Pregnant Platy White Stringy Poop!

I got 2 new platies on sat to go with our pregnant female. Noticed a few days later one of these is pregnant. No big deal so now I have 2 pregnant platies. I have been keeping a close eye cause we just cycled a few months ago and are currently stocking. I have tested the water everyday and the readings are perfect. (pH 7.8, ammonia 0, nitrites 0, nitrates 10-20). I have been watching them since the fish are all so new and the last 2 days the new pregnant platy has been hiding more. I just noticed something white/clear thin and stringy coming from her. Please tell me it's a sign of birth and not parasites! All the fish are acting great except the 2 pregnant ones who are just more skittish and hide more

Here are 2 pics

 

White stringy poo is generally a sign of parasites, so I understand why you're nervous about it. But the good news is white stringy poo is also common when a livebearer is about to give birth.

So, basically, if you don't see fry within a couple of days, then the idea that it could be a parasite will hold more weight.

 

Oh thank God lol. I was hoping you would say that lol.

 

To be safe, you might want to have a small bottle of Prazipro ready so if you don't see fry or improvement you can medicate quickly. Keep in mind she may have the fry and then still have stringy poop if there is a parasite. I have used Prazipro in a tank with new platy fry and they are all fine.
Good luck!

 

To be safe, you might want to have a small bottle of Prazipro ready so if you don't see fry or improvement you can medicate quickly. Keep in mind she may have the fry and then still have stringy poop if there is a parasite. I have used Prazipro in a tank with new platy fry and they are all fine.
Good luck!

Does this mess up the cycle at all?

 

You have to remove your filter cartridge to administer meds, because the carbon in a filter will remove meds from the water. So yes, if your tank is not cycled, removing the filter cartridge will indeed mess up the cycle.

But, that said, the health of your fish should take priority over the status of your cycle.

 

You have to remove your filter cartridge to administer meds, because the carbon in a filter will remove meds from the water. So yes, if your tank is not cycled, removing the filter cartridge will indeed mess up the cycle.

But, that said, the health of your fish should take priority over the status of your cycle.

It is cycled I just had issues with it so jist wondering if I will have to start over lol. Hopefully she just has babies soon!

 

If it's cycled then I wouldn't worry. Just keep your filter cartridge in a tupperware of tank water to keep it wet while administering meds. If it dries out, your cycle crashes.

 

Ok I only have to take out the charcoal right? I have an aqueon so that has the cartridge I'll remove but I also have an aquaclear and the charcoal is sepesepa so I could just remove that and leave the biomax and foam.

 

Do you have a sponge prefilter? If I were you, I would put one on now for two reasons. First, if your platy does have fry, it'll keep them from getting sucked into the filter. Second, putting the sponge on now will give it some time to build up beneficial bacteria that will help maintain the cycle if you end up having to remove your filter cartridge. And it can mechanically filter for you while the cartridge is out.

Oh, didn't see that you have the 3 filter media.
Yeah, just remove the carbon ones.

If you have an extra foam for your aquaclear, you can stick that in your aqueon filter now with the carbon filter so bacteria can colonize that. Then leave that sponge in when you have to take out the carbon filter.

 

Correct, you only need to remove the carbon.

 

So it doesn't seem like she has had babies yet. She did have a very big poop come out of her though (very wide not long). I have been feeding the cories shrimp pellets and the platies seem to be eating them as well. Is it possible she is eating to much that is causing the weird poops? I have only had her and another one a week and honestly she mostly just hide and I'm worried something is off with them and they will pass it to my other fish.

 

It's so hard to tell. They'll hide when they're not feeling well because other fish might pick up on it and target them. I've also read about fish hiding up to a week before giving birth.
Do you want to keep all of the fry alive?
If so, you might consider setting up a quarantine tank. It'll prevent your other fish from contracting what she has if it's infectious. Or she'll have the babies in it. And you'll be able to better control how much food she's getting and monitor the poop situation better.

 

I'm not worried about the fry. I didn't want babies so if they survive they survive. Unfortunately we don't have anywhere for another tank. She is swimming around and acting fine, however I noticed these spots today. It's almost like she has holes on the inside of belly! Like I said she is acting fine. Is this normal for pregnant platies or is it a parasite or something?

 

I'm not sure what's causing this, but I think it's time to quarantine this fish.

 

Someone said it is the gravid spot.

 

I hope so. It looks out of place for a gravid spot, to me, but I could be wrong.

 

I hope so. It looks out of place for a gravid spot, to me, but I could be wrong.

I thought the same thing so I have been trying to get other opinions.

 

How's she doing? Any updates?