When does pregnancy show?

Jman26

Just after mating how long does it take until the first signs of pregnancy show on a Platy? And what is the very first sign, the black dot?
Thanks! :)

okiemavis

That's hard to say, as livebearers are pretty much all gravid, unless they've never been in the same tank as a male before. I'd guess it will start to show in a couple of days, definitely within a week.

Jman26

And how long until she gives birth after that?

okiemavis

Well, incubation is generally about 28 days...so just calculate from the day she was in a tank with a male, or from the day she last dropped fry. That's probably the most accurate way.

Incubation time can vary. For instance, in their first few times many livebearers can take up to two months to drop their first fry. They will also produce fewer fry. Mature livebearers may take as little as three weeks.

southafrica1001

i agree with okiemavis. i didnt realise that my female was pregnant until i found one of her babies, and for one the father was actually in the tank (it was four months after i introuduced the female and no other babies where in the tank before that, plus the baby boy i know grown and is just like his father) but then again she was black so i couldnt see the gravid spot. But still i think its a bit like normal pregnancy in humans, as you wouldnt know someone is pregnant for the first few months, and with livebearers i think you can only notice that platies are pregnant when you see that gravid spot.