when will my swordtail give birth

here's some pictures of my swordtail... I know shes close but id like to put her in the breeder box so I can keep the babies, but I don want her in the box for too long. Can anyone with more exerience with these fish tell me how long until she will have them?

 

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The photos appear ok to me on my computer...... couple of nice looking Swordtails. I'd have to guess no more than a week, without any more info to go on. What is your water temp? Lower temps will prolong the process due to slower metabolism. You're probably not doing the female any favors by putting her in a box; swordtails being bigger than average livebearers, she'll be kind of cramped in there unless it's a big box. Your tank looks like it has lots of plants for hiding places for fry, I'd let her deliver in the tank; you should have a decent survival rate as well as a big brood. Good luck whatever you choose, loos like a big bunch of babies on the way.

 

the temperature is just under 26 degrees (78ish) and the box home made ... 2 litres (thoughts if that size is good?) and I know the box would add stress that's why I wanted to narrow down when she'd have them so she's only in there for say one night ..

 

26 degrees sounds perfect. A 2L box is definitely better than the smaller ones sold in stores, so you are making the best of it with a box. Unfortunately there's no way you can narrow down the delivery time to a 24 hour time frame. The best you can do is watch closely; when she starts to raise her tail or hover in one place with fins quivering, they are signs that she could be starting to deliver. You will have to watch carefully though, the babies can pop out in a blink of an eye and the delivery could be over in less than an hour. I'd give her 2-3 days and then put her in but make sure she isn't acting too stressed out. Let us know!

One more thing - make sure you have a cover on the box, swordtails are jumpers and she will try to get out, probably. (not an airtight cover though)

 

thanks a lot for your help I'll keep you posted