Some questions

[DragonChild]

Okay, first off, I'm not trying to spam the boards, please don't see this as that. But this board gets more activity than the sick board, and I need info asap, so I figured here's a good place to ask.

My platy is (according to lfs) pregnant, and rather far along. She is a silver platy, so there isn't any color morphing, but there is a dark, almost black spot on her, close to the bottom fin. The lfs said that that means she's close to spawning, but they didn't say how close. So, I bought a breeding/isolation chamber today for her, but it's small, and she doesn't like it much. But I want to keep the fry, so... Anyway, how can I tell how long it will be until she spawns? I'd like to get her back in the tank asap, but I dunno how close she is to spawning, and I don't want her or the shark to get the fry.

*sighs*

Any and absolutely ALL help with be thanked greatly, and rewarded with kudos!!!

 

[BrianNY]

OK Dragonchild, the absolute best thing you can do is remove the platy from the breeder trap and allow her to give birth in the tank. The reason being that so many live bearing mothers cannot cope with stress of that enclosed space and die.

I would get as many inexpensive plants as you can to build a protective environment in your tank for the fry. Jave moss is best but few stores carry it. Anacharis and watersprite should be fairly inexpensive and also work.

You will not manage to save all the fry, but then that's natures way.

HTH

 

[DragonChild]

Thanks BrianNY, I got some dwarf hair plants today, will that be alright for the fry? How often do they breed? I'm hoping to set up a 5 gallon breeder tank when I get more fish, but until then, will a few of the fry survive?

 

[BrianNY]

Yep. A few usually will. The more plants, the better. Female platies can store sperm for multiple pregnancies. She will likely give birth every few weeks. Your biggest prolem might be what to do with all the babies.

 

[DragonChild]

Okay, good. The rest of the platies died about a month ago. Oh, and that gravid spot on her belly? I read somewhere or someone told me that those wre the eyes of the little babies....I looked real close and could see the individual eyes!! I'm soo happy!!!

Thanks a million Brian, I owe you!