Easter Babies!

[iapetus]

Well, I still have a bunch of healthy swordtail fry on my hands!

Lessee:

2.5G - If you look at my signature, I now have 8. This isn't just because two of them died, although we did lose a couple in this tank. I took the largest of the fry that were in this tank and transferred them into the 29G, seeing as how the fry in that tank seem to do the best. But, I also replaced those two with more fry! Yep, Lauryn apparently dropped more fry! My fiancée thought she might still have been pregnant; I was so sure (I think I was in denial). I decided to leave these guys up to their own devices in the 29G. But, I couldn't help bringing a couple over into the smallest tank (), which now holds a couple of otocinclus in QT, as well.

10G - Situation normal here (except for a ghost shrimp that I think won't make it ). The swordtail fry in here (there are at least two, but I'm not sure there isn't a third -- they get lost in the hornwort) are noticeably redder than the rest. They're also getting more courageous. They take trips beyond the hornwort and all around the tank, apparently no longer afraid of my pristella tetras or my GBR.

29G - So, yep, now we've got a few more fry. I'm kinda shocked that only four weeks went between batches of fry. Apparently, Lauryn was pregnant with this batch when she dropped her first batch. The biggest of the fry is now ~0.75" long and clearly looks like mom. He's got a bright red fin with the red lateral streaks that his pineapple mother has. The ones that I transported from the 2.5G, while small, are holding their own; I suspect that they'll do well.

[Kissyboots]

Yay, glad to hear you have more luck than I did with those guys.

[iapetus]

Originally Posted by Kissyboots

Yay, glad to hear you have more luck than I did with those guys.

Thanks! But, it's still early on. I'd say that I only have about 1/3 of the first batch remaining. Those fish are only 4 weeks old. I believe that's how old your fry was before he passed. And, for some reason, the smallest fry are growing frustratingly slowly. But, OTOH, everyone seems happy!

[Kissyboots]

Hehe. I had three fry. So yeah, 1/3 was left after a while. I think she was actually 2 months but I forgot.

[iapetus]

Well, it's been 5 months ( ) since these swordtails were born. Twelve of them survived. ( ) Of those, I have given away 6; six still live in my 29G. I gave away three males in July to the owner of my LFS; three more were brought back to my LFS earlier this month.

I ultimately plan to give away all but one female. The problem there is that they all appear to be growing up male. And, the woman at the LFS wants some females (I think she's just taking them home to her tanks). So, I'll keep looking for some that don't grow gonopodia as they mature.

(While I've been AWOL for a while, I have been checking from time to time! )

[brian1973]

iapetus good to see your back

[iapetus]

Originally Posted by brian1973

iapetus good to see your back

Thanks for saying so!

I've been off way too many radar screens as of late; I intend to remedy that!

[brian1973]

I did the same thing..i took a 2 month hiatus.

[reddawg1]

i have 3 platys (1 male and 2female) due to their coloration they all have black spots behind their anal fins is there any other way to tell when the females are pregnant

[brian1973]

Reddawg1 welcome to the tank...my suggestion is start your own a thread, in the beginners freshwater section or the breeding section, probably your best bet a gettng the answers your looking for. Also post one in the inroduce yourself forum

My platy's never showed the gravid mark..I found they were prego because they got fat..lol...seriously monitor your feeding and only feed once every day at the most, if they are still plump then there is a good chance they are prego.