# My platy is pregnant...



## PetMania (Mar 28, 2013)

So I recently bought a platy from a place that keeps both genders together and I can tell she is pregnant. Is there anything I should do for her or know about pregnancy? I am going to do the whole natural selectiont thing so I am not overrun, but do I still have to feed the babies? Or will they feed themselves?

Thank you!


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## lilnaugrim (Mar 27, 2013)

You'll need to feed the babies, ground up flakes work just fine. And you could still end up with a bunch of babies even with natural selection. I've got three female guppies in my tank and still ended up with just about 30 fry >.> sigh.


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## PetMania (Mar 28, 2013)

Thanks! I guess we both are raising fry now


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## lilnaugrim (Mar 27, 2013)

lol yup! It's fun! I just keep wanting to feed them like every second I get >.< lol oh well, they'll grow up strong and fast at least! Good luck with your fry once they come along!


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## PetMania (Mar 28, 2013)

Thanks! And good luck to you, too. I know that I may have to give the babies away (depends on how many make it) but I will have fun raising them! 

I'll update y'all when she gives birth. Any further suggestions would be greatly appreciated.


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## Elsewhere (Dec 30, 2012)

Have fun with them! I hope you do better than I did- the mum's ate 8/9 of the babies they had when I had guppies >.<


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## PetMania (Mar 28, 2013)

Thanks. I made sure to have a lot of plants in there in case the mom gives birth when I am not there. I might move them into another tank for the first week or two. I am reconsidering the whole 'natural-selection' thing.


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## Elsewhere (Dec 30, 2012)

I put my girl in a breeder box, but she delivered and then ate the babies as they were born. great parenting, right?


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## PetMania (Mar 28, 2013)

Did the breeder box have slits so the fry can swim out?


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## Elsewhere (Dec 30, 2012)

Nope. See? See how bad I am with baby fish? It wasn't an official breeder box, it was more like a .5g tank. Plus, there were other females in the tank, so they probably would've been gone anyways :/


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## lilnaugrim (Mar 27, 2013)

That's the funny thing about breeder net/boxes when they don't have traps for the babies to go into....it makes it easy food for the mama! I bought this: http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=14698 and while I haven't technically used it to let the mama birth her babies, it does work! The filter portion works pretty decently as well! I also kind of wanted to get this one but opted for the other one anyway http://www.thatpetplace.com/aqua-nursery


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## PetMania (Mar 28, 2013)

Anyone know how long pregnancy last for? I am so excited to see these babies!


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## lilnaugrim (Mar 27, 2013)

around 26 day's is the normal gestation period, so basically a little less than a month depending on the female. It's the same for all livebearer's ^_^ You should be able to tell when she's ready, she'll be come antisocial, chilling behind plants most of the time and her ovipositer will open up allowing for the fry to be released. She'll become box like in the shape of her stomach, so the bottom will become flat. All the same signs as guppies.


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## PetMania (Mar 28, 2013)

Thanks! Yeah, she is getting bi, but not quite there. She might be 3/4s of the way there.


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## MattsBettas (Dec 18, 2012)

Babies are exciting . I wouldn't rely on "natural selection" (which is actually different then what true natural selection would be like, because of the environment they are in in tanks) if you want to count on getting young. 

Just have to clarify something- the gestation period for livebearers is NOT all the same. Guppies are around a months, but some species, like _Ameca splendens_, is usually around 60 days.


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## lilnaugrim (Mar 27, 2013)

Oh, I stand corrected! My bad. Guess I was just thinking about the popular four; guppy, molly, platy and sword which are all slightly different but right around a month. I always forget there are other livebearers even though I've looked into them >.<


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## PetMania (Mar 28, 2013)

Oh, edit on my other post. Mama *that's her new name, lol* is getting big, not bi. I type too fast and then don't double check, lol.


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## javert (Mar 21, 2013)

From what I have read, the best setup for breeding is an aquarium with plenty of hide spots for the fry. Last time a platy of mine gave birth to babies the fry preferred to hide amidst the floating anacharis plants instead of ornaments on the bottom, so I would suggest you to use something that forms thick tangles on the surface; that way, they won't have to expose in order to reach food. Of course, if you have a specific breeding fry just remove the mother quickly after you see enough fry (I have read somewhere that the mother suppresses her hunger for several hours after giving birth),


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## lilnaugrim (Mar 27, 2013)

Yeah, I always find my guppy fry hiding in my floating water sprite where mama's can't get at them as easily. But then again, my guppies are weirdly sexist so they don't really care for eating the females.


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