# When to isolate pregnant platy?



## WhaleSharks (Jul 12, 2013)

I recently got my 29G tank set up and am slowly stocking it over the next month or so. Two weeks ago, I got 3 bumblebee platys from my local store, 2 Female, 1 Male. Unfortunately one of the females got stressed during the transfer and didn't survive the night. The other female, however, is healthy and now pregnant. I would like to keep and raise the fry, and would like to know when she should be isolated to give birth. She is quite swollen, her abdomen is about 2 times it's normal size and she is still active. I know very little about raising fry, and would appreciate any advice given. My last tank, about 3 years ago, had some fry that survived without intervention, but I would like to improve their chances.


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## lohachata (Jan 27, 2006)

the best thing you could do is set up a 10-15 gallon tank and put lots and lots of hornwort in it..put the female in it as soon as you see she is pregnant.this will keep her from getting stressed...
i don't move any of my females just for them to give birth.i keep the plants in their regular tank and just leave them in there..


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## ZebraDanio12 (Jun 17, 2011)

If you don't want to remove her, Add tons of hiding places.
I have a bicket outside right now filled with plants and guppies, It has 50ish fish,little to none of the fry get eaten because theres are plenty of spots for them to hide.

If you do want to remove her and seperate the babies, place her in the same kind of setup. Add some plants (real or fake) to her tank, these will help to make her feel less stressed.
She will drop in her own time. Remove her when she has given birth, she may eat her fry if you don'.


Ah loha beat me, but he has the same idea as me.


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## WhaleSharks (Jul 12, 2013)

I like loha's idea of leaving the female in the tank for the pregnancy and adding hiding places. I think isolating her would stress her too badly, and I already have several bushy plants in the tank where the fry could hide, and I could easily add more. Thanks so much guys. 

Oh, one more thing. Is there a way to reliably predict when the fry will drop?


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## lohachata (Jan 27, 2006)

i am sure there is ; but i don't give it much consideration as i don't really move them.when they look like they are about to explode i figure it is close.


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## ZebraDanio12 (Jun 17, 2011)

Boxy bellies. Their bellies look like a box, and the area near the gravid spot will start to protrude. Thats how I know it could happen any day. 

I've heard people say not eating and heavy breathing,but I've honestly never seen that.


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