Guppy Fry

[james1971]

Hi all,

One of my female guppies gave birth to 24 fry 4 weeks ago. I had put the female in my small birthing tank when she was about to pop so that my bigger fish would not eat them all. I then had to remove her as soon as she finished giving birth becuse she started to eat them herself.

I then went away for a week and left my housesitters to feed them crumbled up flake food. When I returned they were all OK and growing. I noticed that the female was getting bigger again and realised another batch was on the way.

After another 2 weeks I sensed she was about to blow again so I put here back in the smaller tank to have the 2nd lot. By this time the 1st batch had grown too big for her to eat. That night she had another 30 babies !! Again I moved her out of there and back into the main tank to prevent her from eating them.

I was therfore left with 24 X 3 week old and 30 new born. The small tank they were in is only about 20 litre and my main tank is about 110 litre. I quickly realised that I do not have enough room for them if they all grow into adulthood.

I am taking my Silver sharks back to my lfs anyway because they have outgrown my tank and I bought 2 x Angelfish a few months ago which are also now getting too big for my tank so I had already decided to take them back. I also have 2 X Silver dollars which I want to keep, plus 2 mollies and 3 guppies. Even with taking most of the larger fish back I know I still don't have sufficient room for all the guppies.

Anyway, last night I decided to let nature take it's course and put some of the fry into the main tank. I felt bad doing it because I knew some of them would not survive. I did it because some people said I should not have seperated them in the first place.

I put about 25 of the fry in the tank but most of them that I put in have now disappeared, there are a few that have found good hiding places in the plants and wood.

I still have about 25 fry in the smaller tank and am unsure wether to put any more in the main tank to 'run the gauntlet' or not. I would like to raise a few in the smaller tank so they are big enough but I don't have room for all 25.

I am still feeling bad about putting the first lot in !!

Any ideas

James1971

 

[donna123]

hi,
dont feel bad you cant save them all, if you cant give them away just keep how ever many you have room for, and from now on leave her in the main tank to give birth, i use to feel i had to save them all now i dont bother, what ever makes it i keep, i dont think any one has room for 360 fry per year not to mention the fry themselfs having fry .all the best donna

 

[vancouver]

So she had fry 2 weeks apart? I thought the normal gestation period was around 28 days..

 

[michellebradford]

wow ive got the same problem i keep guppys and platties at the moment i have 50+ guppy and platty fry about 2-3months old in my fry tank and i have 3 floating traps with young guppy fry in about 3 weeks old, im now letting the mothers give birth in the main tank until i free up some room. Im lucky though i have a number of people willing to take the fry from me and also i have 3 lfs which give me credit and failing that i can sell them on e-bay but for collection only.

 

[JaminRat]

So far we has had 2 batches of Swordtail fry and 2 or 3 batches of Guppy fry and have just let nature take it's course. I don't know how many fry were born but currently we have 1 Swordtail from each batch that has survived and approx 4 guppy fry but these are still very small so I don't know how many will make it.

Unless you have someone who will take the fry off of your hands I would suggest this is the best approach with livebearers. You'll always have a couple survive that is why so many are born at a time but natural selection will keep the numbers manageable.

 

[vancouver]

^^ That's true... best way is just to chuck in some plants, and let the moms give birth in the tank.. you may only get 4-5 fry to adult size.. but who really has room for 20+ adult guppies anyways.

 

[james1971]

So she had fry 2 weeks apart? I thought the normal gestation period was around 28 days..

It was just ovr 3 weeks apart ( around 23 days )..

Sorry if I did not make that clear...

James1971

Thanks for all the advice. It has made me feel much better.

It is obviously a problem most people who have owned guppies have experienced.

Any further births will be taking place in the main tank that's for sure.

I am still planning on keeping some providing they reach maturity so I will have have to get rid of some of the larger fish to avoid overstocking.

James1971