# How long platy could be pregnant ?



## ppaskova (Apr 27, 2010)

Hi Guys

I have female platy who has been pregnant for over two months now as did not give births ? Is this normal ? I bought 5 patties 6 months ago (2 males and 3 females). All of them died beside this one. She has been without male for 2 months now but since then she looks very pregnant but still no babies. My guppies usually give birth a few times by that time. Even my friends patties whom she bought at the same time as me or later already gave birth. So what's wrong with my one ?


----------



## Fishfur (Mar 4, 2012)

That sounds a bit off, but are you sure of the length of time. Normal pregnancy for platies is 4 -6 weeks. I am not certain, but I think platies may be like guppies, which means they can carry sperm from the males and give birth more than once from a single mating. Maybe someone can check me on that if I'm wrong, haven't had time to look it up.

Has she ever had babies that you know of ? Because brood size can vary and many things eat fry, you may not have seen any fry, even if she did have some before. Usually, if they look pregnant and have been with a male, they are pregnant. 

But she could also have some illness that is causing her belly to look swollen. I'd have to look that up and I don't have time just now.. I'll try later on to see if there is anything.

If she looks otherwise healthy and is eating well, if you can, put her in a breeder box, so if she does have fry, she won't be able to eat them.

Got to go for now..Good luck


----------



## ppaskova (Apr 27, 2010)

She never gave birth before. Usually it takes a little longer than usual to give birth first time. But she is very much grown now, 3" long and looks very grown and mature. She looks very healthy and playful. Her pup looks good as well. I can even see babies inside her but not outside yet


----------



## pyrrolin (Jan 11, 2012)

sounds like they will be born soon


----------



## Fishfur (Mar 4, 2012)

If you can, get a breeder box designed so that it allows fry to swim out through slots or grids, where the mother cannot fit through. If she gives birth when you are not around, this way, you'll save most of the fry, maybe all of them to start with.

Once all the fry are born, remove mother back to her main tank, and you can raise the fry for awhile in the box or another grow out tank. I like the hang on the aquarium style boxes, as they usually allow for fresh water to be pumped in and out with just an air hose fitted to them, so you can leave the fry in that box until they have grown quite a bit. Their water will be filtered by the main tank filter. You can also get them as separate small tanks that don't hang, some even have built in filters, needing only an air line to run them.

Ideally, if you can, give them their own tank. Or you can divide an existing tank temporarily with a piece of plastic or glass wedged into it, just to prevent the fry getting into the main compartment, or anything else from getting into their side and eating them all. You need to arrange some method for water to circulate from one compartment through the other.. a piece of plastic grid or screen would do, maybe at the top or bottom, to let water go around but not fish.

If the holes are not too large, a sheet of plastic canvas would work.. I'm not sure just how tiny newborn platies are, but in the standard size of plastic canvas, 7 count, the holes are approximately 1/8 inch square. It also comes in ten count, 1/10th inch size holes. Both comes in sheets that are 8 x 11, and 7 count canvas,[ that's its name, even though it's not made of canvas] comes in one larger sheet size. Very cheap, Michaels for sure has these, maybe the dollar store would have it. Could wedge a sheet of it along with a bracing piece of something stiffer, like glass, until the fry are large enough to be safe from predation.


----------



## Ryan.Wilton (Dec 12, 2012)

I've read that most livebearer species can actually hold the sperm for up to a year without giving birth to a single offspring. Can't remember what the technical term is, but it's a cool adaptation.

I have a guppy who was gravid for about 5 months. She finally popped out 12 babies and that was it...


----------



## Fishfur (Mar 4, 2012)

Let's hope the platy does not do what some snakes are reputed to be able to do.. which is store sperm for up to five years before giving birth ! Yikes.. who knew ?


----------

