Can you tell when a Guppy is going to give birth

[FrankP]

Hi,

I have a pregnant guppy (well shes big, round and has a large gravid spot). A few days a go I moved her to a small 60 litre tank thank I have planted with grass and weed and have also put a bunch of marbles in the corner.

Are here any signs I can look out for which wouild indicate an immenent birth.

Also onece she has given birth should I get her out of the tank ASAP or divide the tank.

Advice woud be appreciated.

Thanks

Frank

 

[Joby]

Sounds like you're giving her the best place to give birth. Its very stressful for them and must be awful trying to do it in a community tank. Mine usually head for some plants and sit there usually a little head down to give birth. When you think that she couldn't possibly get any bigger she's usually a couple of days from having them.

Mine still eat and swim around, but when they go quiet and hide in the plants then you should see some little fry. If you can have the tank divided before she gives birth so you can give her somewhere to recooperate afterwards that would be lovely for her, or just put her back in the community. She will try and eat the fry so if you want to keep them all then you need to get her away from them.

One of my females gave birth a few days ago in a tank on her own but even though I had plants for fry to hide she would immediately try and eat them as they came out so I had to sit there with my net and a spare container and catch the fry before she did! I still got around 60 babies I then put her back into the community tank and released the babies into their own.

Good luck