New Baby Fish

[robertmarda]

This morning when I arrived at work I saw a baby platy in our 20 gallon tank. My initial reaction was surprise since our male platy was dead. I quickly moved the baby to a breeding container to make sure no one eats it.

Upon examining my records I found that the male platy died 16 Sep 04. As I understand it platies give birth about a month after breeding so he must have ensured his blood line would continue.

 

[Melody]

hehehe... Congrats on the new addition!!!

 

[robertmarda]

Thanks! I just wish more had survived. Or is it possible that the mother platy only had one baby?

 

[smallfry]

Congratulations!
It's not likely that mom had only ONE baby....they usually have anywhere from 10-40 babies at once. Also she may get pregnant AGAIN because Platy's have the ability to store sperm for up to 3 months!

If the breeding container is still in the main tank, make sure there's some floating plants for coverage because the adults will still freak out the baby even though they can't actually eat it. Also you may want to put some type of filter sponge (or nylons) over your filter intake next time you expect babies, so the fry don't get sucked into it. (that could be where some of them went) :|


I had a Platy get pregnant 3 separate times AFTER the male died....(the third batch was approx. 3 months later).

 

[robertmarda]

Well, too be honest, I didn't realize the platy was pregnant and so was not expecting any baby fish.

The breeding container is in the main tank and I have been watching the fish in that tank. The other fish are not going near it. I will put some of the fake plants in it to ensure the other fish don't bother it.

 

[Psyhampster]

congrats! what kind of platy?

 

[robertmarda]

What kind of platy? Good question.

Since the baby platy is mostly red I am assuming that it is a red platy. The only male in the tank was a red platy. However I had a female red platy (it passed away yesterday) and still have a female candy platy in the same tank.