platyaddict

Hi everyone!
I am new here. I have grown up all my life with fish tanks, but that was sorta my parents thing, and now that I am out on my own, I decided to get one. Now I am ADDICTED! I have a few questions, and I am not sure if I am in the right place or whatever. Anyways... I have a 10 gallon tank and I have 1 male and 4 female platys. So all of my females have had fry. The first ones all died cause of that stupid plastic breeder thing. So I went out and got a small 6 sided 2 gallon tank, equipped it with a filter, a mini airstone, gravel, a "house" and a plant to put the babies in, 2 more of my platys had babies in the big tank, alot of them got eaten so I got out the ones I could and they are all doing great. The light keeps it a perfect 81 degrees which I read somewhere that it is good to keep fry at that temp, and it will also speed up pregnancy. So, one of my females, was "squared off" so I tried to put her in the breeder thing to have her babies, but she just freaked out, so I took out all my fry that are already in my 2 gallon and put them in the breeder just while my pregnant female was giving birth. Sure enough, 2 hours later she was giving birth. Now on to my questions. I have read somewhere that a "hormone" or whatever will keep the mother from eating her babies for a few hours, but that isnt the case with ALL of mine, I noticed when they are giving birth they are STARVING. They go around and eat whatever they can, stuff on the ground and especially thier babies. So I was wondering how I can keep them from eating them? Also, I have noticed that either after or during the birth the females "poop" out this thick redish stuff that just keeps coming and coming. sometimes it is like 3 inches long. Is that poop or is that "afterbith"? Do fish even have afterbith? Is that a sign that she is done? Well she had 12 little fry and they are doing great and they are just as cute as can be. So i was just wondering is this normal for females to do?? Thanks!

Lucy

Hi welcome to Fish Lore

That's a lot of babies!

I don't have live bearers but several members do. I'm sure they'll be along and be able to help you with your questions.

Good luck.

platyaddict

Thanks for the welcome Lucy! Your avatar is SO cute!

Shawnie

welcome to fishlore!!!! great story ...im just thinking about a livebearer tank! any advice for a beginner?

SkyCrystal

Welcome to Fishlore!

I'm sorry I can't help you. I have some Guppies, but none of the females have given birth (I've only had them for about a month). If all your females have had that red "afterbirth" stuff, then I would assume that it's normal.

Good luck!
-SkyCrystal

Alessa

Advice for Platyaddict and Shawnie!

Livebearers are awesome little fishies! Platies and guppies are gorgeous to look at and really sweet! Hi-fin mollies and swordtails require larger tanks but are also gorgeous fishies to look at!

The main thing about livebearer parents is to decide wether they want babies or not. If they do, keep 1 male to every 3 females. If you dont then keep a school of males that will form a pecking order, which will prevent them from becoming overly agressive.

With moms and babies... Well, my platies never ate their young (which was a good thing). But to be 100% sure females should be placed in a breeder box or net. The babies will be protected that way since the time they are born.

After that is a good idea to keep them in separate tanks (rubbermaid containers make great hospital tanks) until the little ones are big enough not to be eaten.

They require a varied diet (adults and babies) bloodworms, algae wafers... when the babies are to little to eat normal stuff, I found Hikari's First Bites to be a wonderful food that makes them grow fast!

platyaddict

Thank you so much. I tried to put her in the breeder box, and she freaked out and ran into the sides and stuff, so i didnt want her to be stressed out and not have any babies at all. I feed my fry 3 different kinds of crushed food mixed together:flakes for diet, flakes for color, and freeze dried blood worms, I also give them hard boiled egg yolk, once a day. I feed them about 6 times a day, in very little amounts. My adults get the same, just not crushed. They also get hard boiled egg yolk, which they go CRAZY over. I want to get into hatching Baby brine shrimp, or a culture of microworms, but I just have to get around to ordering them online, because I have searched all over town and can't find them. I have never fed them algae wafers because I thought those were just for my pleco which he LOVES!