But here’s an indication of how long each of the popular species is pregnant for: Guppies 21-35 days Platies 24-35 days Swordtails 28 days
How long do swordtail fish give birth?
Like other livebearing aquarium fish, swordtails (Xiphophorus hellerii) give birth to live young, or fry, rather than laying eggs Although the swordtail’s gestation period is 28 days, it may be difficult to determine when she became pregnant
How long are fish pregnant for?
As examples, the female swordtail and guppy will both give birth to anywhere from 20 to 100 live young after a gestation period of four to six weeks, and mollies will produce a brood of 20 to 60 live young after a gestation of six to 10 weeks
How fast do Swordtails reproduce?
Swordtails can produce 50 – 100 fry every time and may give birth again four to 6 weeks after the first birth It may take longer According to experts, the second birth session can even take up to a half year after the first, and that can take place even without the presence of a mate
How often do swordtails give birth?
Once the female is impregnated, she can give birth to as many as five or more broods of young at intervals of four to six weeks The number of each brood may vary from 12 to 15 babies from a young Mollie to as many as 150 young from a large swordtail
How do I know when my fish is about to give birth?
Look for the gravid spot on the fish’s abdomen near the rear tail The spot should appear large and dark when her eggs are fertilized You will know your fish is close to giving birth when the spot becomes nearly black Some fish may show white spots instead of black
Can you tell if a fish is pregnant?
As your female fish becomes pregnant, she will grow a bulge at the back of her abdomen This typically appears over the course of 20-40 days Does your fish have a red or black spot? Sometimes, when a female fish is pregnant, she will develop a “gravid spot” on the abdomen
How many days does a fish give birth?
Roughly 28 days Keep reading to find out how do fish give birth in a tank
How do you tell if your fish is pregnant or just fat?
Carrying Eggs – One reason your fish may appear slightly bigger is because it is carrying eggs If your fish is a female, is not overly fat, and is normal in most other regards, this is a very high possibility Another indication is if your fish has an enlarged vent; this is where the eggs will come out
Can a swordtail mate with a guppy?
Guppies and Swordtails are livebearers which means that their babies come out swimming Like most livebearers, there is not much to getting your guppies or swordtail to breed If you have a male and a female then you will eventually have a pregnant female
How do Swordtails mate?
Swordtails mate very quickly, so if you aren’t watching them you could easily miss it Typically the male will approach the female, often from the side, and may flare his fins in an attempt to impress her He then swims up close to her and quickly touches her on the underside, near her anal fin, with his gonopodium
How many Swordtails should be kept together?
Swordtail Fish Behavior and Temperament The swordfish is pretty peaceful and friendly and will gel well with other tank mates They aren’t necessarily shoaling species, but they should be kept in a group of 5-6 to help them feel comfortable in the tank
How many babies can Swordtails have?
Swordtails can produce 50 – 100 fry every time and may give birth again four to 6 weeks after the first birth It may take longer
How quickly do fish fry grow?
All goldfish fry have the same physical characteristics for the first 5 weeks, so the growth rate is similar for all varieties up to that age After 5 weeks the deep bodied varieties start to take their adult shape, so growth rates slow when compared to the slim bodied varieties such as Comets
Can female swordtails turn into males?
Swordtails commonly breed in community tanks The urge to reproduce is so strong in this species that the females are hermaphroditic In populations consisting entirely of females one will frequently transform into a male to insure the propagation of the species
Do fish give birth out their mouth?
This process is called mouthbrooding Sometimes the female fish will carry the fertilized eggs in her mouth, or the male and female will trade off, which is called biparental mouthbrooding Typically fish that are born via mouthbrooding are underweight at first and require recovery time to feed and grow
How do you know if fish are mating?
Signs that your goldfish are ready to mate include white spots along the gills of the males, and the female will become fatter and more rounded The male will then chase the female around the tank to encourage her to release her eggs
Why do fish eat their babies?
Some fish species such as angelfish are known to take care of their fry and help them grow But even these fish that exhibit parental care will at times eat their own fry A further explanation is that by eating her own fry, the female guppy is replenishing her fat storage
How do I know if my cichlid is pregnant?
Pregnant cichlids are quite easy to spot You can almost always know when they’re holding eggs or developing eggs in their body due to tangible physical signs The belly will get swollen and rounded when the eggs are developing In addition, the mouth will get distended and plump when the female is holding eggs
Do pregnant fish lay on bottom of tank?
Pregnancy Labor In Guppies Expecting female guppies like to hang at the bottom of the tank—especially if she is in labor That’s because they’re looking for a quiet, secretive place to give birth So, if you have a hybrid tank, the chances are that you’ll see a lot of female guppies laying on bottom of tank frequently
How do fish deliver babies?
Most fish release thousands of eggs, scattering them in the water where the male fish fertilize them The eggs develop and hatch into larvae (baby fish) without any help from the parents A few kinds of fish keep their eggs inside their bodies, so when they hatch they give birth to live young
Why does my fish look pregnant?
Dropsy refers to a condition in which fish often have hugely swollen bellies, and the continuing use of the term probably has to do with how it so accurately depicts the visual symptom: the belly drops down Sometimes the condition is also known as bloat