Pregnant platy not dropping

[Kwakatoo]

Hi all,

I have a fem platy who's been in my tank for a couple of months. Her tank mate and her were both impregnated around the same time, (male removed shortly after). The other female has dropped several rounds of fry with no problem. This platy however has grown quite large and at one point I figured was reabsorbing her fry - none of her fry seemed to have dropped. She has grown quite sluggish, with a real tail end droop like in the photo. Is there anything I can do to free her up?

 

[ahmad.echols]

Well first thats a guppy not a platy? and u could switch her to another tank sometimes a change in parameters will make them have their babies

 

[BBradbury]

Hi all,

I have a fem platy who's been in my tank for a couple of months. Her tank mate and her were both impregnated around the same time, (male removed shortly after). The other female has dropped several rounds of fry with no problem. This platy however has grown quite large and at one point I figured was reabsorbing her fry - none of her fry seemed to have dropped. She has grown quite sluggish, with a real tail end droop like in the photo. Is there anything I can do to free her up?

Kw...

Livebearing females will hold the fry until they believe conditions are right for their survival. Larger and more frequent water changes are needed. Make the new, treated tap water a bit warmer than what's already in the tank. Start feeding a little more and more often. Add some floating plants like Hornwort to the tank too. Just drop individual stems into the tank. The combination of pure water conditions, more food and a place for the fry to hide will increase the chances of a lot of healthy fry surviving to adults.

B

 

[nirbhao]

I had a guppy who held until we put her with a male. Three months. It changed her body just like yours, and she definitely was in distress.

 

[Kwakatoo]

Thanks Guys. This tank is "full" of guppies and platy fry.

Good pick up on my brain fade there , of course it's a guppy. I just had a black jacketed platy momma who dropped about 12 fry in the tank which seems to hold my attention at the moment!

My water changes are ev 4 days keeping nitrates at bay around the 30 mark. Waters clean and warm, and many hiding places for fry. My temp is pretty warm for live bearers at 80 (26C).

But BB - I take your points. Will keep aspiring to those small frequent feeds.

She's a gorgeous guppy - would love to see her fat belly get skinnier again!

 

[Kwakatoo]

I had a guppy who held until we put her with a male. Three months. It changed her body just like yours, and she definitely was in distress.

So she dropped her fry when she was with the male? Interesting! I would have thought being harassed by the fella would have had the opposite effect. Hmm

I have a spare tank I might pop her in there - I have a feeling the other fem guppy chases her at times. Maybe that's the issue? The other female has populated three tanks so far, I don't need any more fertilization taking place

 

[nirbhao]

We had Sunny and her virgin daughter in a 10 gallon all by themselves and kept the water immaculate. This is what she looks like now.



We got another female thinking maybe she was holding because of a lack of genetic diversity. Waited a month, then added a male. Within days she dropped.

I have found that, once a guppy is pregnant, she needs to be with a male. And every male needs three females.

We take the fry to our fish nerd place. They're just feeders, but we have three females dropping 30ish fry every three to four weeks, so it gets overwhelming really fast.

 

[Kwakatoo]

have three females dropping 30ish fry every three to four weeks, so it gets overwhelming really fast.

I bet it does!

I'll move her to my hospital tank with her mate. They might get down a boogie romantically but that's cool. Better pretty it up for her though..

 

[nirbhao]

So remember that guppies can store sperm and have multiple broods with one encounter with a male. They aren't called million fish for nothing!