Guppy Unexpected Birth

[Siamese Fighting]

Hello,

A few hours ago I randomly noticed two fry swimming around on the floor of my tank. I have 2 female guppies, one that is the size of an elephant and the other with a small bulge. I can't tell which produced the two fry, but both have remained the same shape they held from the morning. I lost the two fry as I was really caught out at this turn of events. I have now sectioned them off in a breeding net together in an effort to save any further drops.
They have a degree of swimming room and are fed their usual diet. I don't want to keep them sectioned for much more than 24hours, but I also want to keep the fry alive and would be reluctant to release them back into the tank with potential frys on the horizon. Considering the size of my leading female guppy, does anyone have any ideas when she would be expected to drop? And with the assumption that my smaller female guppy dropped the 2 fry earlier today, would that indicate that was all she is going to produce?

Thanks for any advice in advance,
Mark

 

[5teady_2012]

can you post a pic of her m8?

 

[WILDER]

This is not an emergency you need to post this in the livebeares section of the forum.
Good luck.

 

[Siamese Fighting]

Personally I consider it an emergency as I am looking for instant advice on the situation.

Regrettably, I can not upload a picture due to the position of the net - she is about an inch and a half in length and about an inch in depth.

(If this HAS to be moved, can a "moderator" do it for me as I do not want to be seen as double posting. Thanks)

 

[5teady_2012]

Best i can do for ya then m8 is show u this pic...

If your guppy is like this she is ready to drop, notice how the front and back of the belly is dropped..

 

[WILDER]

Not having ago its just the thread not in the right area.

 

[Siamese Fighting]

Yeah she shares the same body shape as the image you have posted.

Would it be therefore possible that the 2 fry I found earlier were hers too? And she is still in the birthing process?

 

[5teady_2012]

Yeah she shares the same body shape as the image you have posted.

Would it be therefore possible that the 2 fry I found earlier were hers too? And she is still in the birthing process?

It is very likely yes

 

[LauraFrog]

If you stress a fish that is giving birth (ie chasing it around the tank with a net to put it in a breeding trap) it can hold off producing more fry for hours, maybe days.

How big is the tank and what sort of breeding arrangement are you using? I can't tell which female likely produced the fry without photos, but it's probably the large one. If she is in a single compartment net, she will eat her fry as she gives birth to them. Some people say this doesn't happen - in my experience, load of rubbish. I have seen fish eating one fry as the next is half out. It's better to use a plastic breeding trap which is divided into two parts. The mother sits in the top and as the fry are born they fall through a plastic grid and escape from her into the second compartment so neither she or other fish can get to them.

Better yet set up a second tank. I use five gallon plastic containers - if it's sturdy it will do. Put in treated water, a heater and an airstone. Filtration won't matter for just a few hours. A plastic plant and fake piece of wood is all the decoration I ever bother with.

 

[Siamese Fighting]

Your suggestion of a breeding trap that is divided into two parts sounds ideal. I have a 30L tank with the breeding net at the top to the side. I am looking to get maybe a 15L biorb (or the like) to raise new guppies in. Probably an expensive option but I can see myself wanting more guppies in the future.