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

[Magikalgirl79]

She's been mating with one of my male blue platys for well over 24 hours but she's already pregnant. I want to move her to a tank by herself but I'm not sure when to do it and if I should take her away from her mate just yet. Is there a way to tell when she'll give birth?

[GhillieSniper115]

Originally Posted by Magikalgirl79

She's been mating with one of my male blue platys for well over 24 hours but she's already pregnant. I want to move her to a tank by herself but I'm not sure when to do it and if I should take her away from her mate just yet. Is there a way to tell when she'll give birth?

Ok 2 things. 1 I need to see a pic 2 don't take her out just yet

[Magikalgirl79]

here's a pic of her

[Magikalgirl79]

And one more

[Magikalgirl79]

Originally Posted by GhillieSniper115

Ok 2 things. 1 I need to see a pic 2 don't take her out just yet

Pics posted

[GuppyLover]

Im 90% sure thats a silver molly.

*edit* She is pretty squared off so I would imagine soon.

[Mogurako]

Originally Posted by GuppyLover

Im 90% sure thats a silver molly.

*edit* She is pretty squared off so I would imagine soon.

+1 silver Molly.

[Magikalgirl79]

Originally Posted by Mogurako

+1 silver Molly.

Omg I just googled and she is a silver Molly! Guess the lady told me the wrong info! Are they still live bearers?

[FreshwaterTropical]

Yes mollies are still live bearers. Post a pic of your male?

[GhillieSniper115]

Originally Posted by Magikalgirl79

Omg I just googled and she is a silver Molly! Guess the lady told me the wrong info! Are they still live bearers?

All mollies are live bearers I would wait a week

[Magikalgirl79]

Originally Posted by FreshwaterTropical

Yes mollies are still live bearers. Post a pic of your male?

Here's her mate-he wouldn't leave her alone!

[AlexPrince]

Hi
Mollys and plattys give birth to live fry hence being called live bearers,
The pics look like she is due anytime, you should get a breeding trap to place her in until she delivers as livebearers do have a tendency to eat each others live young/fry.
If you do not use a trap keep a very close eye on the tank for small fry and catch it and put in a separate tank a lot of people will use a glass flower vase with some gravel in the bottom and some water from the tank.
The fry will live happily in there with weekly water changes approx 20% and obviously food until they get big enough to be put in the main tank usually about 4-6 weeks.
You can find a vase or use a breeding trap, or such things as Betta display tanks or Siamese fighter display tanks.
Just don't leave the mother with the young,
Good luck

[GhillieSniper115]

Originally Posted by AlexPrince

Hi
Mollys and plattys give birth to live fry hence being called live bearers,
The pics look like she is due anytime, you should get a breeding trap to place her in until she delivers as livebearers do have a tendency to eat each others live young/fry.
If you do not use a trap keep a very close eye on the tank for small fry and catch it and put in a separate tank a lot of people will use a glass flower vase with some gravel in the bottom and some water from the tank.
The fry will live happily in there with weekly water changes approx 20% and obviously food until they get big enough to be put in the main tank usually about 4-6 weeks.
You can find a vase or use a breeding trap, or such things as Betta display tanks or Siamese fighter display tanks.
Just don't leave the mother with the young,
Good luck

Yay breeder box!

[Magikalgirl79]

Originally Posted by AlexPrince

Hi
Mollys and plattys give birth to live fry hence being called live bearers,
The pics look like she is due anytime, you should get a breeding trap to place her in until she delivers as livebearers do have a tendency to eat each others live young/fry.
If you do not use a trap keep a very close eye on the tank for small fry and catch it and put in a separate tank a lot of people will use a glass flower vase with some gravel in the bottom and some water from the tank.
The fry will live happily in there with weekly water changes approx 20% and obviously food until they get big enough to be put in the main tank usually about 4-6 weeks.
You can find a vase or use a breeding trap, or such things as Betta display tanks or Siamese fighter display tanks.
Just don't leave the mother with the young,
Good luck

Thanks Alex for your fantastic advice!!! I put my Molly into a smaller 3G tank until she gives birth. And I thank you for explaining how to take care of my fry, as those would have been my next questions! Good to know I can find new homes for some 4-6 weeks after they are born, I'm keeping some of coarse!

[abrahamavelar]

How do u entice them to breed I think my male platys might be homo they dont even care about females unlike mollies or gupies who act like pervs and molesters

[AlexPrince]

Well you won't be able to do much to stop that as they tend to inbreed amongst themselves and eventually the fry do the same lmao

[absolutangel04]

Originally Posted by AlexPrince

Hi
Mollys and plattys give birth to live fry hence being called live bearers,
The pics look like she is due anytime, you should get a breeding trap to place her in until she delivers as livebearers do have a tendency to eat each others live young/fry.
If you do not use a trap keep a very close eye on the tank for small fry and catch it and put in a separate tank a lot of people will use a glass flower vase with some gravel in the bottom and some water from the tank.
The fry will live happily in there with weekly water changes approx 20% and obviously food until they get big enough to be put in the main tank usually about 4-6 weeks.
You can find a vase or use a breeding trap, or such things as Betta display tanks or Siamese fighter display tanks.
Just don't leave the mother with the young,
Good luck

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.

[Magikalgirl79]

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.

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.

[Magikalgirl79]

Originally Posted by abrahamavelar

How do u entice them to breed I think my male platys might be homo they dont even care about females unlike mollies or gupies who act like pervs and molesters

Sorry but I didn't encourage them in any way, I looked in the tank one day and they were mating!(& I'm told she's a Molly not a platy which I believed)

[abrahamavelar]

Oh ok thx