A Quick Question

[Lindsey88]

I was just wondering...will a female guppy eat 3 1/2 week old platy fry and 2 week old molly fry? I ask this because I want to put my guppy in my fry tank so she can give birth and her babies will have a chance of not being eaten by my dwarf gourami...

 

[dunchp]

I was just wondering...will a female guppy eat 3 1/2 week old platy fry and 2 week old molly fry? I ask this because I want to put my guppy in my fry tank so she can give birth and her babies will have a chance of not being eaten by my dwarf gourami...

My experience (and it would be interesting to hear others experience) is that after a week or two, guppies lose interest in eating fry. I find that, if they are well fed then they do not eat their fry to any great degree anyway.

 

[tidytourniquet]

It depends on how big the fry are, not all fry grow at the same rate so your fry may be bigger or smaller then some one elses fry of the same age. Take a look from above and see how wide the fry are and how big the guppies mouth is, if you think they are close in size then the adult guppy will most likely try to eat them.

 

[5teady_2012]

Personally i thnk they should be fine, molly fry are usually bigger than other fry, also 3 1/2 weeks old platys should be able to look after themselves against 1 guppy..

You will probably find the guppy wont even bother them being heavily pregnant it will just want peace.

Just put her in and see how she reacts to them, i have big enlders in with hundres of babies and they not bother them, i have guppies with fry and they dont bother them either, but the odd guppy will be a nusciance, especially if it aint use to being around smaller fish such as fry.. A lot of mine grew up with them so i guess thats a bit diffrent.

 

[Lindsey88]

Thank you! I will wait a week or two to put her in there because she isn't that far along but I just wanted to know beforehand. I will take a picture of her later on to see what you think. I can clearly see eyes and babies in there now because she is almost see through.

 

[5teady_2012]

If i was you, i would wait til she is heavy pregnant, she will look similar to this when heavily pregnant...

 

[Lindsey88]

Thank you. This is an odd looking guppy she is so see through you can see her bones and organs. I will go take a pic and see what you think.

 

[5teady_2012]

That would be good

 

[Lindsey88]

Ok here are pics. I put her in the breeder trap just for a second to take them. and I cupped her in my hand so she would be still and I could get a good picture.

 

[5teady_2012]

She is not very far on yet, only about 2 weeks pregnant, about 2 weeks til drop... (this is only a rough idea, not exact )

 

[Lindsey88]

Thank you! I have had her for 2 months. Does that means that it was my male who got her pregnant?

 

[5teady_2012]

Unless you missed her last drop, she may have not been pregnant, also depends on if your LFS keeps males and females seperate...

Guppies like most livebearers, can hold sperm packetes for up to 6 months, (in other words, she can Carry on having fry wioth no males present)

 

[Lindsey88]

Well at petsmart where I got her they keep males and females seperate I think and she never did look pregnant the whole time I have had her until recently.

 

[5teady_2012]

Possibly she was not pregnant then , if that is the case then yes she will be pregnant to one of your males

 

[Lindsey88]

Well it has been about 12 days since these pics were taken. What do you think now? She isn't that big but she looks pretty squared off.