FishProfiles.com Message Forums

Hi all, I am VERY new at the fishy hobby. We have had ours for 2 months now, 2 swordtails, and 2 Golden Barbs. My question is this, the female swordtail looks more like a female platty, but she also looks prego, but has for 2 months now. I guess I am asking if it is a platty can she get pregnant from the swordtail. I think that sounds right? LOL

yes platys and swordtails can interbreed. also I dont know whether you know this yet or not (you said you are very new after all) but female swordtails do NOT have swords, it is only the males that the name "swordtail" comes from. good luck

edit: oh btw swords and plays can also just be very fat looking, and if she has looked that way for 2 months... if she were pregant she would have exploded by now :%)

edit: one more thing, haha, even if she is not pregant whether she is a platy or swordtail, she will be soon. a male swordtail plus a female sword or platy almost GUARENTEES babies unless one of them is completely infertile.

Last edited by devon7 at 25-Nov-2004 22:09

Last edited by devon7 at 25-Nov-2004 22:11

THANKS for all the info, well the female is rather a chub, but she does have a very large and very black gravid spot. But I had heard from someone that sometimes their gravid spots show through because the fish is more see through then some other females may be. ?????
I know we have GOT to get more females in there, he is relentless!!! LOL
Thanks so much again, and any info you have pass it my way!!!!!
Angieinstlouie

Also, it may not be that they interbred. Livebearers can have multiple batches of fry from one encounter with a male. Before you got the swortail, it could have been in a tank with a male swordtail and got pregnant from him, and is still having babies from him, because they can store the males "fertilizer" for a few more batches.

Also since you said that she has a gravid spot that is large and dark, this very well could be a possibility. All female livebearers constantly have gravid spots, this just means they are mature enough to spawn. The gravid spot gets dark because it is the babies eyes in her abdomen making it larger and darker.

Hope this helps,

GrimZ





Last edited by GrimZ at 26-Nov-2004 18:36

Hello again, thank you for the new info, that may explain a lot!
Okay another question, of course, we got 2 additional female swordies yesterday to give the 1 female some relief from busy boy, BUT she is NOT a happy camper! She is not only nipping at the new girls but the 2 Barbs as well. Maybe not nipping so much as body checking them. She purposley chases them and knocks into them. The only one she is not doing it to is the male swordie and of course our new Algea eater who has not left the heater since we got him/her. LOL
My question is WHAT THE HECK?????????? I thought she would be relieved by the addition! But if she is going to have more babies is this a sign of agression to keep the protected or is she just a woman scorned! We are thinking of moving her to the 10 gallon Hospital Tank but we are afraid she will get sad and die in there! What to do???????
:%)
Angie

The female is still very aggitated and bumping all the fish. Do you think I should remove her for a while?