# I wasn't ready for this pregnancy.



## IronDoll (Nov 8, 2010)

LOL, that sounds funny doesn't it?

Seriously, I've been watching my female platy get fater and fater, in the last day or two she's looking like she's gonna pop so I'm betting that she's going to give birth soon. I was in denial but I'm being realistic now and realize I don't have an extra tank. Are there inexpensive items on the market that can be put inside the existing tank so that I can separate her? I don't know when I will have a chance to get to the LFS so tell me how do they act when they are ready to birth? 

Also, when these fry get bigger it pushes the tank's occupancy over 100%, what does everyone do when their fish have babies? I really didn't want more platies, not my favorite. I have never sold any fish before but I see this as the only option. This was unexpected.


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## humdedum (Feb 18, 2009)

Yes, I'm pretty sure all PetCo's and PetsMart's and common stores like that carry breeder traps or breeder nets or just very thick fake plants for the babies to hide in. I know my local Petco had small breeder traps that will float in the tank, and can be stuck to the sides of the tank if desired. 

If she is actually dropping fry while I write this post or something, just let the fry swim free. They will hide in the tank, but most of them will be eaten by the other fish, or sucked into the filter if you have a power filter. If survival isn't what you want, they'll disappear on their own...into someone else's stomach! 

If you really want to save them, call up the stores around you and ask if they take fish donations. 3 out of every 5 will probably say yes, so you can throw the fish in a bucket and take them over. 

Good luck and congrats on the babies!

Oh, and if you do decide to keep them, you can grind up your adult fish food into powder and feed that to the fry. That will suffice until you can get something like First Bites from the store.


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## AvocadoPuffDude (Jan 20, 2011)

You don't need to grind up the food for the babies. They'll pick at whole flakes or pellets even and get what they need (so long as they're not being chased and harassed by the big fish, that is.) There are many things you can do to separate the mom and fry, but I wouldn't suggest moving the mama when she's about to birth or if she's already begun birthing, the stress can kill them at that time. Use a large fish net and hang it at the top of the tank, anything like that will work. It doesn't have to be a specifically-designed baby trap.
Also, DO NOT PATRONIZE THE BIG BOX PET STORES!!!! They don't know what they're talking about 99% of the time, and could care less about you or your fish or even good fish keeping practices. PetCo keeps SALT in ALL THEIR FRESHWATER TANKS which a) isn't good for freshwater fish and b) stresses them out unduly going back into pure fresh water at your home, in fact, the salinity difference is much harder for a fish to acclimate to than most other water parameters. Salt does NOT belong in a freshwater fish tank!
Use your LFS. They usually have 10 times the variety of fish, whereas the big box fish stores, PetSmart and PetCo only keep the most commonly kept fish, nothing oddball or unusual (or interesting, yawn.) They will gladly sell you an oscar and a guppy and not tell you those two don't go together, and a fish tank, all in the same sale, without telling you that you need to cycle the tank before adding fish. They're terrible losers and I do not suggest ever using a big box pet store.
If you are concerned about over-populating your tank, do nothing. Let the mama have her babies, very few will survive in a community tank (only the strongest and fastest will survive.) To increase the odds of their survival, if you want, have lots of hidey places (thick mats of fine-leaved plants, java moss, or similar plastic pieces). Overpopulation can cause some problems, for the babies it will only stunt them and they won't grow to their full normal size, as well as stressing your filter and altering your water parameters with too many fish and the resultant waste produced.
Good luck to you!!!!!


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## IronDoll (Nov 8, 2010)

Humdedum, Thanks for the well wishes and the info, no babies yet. 

AvacadoPuffDude, Wow, tell me how you really feel. LOL. I hear that a lot form ppl about the big box stores. I have only one LFS as a choice and it's 30min away, not many choices so sometimes convenience is a factor in patronizing the big box stores. Bottom line though, I get what you are saying and really try to patronize the small LFS. Thanks for the info, sounds easy enough. I wish I know when she will drop her babies, it really seems like any day now. Too bad some of my cool fish didn't get pregnant. I'm getting the bug for some exotic fishies.


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## Lanette001 (Apr 7, 2011)

When your platy starts to give birth, you will see her breathing very hard and quickly and she will try to get away from the other fish. You will most likely see her behind some decorations or plants. This is what all of my platies have done when they are about to give birth, and this is usually how I tell if they are not giving birth because they won't be doing these things.

Good luck! I never intentionally savve babies. They will hide in your gravel too. When you siphon the tank, if you siphon not long after birth, you may find lots of babies in the gravel. You can either let them get eaten up, or like me you can save the ones you find. I only save the babies I see because I don't want them to die lol


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