anything wrong, but then I came down at 5 and saw she was acting weird and not coming up from the bottom as she usually does. And then I saw she was breathing really hard.

 

[DavidAl]

Hello fishlover,

No need to do anything. Platies have been giving birth for millions of years .

How big is this tank, and do you have hiding places for the fry (and mother if she needs to rest)? Also, what other fish are in this tank?

David

 

[Ian086]

You have been plenty of help. My whole family thinks she is just big not even pregnant! Well she ate in the morning and didn't seem like anything wrong, but then I came down at 5 and saw she was acting weird and not coming up from the bottom as she usually does. And then I saw she was breathing really hard.

I only asked those questions to get an idea and compare her to how mine act. Mine usually always stop eating a day or so before they drop. If it was me, and i have done this myself, i would try putting her in the trap. I know others are going to disagree and that's fine. Each to their own!!. Try her in the breeder before you go to bed and leave any light or airstone off. This will keep stress to a minimum. If she really freaks out put her back in the main tank..They usually drop late night/early morning. I guess it's to do with their wild instincts, fish are less active then so better chance for the fry to hide. When she does finally drop though, add 28 days to the date and you'll have your next due date almost to the day!!!

 

[Fishlover24]

It is a 20 gallon. I have one male platy, two other females, and three neon tetras. I have lots of plastic plants and two real lily pads. But I don't know if the grass plant I have in there are good enough shelter. I really want the fry to live.

 

[Fishlover24]

Ok I will try her in the breeding net since I have one. I don't have any air stone so I don't need to worry about that. And the lights are all off. But I am not going to lie I want to keep checking on her, but I know I shouldn't. I have a mother question, what do you use, the breeding trapes or the net with the fin plants on the bottom like me? Which works better.

 

[Ian086]

Ok I will try her in the breeding net since I have one. I don't have any air stone so I don't need to worry about that. And the lights are all off. But I am not going to lie I want to keep checking on her, but I know I shouldn't. I have a mother question, what do you use, the breeding trapes or the net with the fin plants on the bottom like me? Which works better.

I use this. It's a penn plax aqua nursery, about $10. It works using an air-pump. The female is placed in the righthand box(larger) and the fry get sucked through the clear thick tube on the bottom into the smaller box on the left. It saves about 90% of the fry. Only 90% because not all the fry drop straight downwards to the slit at the bottom. A cheap(ebay) airpump will do....I find it better than a standard trap or net. The box on the left is detachable, so you can remove it(if needed) and place all the fry into a breeding net...I had to import it from the US, but i'm sure it's widely available in your stores over there. If not, you can get it on the US ebay...Ebay.com

If you get your hands on one of these soon(a day or two), then i would leave her as she is for the moment. Also with the breeding net, there nowhere for the fry to hide and she might/probably will eat them. I only use nets to raise them....

 

[Fishlover24]

Ok so you don't think any firy will survive? I was told that it would still work. Won't they hide I the fine platoon the bottom? How many should she give birth to?

 

[Ian086]

Ok so you don't think any firy will survive? I was told that it would still work. Won't they hide I the fine platoon the bottom? How many should she give birth to?

No i'm not saying none will survive, just she is bound to eat some. I was feeling a bit nerdy one night and i videoed my platy giving birth. She was eating them as they came out. Only the fast ones got away, which is maybe mother natures way of making sure only the strongest survive!!!. Don't panic, you will have fry. How many is hard to tell, i think the average birth is about 30, but that also depends on how big she is. Some of mine only had 10(i saw them being born!!)...Having the fine platoon at the bottom will help but sometimes they swim back up to mamma. They are either incredibly brave or stupid!!!....

 

[Fishlover24]

Maybe the latter of the two!!! You have really gave me a a peace at mind. I just really want to see some little swimmers soon! Thanks so much for all the help and advise. Now if/ when I get fry when should I feed then, and then how much, and how often m

 

[DavidAl]

Feed aggressively, but cautiously, so the fishes have less reason to munch on the fry. In other words, keep them full.

David

 

[Fishlover24]

Sound like a plan. But what about the fry?

 

[DavidAl]

Livebearers usually go for baby brine shrimp right a way. There are also branded fry foods at pet shops. Powdered flakes work as well (the stuff at the very bottom of the container of flakes).

David

 

[Ian086]

Maybe the latter of the two!!! You have really gave me a a peace at mind. I just really want to see some little swimmers soon! Thanks so much for all the help and advise. Now if/ when I get fry when should I feed then, and then how much, and how often m

I use Hikari First Bites, it's basically a powder. I just put a very small amount in 3 times a day. I use a syringe to remove any uneaten from the previous feeding(be carefull not to suck any fry up!!). Alternatively, you could just crush your regular flakes/crisps/pellets up until they are like a powder. I find the first bites accelerates their growth...Remember if your raising them in a separate tank and you want to put them in your larger tank when there older, you must treat them like new stock..Aclimatize them...