# How long can you keep a fish in a breeding net?



## mlefev

I know my platy is getting ready to have more little ones, but I don't know exactly when. How long can I keep her in a breeding net without her having problems?

The one I bought is a little rectangle frame that the net goes over. It's about 5"W x 7"L x 5"H


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## fish_doc

It varies with the fish. I would say a couple days at the most. Be sure to use a baster or somthing similar to change some of the water daily. even though it is a net it dosent hurt to cycle the water out a bit more.


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## mlefev

OK. I wish I had a better idea of when she's going to have the babies. I can tell that she's close. I guess if she doesn't by sunday I'll have to put her back into the tank for a day or 2. I hope moving her back and forth doesn't stress her out too badly


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## sharky

you can keep them in a breeder net for 3 days max. then you have to take them out for at least a 12 hour break.


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## mlefev

Yeah I think I'll take her out this afternoon and put her in again tomorrow afternoon, actually. She's seeming stressed out


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## Chazwick

Yeah - that seems fair. It's not healthy for a preggo fish (or one you want to be preggo) to be stressed out.  Let her have a swim about.. i personally, wouldn't keep her into the breeding net until i thought she was *quite* close to giving birth.


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## Damon

I wouldn't use a breeding net at all. If I were planning on the spawn, I would have set up another tank for her and just her that the fry can "growout" in. If it was unexpected, I would leave the eggs or fry up to chance.


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## mlefev

I would have another tank if I was allowed to keep it. My landlord raised an eyebrow at me having one plus my betta's gallon bowl. I would really like some of the fry to survive. I've only had one from the first batch make it, all of the ones from the 2nd died or were eaten.

She's back out of the net right now. It was freaking her out too badly. She's within a week of having more fry from what I can tell...I'm starting to see little black eyes through her stomach. I just hope I can catch them, or her when she's ready to have them.


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