I MIGHT have a pregnant platy, but I'm not sure. I'm new at this aquarium stuff, and I thought we were careful to get all our platys the same sex, but who knows? And they all have those balloon-looking bellies. Can I tell just by looking if my platy is "in the family way"? If she is, how long will that last, and what should we do when she gives birth?
2007-02-07 15:30:05 · 5 answers · asked by ckmclements 4 in Pets ➔ Fish
Females have rounded anal fins and males have thinner, longer anal fins. If the fish is any color other than black, you should be able to see the eggs inside of them. It will look like a small, black area near their anus that continues to get bigger as the eggs develop. If you don't want babies, the adults will eat them anyway. If you would like to keep the babies, you will need to buy a breeding trap and seperate the pregnant mother when she is about ready to give birth (around 1 1/2 to 2 months). She will continue getting fatter with more visible eggs and right before she has the babies (platys and mollies are live bearers) she will start acting weird and isolate herself and rub against the gravel. And yes, they can hold sperm for up to a year so it is very possible for them to have babies even if they are all the same sex.
2007-02-07 16:09:51 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
The gestation for both Platys and Mollies is 28-30 days give or take a few days. Just like humans it's no guarantee. As pointed out, if they are ballon bellies fish they would be mollies instead of platys. In either case, you will notice a continual swelling of the belly as time goes on. Other than that there are no outward signs. You may have gotten all females and still have a pregnant fish. Both of these species, like some other live bearers have the ability to store sperm and use it to have up to 4-5 batches of babies.
Best of luck with them! MM
2007-02-07 15:46:37 · answer #2 · answered by magicman116 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If they have baloon bellies, they are mollies, not platies. Baloon mollies get to 5" so I hope you have room for them. They have up to two months gestation. They can also store sperm in their bodies, so even if you got all females, you can still have baby fish for almost a year. if you want the babies to live, seperate them. If not, let them be live food for the parents.
Male livebearer fish have an external sex organ. The anal "fin" is a long tube that lays flat against the body. Females have a normal round anal fin. Make sure you have all of the same gender.
2007-02-07 15:36:11 · answer #3 · answered by bzzflygirl 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have a tank full of them kind of fish.
I can always tell when their tummy's get bigger and rounder, more then they usually are.
And once the babies pretty well develope you can see them when they hit the light a certain way it looks like little black dots in their tummy. And mine I can always tell when they are getting ready to deliever is they get like a little white plug on their butt and their tummy's go flat on the bottom that is when I put them in a breeder and about 2-36 hrs they will be born.
The fish people told me that the males are much smaller then the females and they can hold sperm up for a very long time. My male passed away and for up to 8 months after my female kept on having babies so yes they can hold sperm up to a yr.
If you dont want the babies just let her stay in with the other fish the others will eat them, or like I said put her in a breeder cup .
The one I have is a square one that has a sperator in it and once she starts to having them the babies will drop down the slit so the mother wont eat them which she will sometimes. I usually leave in her in there for about 3 to 5 hrs after wards or u think she is competely done. I have never kept them in there for more then 24 hrs like the fish people say .
also, you might want to check with your fish store. I know when mine get to be about a inch or more in size they will take them in and I always get free fish food from them .
2007-02-07 16:26:02 · answer #4 · answered by dindy 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
what color are they? if they are black, they are probably mollies and you may not be able to tell very easily. if they are a lighter color they will continue to swell and get darker behind their stomach if they are pregnant. there are devices that you can buy that the mother can live in until the babies are born that will give them a way out. I would just buy floating plants that they can hide in. Not all of them will survive, but it wll be less stressful on the mom.
2007-02-07 16:06:19 · answer #5 · answered by Patrick D 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋