Swordtail female in the trap, how long before she drops?
Picked up a heavily gravid red swordtail female at a swap and she's in a clip-on trap now, pic below. Gravid spot is almost black and she's boxy. I know traps stress them, so I only want her in there until she drops. Is there a way to tell if it's hours or days? Don't want to leave her in too long.
13 comments
Black gravid spot and squared off belly usually means a day or two, maybe less. If she's hiding and shaking, it's close. I'd use a trap with a lot of floaters or just a heavily planted tank instead, less stress.
agree on plants, a bunch of cheap stems in the tank hides fry better than any trap. let her out once she drops and the fry will find cover.
Plants over a trap every time. If you do keep her in the trap, check it every couple hours so she doesn't sit there stressed once she drops.
Yeah I've got a couple of cheap java fern clumps and floaters ready in the grow-out tub. Trap goes in for a few hours max, then she's out.
Good plan. Floaters will do more for the fry than the trap ever could. Post a pic when she drops, curious how big the brood is on a swordtail that boxy.
will do, she's still holding. gravid spot is nearly black now so I'm guessing tomorrow sometime. brood size on swordtails can be 40+ so I've got the tub ready.
40+ is believable on a boxy swordtail. if she holds past tomorrow night i'd still get her out of the trap and into the planted tub, a day in there is plenty.
agree with nightreef, a day is plenty. swordtails drop fast once the spot goes fully black, and a trap that long just stresses a boxy female.
riverina did she drop yet? curious if the black spot call was right.
not yet, she's still holding. spot is basically black and she's gone really square, so i'm guessing tonight or first thing tomorrow. will post when she drops.
swordtails can hold a day or two past the black spot honestly. as long as she's not clamped or hanging at the surface just keep the tub dark and quiet, trap only when you can watch her.
yeah she's eating fine and not clamped, so i'll leave her in the tub setup and check after dinner. thanks finandfry.
37 is a solid brood for the first drop, nice. keep the floaters thick and feed baby brine or crushed flake dust, they'll eat right away.
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