how many fry batches can a platy have?

[ladyhawk]

Hi all...new here, really need some help. I recently bought a female platy and she gave birth the same night I got her. We saved about 15 babies from the other fish. This was about 3-3 1/2 weeks ago. She looks preganet again. I know other fish can breed once and have several batches from the one breeding session. What about the Platies? Can she be getting ready to have more...she has a dark spot in her belly again. And if she is going to have more, about how long from one birth to the next batch?HELP!!

 

[MrMup04]

between 20-1000
but one thing is my guppy had only 2 frys today weird
but my swordtail had over 50 isn't that amazing ?

 

[FishMan10005]

Yes platys can have alot of births right after each other. She most likly will ave more. About the how long question, they can be pregnant, give birth and become pregnant again within a week, i think. They ususally give birth within 1-4 weeks.
Hope this helps!

 

[FroggyFox]

Yep...I'm sure she's going to have more If her gravid spot is dark then, even moreso. Platies are like every other livebearer...they can have babies every 4 weeks or so...and even if there aren't any males around, they can have several broods. Not sure how many...I recently seperated my male guppies from my female guppy and so I guess I'll find out heh

As for exactly when she'll have them, there aren't really any good ways to tell. Some people say they look more square instead of round before they give birth...sometimes they get lethargic and dont eat much...usually you'll just wake up one morning and there will be little ones swimming around I would put some cover for the fry in the tank...some floating plants work nicely...and then dont stress about it.

 

[ladyhawk]

thanks

well cool! Thanks for the quick answers. I think I'm going to put her in a breeder net and hope for the best. It has been a few weeks since the last bunch, so maybe soon with this next. She was pretty cool about not eating the last ones. I hope she will be good about the next.

 

[MrMup04]

oops i said 1000 i meant 20-100

 

[ladyhawk]

Well, since everyone is so knowageable here. Here is another question about the platies. I also have what I though was a male platy. How do you know for sure what sex they are? I knew the female was a female cause of the dark spot and then babies. But the other one is bright orange and about twice the size of the female, very round also. There dose not appear to be any dark spot like there is gravid spot.So any pointers of how to sex them would be great.

 

[FishMan10005]

Males have gonopodiums or w/e they are called. (little 'sticks' under them)
females are usually rounder.

 

[FroggyFox]

OHH where is that picture! Someone here drew a picture of the difference. I"ll see if I can find it.

Edit:

AHA! http://www.myfishtank.net/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=10650 Check this thread...dragonett attached a good picture of the difference between male and female livebearers.

 

[cawah]

Edit

 

[FroggyFox]

Was that really necessary cawah? That was someone's original drawing and if they object to that I think it'll probably be taken out.

 

[subgang]

Funny, but in a very "Silence of the Lambs" sort of a way.

 

[cawah]

Ah... sorry, I just thought the drawing was cute and I just wanted to put my experiences into the picture. I'll take it down. Sorry.

 

[Fish are cool]

Originally posted by DizBjOhN104
oops i said 1000 i meant 20-100

mine (i had one years ago) has been known to give around 180 babies

 

[ladyhawk]

Wonder if she is just fat?

Well then I have 2 female platies. But it is stange to me that the tiny one had almost 40 babies the night I brought her home and the big orange one appears to be very round and fat. No dark spot though.The orange one is twice the size of the little grey mama. Is that normal?
And when the little grey one had all thoose babies we caught the first 20 with a net and put them into a small tank to try and save them from the other fish in the big tank.Then we caught mama and put her in the little tank to finish up and she had like 20 more.After about 1 day we only saw about 20. Did the stress of moveing the new borns kill them?
And this time around I have her in a breeder net to try and have all the babies rounded up and then just take her out when she is done.How long should I leave the brood in the breeder net till I put them in their own tank?
You guys have been great with answers so far thanks!

 

[FroggyFox]

I think chances are good that she ate them...not that they died from the stress of moving them (unless of course the tank that you moved them to wasn't the same in temperature and water chemistry...)

The momma wont eat the babies when she's having them....but when she gets out of "labor mode" she'll have a snack. (few hours I think) Which is why you want to have cover for the fry in a tank)

I hugely dislike breeder nets and traps because it stresses them out so much and you dont really even know when they're going to have the babies. I would much rather have them give birth in their natural surroundings and catch the babies (assuming you actually want them). I also dont net the babies...I take a clear cup and take them out with some water from the original tank because I think that stresses them out less.

As for one being bigger than the other...sure Age has a lot to do with it. My last remaining female guppy is pretty fat herself...but I dont think she's prego.

HTH