Today I bought two Swordtails from a local petstore, a male and female. The female came pregnant... very pregnant. I have never bred Swordtails before, but it looks like she is ready to release. Even the store employee suggested she would give birth anytime.

The new couple was added to my community tank, but the female is currently seperated by a plastic breeding trap. The other fish in the aquarium are mostly Platies and Danios. My question is this:

Should I leave the Swordtail in question in her breeding trap, or should I let her swim amungst the others?

That can be a tough choice. The stress of a new home and being confined may cause her to freak. She may drop her young early. At the same time, if you let her go and she delivers, the babies might get eaten. They are larger fry than most so with a lot of plant cover, some may be just fine. I've never had swordtails myself. What kind of breeding trap do you have? Many are poor because they have no water circulation (they are just a solid box). I prefer net breeders which keep fry in but allow water flow easily from tank to the inside of the net.

Well I decieded to release her. I did place a large, artificial Anacharis plant in the tank. I have live plants, but I am in the process of riding them of snails before I add the to the aquarium.

In the tank I have a net breeder which is holding five young Platies. The Swordtail was in a plastic breeding trap, with the slots on two sides. It was near the filter and seemed to have good water flow. When the Platy fry were in it I could easily see the liquid food float out to one side with the current.

I removed the Swordtail because it looked like she was going to freak. She was rapidly swimming into the sides and trying to get out. I will just keep a close eye on her.

Thanks!

I thought she might freak. While the trap you described did allow water flow in and out it sounds like, those openings often let fry out too. Swordtails might be large enough to stay in but the egg-laid fry I've had would just swim out the slots.

I had swordtails, and most of mine died because they leaped out of the tank at night, and died of drying out. Make sure your tank is covered! Good luck to the new mom! Oh, and one more thing. Sometimes after having young, I noticed some of my female swordtails actually turned to males! Look for a black line near the bottom of the tail, then soon she will be a boy.