Is my platy pregnant

[Holm44]

I Just got my 10 gallon tank started today and bought three platies 2 male and 1 female, once I came home and took a look at the female she looked as though she might be pregnant, considering this is my first time owning platies, could someone tell me if they think she is pregnant.
Thanks*twirlysmi
Tara

 

[Thyra]

She certainly looks PG. Just a suggestion - the best ratio is at least two females per male not the other way around. The males will harass the on female. You also have to consider the tanks size - 6 platys in a 10g will be a pretty full house and you will have fry -some will survive.

 

[Holm44]

She certainly looks PG. Just a suggestion - the best ratio is at least two females per male not the other way around. The males will harass the on female. You also have to consider the tanks size - 6 platys in a 10g will be a pretty full house and you will have fry -some will survive.

Thanks so much for the advice! About the ratio .. I was supposed to get two females and one male .. but I didn't notice that they gave me two males on accident until i brought them home, should i get an additional female or take one of the males back to my LFS the exchange for a female? I was concerned about her being pregnant considering i just started my tank yesterday so i haven't even had the water established for a good 6 weeks yet

 

[KcMopar]

Most important is to watch the ammonia level and keep the water changed so you dont kill the fish. Your ammonia is going to spike and this will kill the fish if you are not doing water changes every day or every other at minimum. This is all part of the nitrogen cycle that tanks go through on a continuous cycle but the first start-up of the cycle will kill fish.

 

[metsrangersfan15]

yeah take back one male. if they dont kill each other they'll definitely kill her, especially in a 10.

 

[Holm44]

Thanks so much for the helpful advice everyone!!

 

[Fishman1995]

She looks pregnant but beware, ive had platy girls just be slightly stopped up, give a nice poop and resume normal size. Hope you get some babys

 

[Thyra]

On the other hand, I have 3 small platys that definitely do not look PG and I continue to find fry. Its hard to tell how many because there is a betta in with them, but several are thriving.

 

[metsrangersfan15]

not sure if this is common knowledge or not, but most live bearers can hold fertilization for long periods of time and give birth even when they havent been in the presence of a male for months.

While this is certainly not the case with your fish, it was the case with a female swordtail i bought a while back

 

[robynz]

I also want to breed platy fish. Thank you for your advice as to the ratio of male to female. Exactly the female should outnumbered the male platy fish, accordingly 1 male to 2-3 female.

 

[star37]

She looks pregnant, I've just discovered that I might have a couple pregnant female sunburst platies in my tank, you should have some plants for the fry to hide in but the other tanks mates would love to eat them. You look for a gravid spot, which is a greyish-blackish area around her "anus fin" and when her belly becomes squarish shaped, you should put her in a breeder,
if you're going to breed her in it. for care of the fry you SHOULD put them in a separate tank, but you don't have to. as for feeding, just crush up some flanks into a powder. Have anymore questions? feel free to ask me.

 

[Fishlover0507]

To help with a backed up fish you can feed them peas that don't have a "shell" on them. The pea just clears out their system.