Birth and Care of Baby Mickey Fish

Question
Hello Susan!  My daughter has come home with her class' fish tank for us to care for during the summer.  There are three Mickey fish, one of which is pregnant - about three months along.  There is one tank with a separate breeding container.  I am wondering when I place the mommy fish in the container? Should I buy a new tank for the babies to go into, so they are not with the other fish? If so, what type of tank do you recommend and what type of plants should go in it?  Also, would love to know what to feed them once they arrive.  I do not have any fish experience, so any suggestions would be much appreciated.  I really want to give these babies the best environment for survival!
Thank you very much!
Andrena

Answer
Hi Andrena,
I apologize for getting back to you so late. Due to moving recently I havent had access to my account.

Its tricky to determine when to move the mother fish into the breeding container. Usually when she is really big and round and when her behvior starts to change a bit. Like she seems a little slower than normal and might distance herself from the other fish.

I prefer to move pregnant livebearing fish like platies (mickey fish) into a small separate nursery tank full of bushy plants like java moss so the mother is not confined to a tiny little box (which can stress her) and she can swim about freely.
Afer her babies are born then remove her to the main aquarium.

The baby platies are easy to feed. Just offer them finely powdered flake food. Several small meals 4-5 times a day.

Be sure to change the water in the nursery tank at least 50% each day. Both before the babies are born and afterwards. Clean water is very important!

Make sure the replacement water you add back is treated with a water conditioner and the temperature is equal to or close to the old water's temp to avoid shocking the fish with drastic temp fluctuations.

A 2-gallon tank with an aerator (bubble device) would make an ok nursery tank. A 5-gallon would be even better.

I hope ths helps and good luck!
Susan~