How can you tell when a live bearing fish is about to give birth?

Answer 1

Firstly, she will be absolutely huge. All of my platies have looked like they've swallowed a marble. About 24 hours out, she will hide in the plants and may either become snappy towards other fish or ignore them and try to stay away from them. These are about all the outward signs you'll get until a pile of fry appear in the tank.

Answer 2

Tetras do not usually breed in an aquarium unless you specifically set out to breed them, and provide them with a breeding aquarium. They do not give birth, they lay eggs. The method varies with the species. Some are egg scatterers, meaning they spawn in mid water and allow the eggs to fall to the bottom. Others spawn onto plants, or artificial spawing mops. When ready to breed, female tetras are fatter and fuller in the body than males. That's probably the only way to tell male from female. You will only realise they have actually spawned if you suddenly notice the fat ones become slim again. The chances of any fry hatching and surviving in a community aquarium are basically nil because even if the eggs are not eaten they will not find suitable small foods in an aquarium if these are not provided.

Answer 3

Firstly you will notice a large dark area just in front of her ventral fin and her tummy will be distended. This is an indication that she is pregnant (Gravid) When she starts moving around erratically making little sudden dashes sometimes close to the bottom of the tank and sometimes in amongst the plants or near the surface she is probably releasing a youngster or a few of them each time she does one of these dashes.

:thanks alot!!!:

i asked this question.. it doesnt matter now she giving birth as im writing this now. 17 babies but shes tried to eat four but now theres only remains of them. but the couldn't fit through that 'V' thing so the got chewd up and spat out :(

A gravel/pebble substrate and heaps/clumps of growing fine leafed plants can provide good immediate cover for the fry when they are being born(released).

Answer 4

When you can see a black spot inside the female swordfish's belly. You can see that in most livebearers e.g. guppies, swordfish, platties, mollies etc.