Is my swordtail preggers?

[Hholly]

She has suddenly started to stay hidden in a cave, but otherwise appears fine. She won't come out far enough for me to see her belly.
Thanks!

 

[Fishie]

Um just because she is hiding doesn't always mean she is preggers. Need more info and maybe pic

 

[Hholly]

Well, she was briefly with a male about3- 4 weeks back. He, unfortunately succumbed to an ich outbreak shortly after. I treated the ich with heat for two weeks. She seemed normal ever since, swimming actively throughout the tank. Suddenly, about a week ago, I thought she must have died as she disappeared. Finally found out she was in the cave. She hasn't really left the vicinity of the cave ever since. She's not gasping. I'll try to get a pic. If I can lure her out.

 

[Hholly]

Here she is:

 

[Ezimmer1990]

She doesnt really look Preggo. Maybe you should wait to see if her stomach gets bigger. When they are pregnant and a bout a week or two from birth, you will see a gravid spot right above her bottom fins. The gravid spot is actually the fry's eyes developing. It's black. If you see that, you know if she's Preggo or not.

 

[Hholly]

Ok, she's still acting weird. Is she sick or pregnant? Here's a few more pics. Thanks!

 

[maestromad]

Can't help with the pregnant bit but she sure is pretty!!

 

[HeatherW]

I know I am new to this, but is a swordtale the same thing as platy? because that looks like what I have been told is a Mickey Mouse Platy

 

[Hholly]

Thanks Maestromad.

And no, she's a swordtail. They do look very similar though.

 

[Hholly]

Ok, I think she has dropsy. I'm going to go ahead and euthanize her.

 

[Newfishlover07]

Fish

I know little about fish but I know a lot of different kinds and that fish is a Mickey I have been doing my homework on them as I want to buy about six of them. I do agree they look similar to swordtails in the body but those markings on her tail are most deff mickey mouse markings even though the both of them can breed together that are not the same thing

 

[Hholly]

There are Mickey mouse swordtails too, look it up. But she's dead now. So it doesn't matter anymore.

 

[Mumma.of.two]

There are Mickey mouse swordtails too, look it up. But she's dead now. So it doesn't matter anymore.

I'm sorry to hear she didn't make it. It sound like she was suffering from something internal. Could have been one of a number of things. Parasites, pregnancy gone wrong, constipation, cancer, etc. you may never know. What your other fish closely for the same signs and check your water parameters.

 

[Hholly]

Thanks Mumma. Things have been awry in the tank since the whole ich outbreak. She was stressed. Now I've found out I have high nitrates in my tap water. I'm trying to figure out what to do.

 

[Mumma.of.two]

High nitrates mean you have to do more large frequent water changes to keep them as low as possible. The addition of plants will help out as well.

 

[Hholly]

Yes I've been doing that. Plants plus 50% pwc every 2-3 days. But it's not helping. The tap water is about 20ppm. I think anyway. I have trouble differentiating the colors on that test.

 

[Mumma.of.two]

Yes I've been doing that. Plants plus 50% pwc every 2-3 days. But it's not helping. The tap water is about 20ppm. I think anyway. I have trouble differentiating the colors on that test.

That's good! Your doing all you can. What is your tanks nitrate readings? You won't be able to get them under 20ppm but I'd like to think you could get it close.

 

[Hholly]

After a water change it's in the 20-40 range. 24 hours later, it's 40-80. I just don't have time or energy to change daily. Getting really discouraged about it. The weird thing is that when I started cycling this tank, it didn't show nitrates at first. Maybe I wasn't as good at testing then.

 

[Mumma.of.two]

After a water change it's in the 20-40 range. 24 hours later, it's 40-80. I just don't have time or energy to change daily. Getting really discouraged about it. The weird thing is that when I started cycling this tank, it didn't show nitrates at first. Maybe I wasn't as good at testing then.

It shouldn't jump that much in a day. Are you shaking the crap out of the #2 bottle and the test tube then waiting exactly 5 minutes to check the results?

 

[Hholly]

Yes, I'm doing the test right. I don't get why it goes up so fast. It's driving me crazy. It could be my tap is even higher than 20. It's really hard for me to read the reds apart on the test. Part of the problem might be that my well is right next to a farm field. I'm probably getting fertilizer in my water.