swordtail fish pregnancy

Question
I bought one pair of "Mickey mouse" sword tails and one female "velvet" sword tail today.The velvet is pregnant.How long are sword tails pregnant for before they give birth?

Answer
Hi Mario,
The pregnancy is 4-5 weeks from mating.  Most swordfish are already pregnant when we buy them.  They get very chubby, and some of them develop a black spot on their belly.  
Make sure that she has a good diet.  She shouldn't be stressed in any way during pregnancy.  Put lots of silk plants in your tank for hiding places.  The female often dies after pregnancy as she is very weak.  This is why we have to feed them a good diet before and after she has her fry.  The fry are free swimming, and you may feed them crushed flakes or special baby food that you will find at the Pet Store.  A good flake which is crushed really fine, is also very good for the fry.
The fry will hide in the plants, and need to be fed 4 times a day.  Water changes of 25% must be done everyday so that ammonia doesn't build up in the tank.  Water changes also keep the fry healthy, and make them grow faster.
Hope this helps
Lynda