Platy fish are a fun and easy species to take care of. They can be bred in tanks, and they don’t require too much space or time for maintenance. However, they are very hard to find in the wild because they spend most of their time hiding from predators. And if you have a pregnant Platy fish, congratulations! But should you separate your Pregnant Platy fish or not?
Yes, you should separate a pregnant Platy fish from other tank mates to ensure their safety and the health of your fry. If you plan to breed Platy fish, you must know how to separate pregnant females from the rest of the group properly.
Fish breeders will often keep them in separate tanks to prevent harassment by male platyfish and protect the fry. If you’re keeping your Platy in one tank and want to know how best to set up a nursery tank or seclude near labor, read on for some helpful tips!
This blog post will provide information on what signs indicate a female is pregnant, as well as reasons why it’s beneficial to keep her separated until she gives birth. We’ll also cover some tips for preparing your nursery tank to be ready when labor starts!
Signs Of Pregnant Platy Fish
Some of the signs of a female Platy fish carrying eggs include:
Swollen Belly
When the gravid spot of pregnant platy becomes visible, it is an indication that she has been impregnated. The gravid spot refers to any white or grayish lump on her body where the egg sac will be formed and later hatched out. When you see this lump, you should begin preparing the best way possible to separate pregnant Platy fish.
Reasons Why You Should Separate Pregnant Platy Fish
There are various reasons why you should separate pregnant Platy fish from other platies. Some of these reasons include:
To Prevent Harassment By Male Platy Fish
Male fishes are always searching for their mate; usually, they will go crazy and harass the female platies during mating season. This harassment is to the point that they can kill their female mate. It may be fun for you to watch them, but it will not be good if your pregnant Platy fish are dying because of this kind of behavior by other male fishes. To avoid such a scenario, make sure you separate your pregnant Platy fish from all other tank mates before it is too late.
To Protect The Platy Fry
The fry of a pregnant Platy fish will be killed by other fishes, especially the male platies because they are always searching for their mate. They may even kill the eggs and eat them up if you do not separate your pregnant fish from all tank mates before it is too late.
To Take Rest After Birthing Children
Platies will give birth to their children after a long period of gestation. In most cases, this lasts for about four weeks only, and the female platy is now tired from all those hard works. To ensure that she gets some rest immediately after giving birth, you should separate her from other tank mates immediately.
How To Keep Pregnant Platy Fish In Separate Tanks?
There are various ways on how to separate pregnant platy from other tank mates. They include:
Seclude Near Labor
After the female gets pregnant, you can put her in a secluded area. Or where she will have a lot of time to rest and prepare for childbirth. Ensure the secluded area is not near a school or an area where there are many other fish to protect your female platy from harassment by male Platy fish when she gives birth. You can also put her inside a breeder’s box that has holes in it, which will allow the water to filter through it. It will be a good way for her to get used to living inside such an environment before giving birth so she won’t feel alarmed if you suddenly put her in your main tank after childbirth is done.
Prepare Your Nursery Tank
You can prepare your nursery tank by putting some gravel and pebbles at the bottom and placing a few live plants inside. You can also put in some driftwood or rocks for your female platy to hide under if she feels threatened by other fish when giving birth.
Using the Main Tank
You can use your main tank as a nursery if you want. But make sure to filter it heavily with activated carbon and other purification agents. The activated carbon will be able to remove all the harmful toxins that your female platy may have after giving birth, and it will also take away any leftover waste from platies in the tank. Be sure to clean up these areas at least once a day so you can prevent water stagnation, which is one of the leading causes of fish death.
Breeder’s Box
You can make a breeder’s box by cutting an opening at the top side of your tank and placing some mesh on it to prevent other fish from getting inside. You should also use activated carbon in this type of setup to avoid water stagnation and toxic build-up due to leftover waste.
Tank Divider
If you don’t want to use a breeder’s box, it is also possible to put up a divider inside your tank. You can find dividers in hardware shops or pet stores. They usually come with an adjustable feature so that you can adjust the length of the divider depending on how crowded your main tank is.
FAQs
Here are some FAQs that you may want to look into before making your decision:
How Long Should I Separate My Pregnant Platy Fish?
You can separate your female platy for about three weeks so they can give birth without any disturbance from other fish or environmental factors. After the three-week period, you can put all of your fish back in your main tank.
Conclusion
In conclusion, there are various ways to separate pregnant Platy fish when they give birth. For example, you can put them in a secluded area with their own nursery tank, use your main tank as their new home after giving birth or have a divider inside the main tank so both sexes will not see each other while carrying their babies.
After the child birthing process is over, you should put all of your fish back in its original tank or leave it as a nursery tank if that’s what you prefer. Just remember not to overcrowd the main tank, and make sure you clean it up at least once a day.