I just bought two Platies last week and I noticed that one of them had a bigger middle than the other. For the last couple of days the big bellied one has been hiding in their "cave" and hasn't been as active. When I checked them this morning, she was dead and there are 3 babies in the tank now. Is it normal for them to have babies and then die?
2007-06-12 00:48:55 · 11 answers · asked by Marcy T 2 in Pets ➔ Fish
I didn't chose the fish that I purchased. I wanted to start a tropical fish tank and the guy at the store told me to start with some Platies and he just grabbed two out of the tank. I didn't notice until I got home that one looked pregnant. When I first saw them this morning, I could only count three and the fish was already dead and I got her out of the tank. I have been gone all day and now I am counting about 10 babies! Now I don't even know if the dead fish is the one that gave birth or if it is the other adult fish in the tank.
2007-06-12 09:33:19 · update #1
It's not exactly normal but it's also not unheard of. As far as purchasing non-pregnant fish, if it's a female livebearer, she's pregnant when you bring her home, the question is just when she's due. There is no guarantee that the birth caused her death, or that the stress of transport home did. She very well might have died in the store and quite a number actually give birth during shipping. She might have had difficulties with the birth, but you haven't had her that long, she just as easily might have been sick.
2007-06-12 05:26:01 · answer #1 · answered by ibewhoever@yahoo.com 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I agree with Christian. If you'd only just changed habitats and temperature and then had to give birth in a strange place where you didnt know what was going to happen next, wouldn't you find it a struggle? As far as I know they dont die after birth when they're in a stable environment.
In future, I suggest you check before you purchase fish whether they are preggers or not. They are incredibly delicate creatures after all!
If you do want to breed fish, you should get a second tank and about 3 or 4 guppies. The shop assistant will help you choose males/females etc. Just put them all in one tank and within a few months you'll see lots of little babies in there. Now is the time to catch the adults so they dont eat their babies and so the babies can have a chance at the food. In no time your fish will have multiplied to about 30 or so. Just kee all the adults together and when they have babies just remember to take all the big ones out. I used to keep guppies before I moved out of my parents house, and its such good fun watching them multiply like that :)
Hope your daddy fish looks after the babies properly, and good luck x
2007-06-12 01:02:12 · answer #2 · answered by Rachel H 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Platys are livebearers so the fry that they could have would be swimming precise from the start. lady platy fish can save sperm and then later use it to fertilize herself numerous months after mating. in case you in basic terms bought her, she could have been pregnant once you have been figuring out to purchase her from yet another male on the save. sure, platys, guppies, mollies, ect will consume the fry in the event that they are no longer separated. they are able to have as much as around 50 infants at as quickly as or have infants over diverse days. good success! :) ~desire I helped
2016-10-09 01:13:03 · answer #3 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i agree with racheal and christian when you buy a preggo fish and you take and put it in its new tank the environment changes and the fish becomes stressed. I have had a fish or 2 that died from that :( but now I have a strange breeding pair a mickey mouse molly and silver one and I am getting more fry then I can handle in the future.
2007-06-12 04:58:42 · answer #4 · answered by Ms.Animal 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well, yes, because the female is so stressed out that it can't even give birth to it's fry. You should try to perchase fish that aren't pregnant/gravid and just try breeding them.
2007-06-12 00:55:29 · answer #5 · answered by Chris 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes that is normal, especially if it is a very young female, or if it gave already birth before.
Happens to me all the time, but if you want your fry to servive, put them into a breeder and feed them with "First Bites"
Good luck
2007-06-12 07:59:08 · answer #6 · answered by Kribensis lover 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
i think that she was hurt when it was bought at the pet store
2007-06-12 03:44:13 · answer #7 · answered by Jayson R 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Unfortunately this those occur, i am sorry for the loss, but its nature.
2N!$H
2007-06-12 02:29:54 · answer #8 · answered by Tunish305 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
i suppose it happens for hard child labor
2007-06-12 00:51:35 · answer #9 · answered by skims!!! 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
what the heck is a platy?
2007-06-12 00:59:42 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 3⤋