Hi, I have a female guppy that should be giving birth soon . I moved her to my 5 gallon aquarium about 24 hours ago and she has been swimming around frantically . She is mainly moving in a top to bottom motion and staying near the walls of the tank. I have run mutiple tests and everything is where it should be. Would adding another female guppy help reduce stress because she came from my other tank? The only thing I could think of is stress that is causing this .
Pregnant Guppy Possibly stressed
- Thread starter Logan R
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Hi and welcome to the forum 
It is preferable not to move pregnant fish because you can stress them and even damage the unborn fry. If you have to move pregnant females, carefully catch them in a net and then use a plastic container to scoop the female and net up in some tank water. Move her (in the net in the bucket of water) to a new tank and then pour her into the new tank.
If you moved the female to a smaller aquarium that would stress her.
If you used completely new water in the new tank it would stress her. If you set up a new tank for her you should fill the new tank with water from her current tank, so the water is exactly the same.
If the new tank does not have any plants in it will stress her. Water Sprite (Ceratopteris thalictroides/ cornuta) is the best plant for livebearers. It normally grows on the surface but can also be grown in the substrate where it grows into a lovely light green shrub.
If you don't have any live plants then add a heap of artificial plants to provide her with shelter when she goes into labour, and to give the fry somewhere to hide when they are born.
Make sure the new tank has an established filter in it so the water stays clean.
Do not put the female into a tank with males until at least 1 week after she has given birth otherwise the male/s will stress her out.
Try not to move the female for at least 1 week after she has given birth so she can heal up. If you have to move the female after she has given birth, use the method above for moving pregnant females.
Most female guppies do not eat their young if the female is well fed and there are plants in the tank.
Do not put another female in with her.
It is preferable not to move pregnant fish because you can stress them and even damage the unborn fry. If you have to move pregnant females, carefully catch them in a net and then use a plastic container to scoop the female and net up in some tank water. Move her (in the net in the bucket of water) to a new tank and then pour her into the new tank.
If you moved the female to a smaller aquarium that would stress her.
If you used completely new water in the new tank it would stress her. If you set up a new tank for her you should fill the new tank with water from her current tank, so the water is exactly the same.
If the new tank does not have any plants in it will stress her. Water Sprite (Ceratopteris thalictroides/ cornuta) is the best plant for livebearers. It normally grows on the surface but can also be grown in the substrate where it grows into a lovely light green shrub.
If you don't have any live plants then add a heap of artificial plants to provide her with shelter when she goes into labour, and to give the fry somewhere to hide when they are born.
Make sure the new tank has an established filter in it so the water stays clean.
Do not put the female into a tank with males until at least 1 week after she has given birth otherwise the male/s will stress her out.
Try not to move the female for at least 1 week after she has given birth so she can heal up. If you have to move the female after she has given birth, use the method above for moving pregnant females.
Most female guppies do not eat their young if the female is well fed and there are plants in the tank.
Do not put another female in with her.
Hi and welcome to the forum
It is preferable not to move pregnant fish because you can stress them and even damage the unborn fry. If you have to move pregnant females, carefully catch them in a net and then use a plastic container to scoop the female and net up in some tank water. Move her (in the net in the bucket of water) to a new tank and then pour her into the new tank.
If you moved the female to a smaller aquarium that would stress her.
If you used completely new water in the new tank it would stress her. If you set up a new tank for her you should fill the new tank with water from her current tank, so the water is exactly the same.
If the new tank does not have any plants in it will stress her. Water Sprite (Ceratopteris thalictroides/ cornuta) is the best plant for livebearers. It normally grows on the surface but can also be grown in the substrate where it grows into a lovely light green shrub.
If you don't have any live plants then add a heap of artificial plants to provide her with shelter when she goes into labour, and to give the fry somewhere to hide when they are born.
Make sure the new tank has an established filter in it so the water stays clean.
Do not put the female into a tank with males until at least 1 week after she has given birth otherwise the male/s will stress her out.
Try not to move the female for at least 1 week after she has given birth so she can heal up. If you have to move the female after she has given birth, use the method above for moving pregnant females.
Most female guppies do not eat their young if the female is well fed and there are plants in the tank.
Do not put another female in with her.
As I said I have already moved her to the 5 gallon tank 24 hours ago. I am not new to the hobby so the tank is set up correctly. For me the fry matter more then the mother but her health is still important . Any other guesses to why she is swimming frantically. She was doing the exact same thing in the main tank but I moved her to the smaller to have a higher chance of the Fry's survival .
Did it sort of look like this?
image source
I've battled this same issue and often wondered if it's bloat or.. false pregnancy.. if that's a thing...
image source
I've battled this same issue and often wondered if it's bloat or.. false pregnancy.. if that's a thing...
AmandaN, is the fish in the picture one of yours?
It has a bacterial infection on the caudal peduncle (where the tail meets the body).
Livebearers like guppies, mollies, swordtails & platies are regularly infected with gill flukes and intestinal worms. The fish can look fat, like a pregnant guppy but never give birth. These fish are usually heavily infested with intestinal worms.
.
You can use Praziquantel to treat tapeworm and gill flukes. And Levamisole to treat thread/ round worms.
You treat the fish once a week for 3-4 weeks. The first treatment will kill any worms in the fish. The second and third treatments kill any baby worms that hatch from eggs inside the fish's digestive tract.
You do a 75% water change and complete gravel clean 24-48 hours after treatment. Do at least 2 big water changes between treatments to remove any medication.
Remove carbon from filters and treat every fish tank in the house at the same time.
Do not use the 2 medications together. If you want to treat both medications in a short space of time, treat them with Praziquantel one day. Do a 75% water change and gravel clean the next 2 days. Treat with Levamisole after the second water change. Then do water changes for the next couple of days before doing the second round of treatment.
It has a bacterial infection on the caudal peduncle (where the tail meets the body).
Livebearers like guppies, mollies, swordtails & platies are regularly infected with gill flukes and intestinal worms. The fish can look fat, like a pregnant guppy but never give birth. These fish are usually heavily infested with intestinal worms.
.
You can use Praziquantel to treat tapeworm and gill flukes. And Levamisole to treat thread/ round worms.
You treat the fish once a week for 3-4 weeks. The first treatment will kill any worms in the fish. The second and third treatments kill any baby worms that hatch from eggs inside the fish's digestive tract.
You do a 75% water change and complete gravel clean 24-48 hours after treatment. Do at least 2 big water changes between treatments to remove any medication.
Remove carbon from filters and treat every fish tank in the house at the same time.
Do not use the 2 medications together. If you want to treat both medications in a short space of time, treat them with Praziquantel one day. Do a 75% water change and gravel clean the next 2 days. Treat with Levamisole after the second water change. Then do water changes for the next couple of days before doing the second round of treatment.
Did it sort of look like this?
image source
I've battled this same issue and often wondered if it's bloat or.. false pregnancy.. if that's a thing...
Hi Amanda, yes the stomach of the guppy does look kind of like that now. Also Collin is right (if that is your female) it has a parasite. I believe my guppy was bloat, had a false pregnancy, or had a miscarriage.
It would be a good idea for you to treat the parasite before it spreads to your other fish.
Best of luck and happy St. Patrick's Day
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