Baby Guppies Aren't Growing Up!

[deathlydove]

Hi, around 2 months ago my female guppy had around ten babies and I from there moved them into another temperary tank to grow up. However, I have seen that they aren't growing at all and I have no idea why! Does anybody know why they arent growing? Any ideas as to what I should do?

Thanks!

 

[fluttermoth]

How often and how big are your water changes? How big is the tank?

 

[deathlydove]

How often and how big are your water changes? How big is the tank?

The tank is like a gallon or two and I did about a water change about every week and a half, and the water changes are about half the tiny tank.

 

[fluttermoth]

Fry produce a hormone that, once it reaches a certain concentration, stops the fry growing. In a tank that small you'll need to be changing at least half the water every day.

Do that and they should start to grow, although they'll probably never get as big as they ought to now.

 

[fish48]

it is best to give them a 10 galon tank feed at least 3 times a day give them more water changes 3 times a week/ feed them live foods

 

[deathlydove]

ok thanks for the help, I will try to do the water change every day now. I dont own a ten gallon tank so i wouldnt be able to do what the other suggestion was though. I do have the tank where they were born in but that is a 75 gallon and it houses a turtle with some other fish.. so im sort of left between those two choices.. I think ill do the water changes but it's going to be quite inconvienient with my schedual.

 

[Jenste]

the one gallon is really not suitable for their growth or the water quality.

If you want to raise them, then you need to provide a large enough tank.

Are you planning to keep them long term or are you growing them out to be feeders? If you want to keep them, an upgrade is essential.

Other wise, just add some fake plants to the turtle tank, leave them floating and let them hide in there. They will hide in the floating plants and you can sprinkle crushed flake at top for them to feed.

 

[PrairieSunflower]

I've previously grown about 20 fry in a 2.5 gallon tank to age 2 months, that involved 5 times a day feeding and about 90% water changes every second day, but they grew to a fantastic size (were moved out to a much larger tank or rehomed at 2 months). I have kept 2 of those first ones and other than my mammoth store bought guppy, they are the two largest of all (the rest were all rearer in my 60 litre or 22 gallon tanks!)

ok thanks for the help, I will try to do the water change every day now. I dont own a ten gallon tank so i wouldnt be able to do what the other suggestion was though. I do have the tank where they were born in but that is a 75 gallon and it houses a turtle with some other fish.. so im sort of left between those two choices.. I think ill do the water changes but it's going to be quite inconvienient with my schedual.

Just a suggestion for your 75 gallon.... if you are crafty, you could construct a large mesh box to place in this tank to separate the fry.... or make a plastic mesh to divide the tank.

 

[Devon]

I had the same issue in the past. It changed when I introduced live food (Baby brine shrimps then small tubifex worms). Im not promoting it but You cAN try.

 

[deathlydove]

I have plenty of fake, sort of struggling real plants, and some of the real plant's leaves at the top of the tank for them to hide, however the problem was that they grouped up all at the top and my turtle started to just take in big gulps of water to eat them.. Also, another problem could be that I have zebra danios. The mesh box sounds like a good idea, I just need to find a way so that my turtle doesnt get too interested and spends all his time trying to open it or rip it. I have been giving them crushed flake food, however if I somehow do end up finding a way to put the meshbox in, my turtle is a messy eater and spits some food out thats dust. My danios go crazy for it at feeding time so im guessing that could also work for food to the fry also. As far as keeping them with my turtle, well Im sort of deciding, I moved them out to grow because my turtle ate the previous batch of fry. Thanks for all the suggestions!I know this was long, sorry!

 

[Animal Lover 2000]

ummm a turtle with livebearers