Blue platy pregnant but how can I tell when she'll give birth?

[absolutangel04]

Originally Posted by Magikalgirl79

Sorry I'm new to the site. What does IMO & OP stand for? And I'll take your advice and put her back in the big tank if she hasn't dropped yet. Right now I "think" it's 1 female & 2 males. I say I think because the 1 male is the only one that mates with her. The other big guy will try protecting her but had never pursued her. And I plan on leaving the fry in the 3G, which is filtered and heated, until they are big enough.

IMO= in my opinion. OP= original poster.
a filtered, heated 3g sounds fine for fry.
Do try to get the gender ratio right though if you want your female to have a full lifespan. Male livebearers have been known to stress females to death if there aren't enough females to distribute the attention between.

[Magikalgirl79]

Originally Posted by absolutangel04

IMO= in my opinion. OP= original poster.
a filtered, heated 3g sounds fine for fry.
Do try to get the gender ratio right though if you want your female to have a full lifespan. Male livebearers have been known to stress females to death if there aren't enough females to distribute the attention between.

Thanks soooo much! I was completely lost! And I will try to even up the genders by keeping some of the babies she still hasn't dropped yet, but I've only had her in the small tank a day. I'll give her one more day then I'll put her back in my 20 gallon to swim it off

[absolutangel04]

Originally Posted by Magikalgirl79

Thanks soooo much! I was completely lost! And I will try to even up the genders by keeping some of the babies she still hasn't dropped yet, but I've only had her in the small tank a day. I'll give her one more day then I'll put her back in my 20 gallon to swim it off

That sounds like a good plan. IME (in my experience), the first fry drop is often really small, sometimes even as small as like 5 babies. But, later drops get bigger. And you can definitely put the female back into the smaller tank after a day or so of excerisize.

[abrahamavelar]

Originally Posted by Magikalgirl79

Thanks soooo much! I was completely lost! And I will try to even up the genders by keeping some of the babies she still hasn't dropped yet, but I've only had her in the small tank a day. I'll give her one more day then I'll put her back in my 20 gallon to swim it off

just keep us posted =)

just off topic 4 a sec i like ur pic!!!

[Magikalgirl79]

Thanks

I'm not sure if this is her first drop or not. I bought her and some other fish already in the aquarium. I'll have to call the lady and ask lol

[absolutangel04]

Originally Posted by Magikalgirl79

Thanks

I'm not sure if this is her first drop or not. I bought her and some other fish already in the aquarium. I'll have to call the lady and ask lol

Usually the fish available for sale are rather young, so I usually assume it will be their first drop.

[Magikalgirl79]

Originally Posted by absolutangel04

Usually the fish available for sale are rather young, so I usually assume it will be their first drop.

I bought the tank privately from someone getting out of the hobby. She said that it's probably not her first drop because they mated all the time but she never bred them. She said she left them in the tank and let them eat the babies poor things.

[absolutangel04]

Originally Posted by Magikalgirl79

I bought the tank privately from someone getting out of the hobby. She said that it's probably not her first drop because they mated all the time but she never bred them. She said she left them in the tank and let them eat the babies poor things.

Ah. I see. In that case, I am guessing the female will get a bit bigger before she actually drops the fry. But, you never know. Its always a bit hard to tell from pictures because the light play tricks on me. And yes, if you leave fry in with the parents, they will eat them like crazy. Fry can survive with adults in a really well planted tank so the fry can hide. But, you are keeping the fry separate, so you should definitely get some cute little babies!

[Copachick]

We've had a few babies survive for a few weeks. We have alot of floating plants that they were doing a great job hiding in. Then one day, they were gone :-( So we went out and bought a 10 gallon so we can try and save future fry But then we moved into a new house and havent set up the 10 gallon to start cycling it yet. We had a prego platy but I assumed she gave birth and they didnt make it. But they are SO cute as they grow up

[ocminpin]

Originally Posted by absolutangel04

I am going to add that you shouldn't leave the mom in small tank for very long IMO. The OP said they put the molly is 3g tank. Thats fine, but don't leave her in there for more than a couple of days. That tank is small and the mom needs to swim around to really get the process going. Being put into a small tank is stressful for the mom, so if she doesn't drop fry within a couple days, put her back in the display tank for a bit. You can put her in the birthing tank again.
Also, I prefer to keep to my fry in filtered, heated environments. I do know that some people use vases and jars and such. To each his own. I am just going to add that the fry will grow better IMO in warmer water versus in a vase or jar that is unheated.
Another note for the OP, how many mollies do you have? They should be kept in ratios of at 2 females for every male (1m:3f is even better) IMO to avoid stressingthe females too much. The males tend to tbe relentless in pursuing the females, so if you keep several females for every 1 male, the attention is spread out and each female gets a break.

I always love your advice Abolutangel I personally discovered with my first batch of fry that I had put in a baking dish after catching them at birth they got VERY cold at night...They were laying motionless at the bottom barely moving their little fins. I dipped my finger in the water in the middle of the night and I SHIVERED... I was horrified that they were freezing to death and in the morning went and got a 10 gal tank, gravel rocks, decorations, filter, filter sponge to cover intake, and a heater. They are now very happy 6 1/2 week old 1" lil babies. I highly recommend the heated environment.... and frequent feedings.. I fed flakes crushed to a fine powder every 4-5 hours .... the flake crushing got bigger as they grew of course. They are now ravenous little pigs and rush the glass when i come to the tank.

[ocminpin]

Originally Posted by absolutangel04

Usually the fish available for sale are rather young, so I usually assume it will be their first drop.

My first female molly that dropped fry I had gotten from Petsmart.... I was able to save all of them... 43!!

[abrahamavelar]

Originally Posted by ocminpin

My first female molly that dropped fry I had gotten from Petsmart.... I was able to save all of them... 43!!

wow!!!!!!!!!!!

[ocminpin]

They are now 6 1/2 weeks old and I have 35 healthy survivors.... they have their own 20 gallon long tank now as they're growing. They're about 1".... another inch and they can go to the LFS. I'm going to be keeping a few : )

[Magikalgirl79]

Originally Posted by ocminpin

They are now 6 1/2 weeks old and I have 35 healthy survivors.... they have their own 20 gallon long tank now as they're growing. They're about 1".... another inch and they can go to the LFS. I'm going to be keeping a few : )

I'm going to guess that LFS=local fish store ! Do they buy the babies from you? Cuz I have no idea what I'm going to do with all the babies once I've raised them! Lol

She still hasn't dropped her babes yet. But she's swimming like crazy in the small tank, seems happy. I'm afraid if I put her back in the big tank she's have them and then I won't get to keep any!! Would the pleco or catfish eat the babies? Cuz I have a corner in my 20g where the fry could hide but the pleco and catfish hide in there too

[abrahamavelar]

Originally Posted by Magikalgirl79

I'm going to guess that LFS=local fish store ! Do they buy the babies from you? Cuz I have no idea what I'm going to do with all the babies once I've raised them! Lol

She still hasn't dropped her babes yet. But she's swimming like crazy in the small tank, seems happy. I'm afraid if I put her back in the big tank she's have them and then I won't get to keep any!! Would the pleco or catfish eat the babies? Cuz I have a corner in my 20g where the fry could hide but the pleco and catfish hide in there too

yes lfs its local fish store, also some will take ur fry and give u money/store credit some will just take the fish and give u food and some will just take them for free, it depends where are u going

[absolutangel04]

Originally Posted by Magikalgirl79

I'm going to guess that LFS=local fish store ! Do they buy the babies from you? Cuz I have no idea what I'm going to do with all the babies once I've raised them! Lol

She still hasn't dropped her babes yet. But she's swimming like crazy in the small tank, seems happy. I'm afraid if I put her back in the big tank she's have them and then I won't get to keep any!! Would the pleco or catfish eat the babies? Cuz I have a corner in my 20g where the fry could hide but the pleco and catfish hide in there too

It depends. You have to call places in your area to see if anybody will take them from you, either adoption or for cash or credit. But, there is a surplus of livebeaers out there, so it may be hard. You can always put an ad on craigslist or something like that and offer them up for people. IME, stores want them to be about 1-2 inches before taking them.
If she is swimming too crazily, you should take her out for awhile. Keep an eye on her, but she might be a bit stir crazy in such a tiny tank. You can always just put her the big tank and watch her really closely and then put her back into the breeding tank again. Up to you.

[abrahamavelar]

but if u dont want the fry just let nature take its course

[Magikalgirl79]

Originally Posted by abrahamavelar

but if u dont want the fry just let nature take its course

Well I think that I have 1 female silver Molly's to 3 males so I was thinking I should keep 5 females. Is that right? How old before u can tell gender?

And I will prob put her back in big tank tomorrow if she hasn't dropped yet

[abrahamavelar]

how long has she been pregnant??

[Magikalgirl79]

Originally Posted by abrahamavelar

how long has she been pregnant??

No idea, but this is how big she is! Lol