male platty with really big belly

[logan5]

I've got a male platty that ... for lack of a better discription ... looks pregnant.  Not sure whats going on.  Any thoughts?

Thanks
Logan5

[Brownsnoutuk]

Re: male platty with really big belly

you sure its a male?

Maybe hes greedy? they can get big bellys if they over-eat.

[Ramius]

Re: male platty with really big belly

"maybe it's a tumor" -kindergarden cop

[Brownsnoutuk]

Re: male platty with really big belly

A better Arnie film to mention would have been Junior. When HE gets pregnant. Would have been slightly less off-topic.

[PhishPhreek]

Re: male platty with really big belly

It is possible for livebearors to get constipateed..... a blockage in their intestins.

Try feeding coarse vegetable matter like mashed peas or chopped green beans.

[islander]

Re: male platty with really big belly

Good morning, Below is a simular question about livebearers always looking pregnant that I started with Max the other day.  I also don't think it is unusual for female looking guppies, platies, swords and mollies to change to males.  I have seen it happen with one of my platies & guppies in the last year.

I have a guppy question. When we were at your place there was some big guppy females that looked very pregnant and you said they were older and non producing. When guppies get to a certain age do they always look bred but don’t produce anymore young. If this is true what age is this? I have some year plus old females that look like they are always going to pop but seem to never have any young. Your thoughts…if this is true we need to start culling them out to make room for others. It must be an urban myth that guppies keep having fry until they die! Any advice? thanks, ken


I don't know why the guppies are this way. It could be a male problem because I try to keep my young stock separate so I don't have young males with old females to know if that would work. It could be a disease or parasites. Some strains are worse than others so this fertility problem has a genetic basis. You are welcome to post your question and my answer so we get a chance to hear a better answer. I do have some old females that continue to produce from select strains. max
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later, ken

[islander]

Re: male platty with really big belly

Another thought just occured to me, they are breeding the ballon belly into platies & swordtails.  Mark and I have seen it crop up in our platies but we think it is ugly and will not breed for it.  The ballon belly mollies have been around for a while and here is a recent posting with photo of a male red ballon platy.  You might have one of these, our ballon platies have bigger bellies.

http://www.aquabid.com/cgi-bin/auction/auction.cgi?fwlivebearers&1165793441

[Mzungu]

Re: male platty with really big belly

Is this a recent development, logan5? How many males/females do you have together? And is it possible for you to post a picture?

PhishPhreek had a good suggestion about diet...what do you normally feed them?

[logan5]

Re: male platty with really big belly

I'll see about pictures ... their diet is for the most part freeze dried blood worms ... micor flakes and the ocasional treat of frozen blood worms.

So ...how do you get your fish to stop swimming and smile for the camera?

Logan5

[Mzungu]

Re: male platty with really big belly

LOL - take a LOT of pictures!!    I've all but given up trying to get a picture of my rosy barbs - they NEVER stop moving!

I'd start with PhishPhreek's advice and feed some veggies.

[guppymax]

Re: male platty with really big belly

A fast shutter helps and pushing the shutter button half way gets the focusing done but the only way I get really good pictures is to get someone else to take them lol. Yes, sometimes I don't get a good one taking ten. With the guppies I feed the young ones sparingly in warm water often to get maximum growth and caudal development. Once they are adults and I can see what they are genetically capable of I can make my selection. Then feeding sparingly three times a day in cooler water extends the lifespan and if they are still fertile I get more drops from the nicer fish I really want more fry from. This warm water frequent feeding may cause some of my fertility problems because it makes them age faster. PhishPhreek is a smart guy with a good idea. All my fish eat spirulina (veggies ) at least once daily. Live foods also tend to be kind of a laxative.

max