Pregnant Guppy Question...

[star_tenshi]

I've got this really pregnant guppy in my aquarium that's been set up for about a month...I've read many responses in forums about how either the mother should be separated into a separate tank until birth...or have some sort of fry tank....or have lotsa plants....the problem is...i only have plastic plants....and I've read that moving the mother when she is really pregnant (about to explode) stresses her out....and may cause an abortion in order to protect her babies....

help please? thx!

 

[thebulk]

How big is your tank?
What other fish do you have in the tank and how many?
The hard thing is not to move her too early and not to move her too late!
Its hard but with guppies its not too bad because if she aborts you can try next time. If you've got them to breed successfully they'll do it again and again and again!

B)

 

[thebulk]

If you only have a female and a male in the community tank then it would be wiser to remove the male.

If you have a breeding net/float then try to get her in there. But dont have the light on if it is too close to the breeder because it gets very hot!

B)

 

[star_tenshi]

Well...my tank is around 30-40 gallons....yesterday my male cobra guppy just died because the people at the pet shop gave me wrong advice....*grumbles*.... ...but otherwise in total...i have two pregnant guppies...and five other neon tetras....[/FONT]

 

[MountGuppy]

ive heard neons are good scavengers so i doubt you will be able to have a natural birth

 

[star_tenshi]

so should i just let the pregnant guppy give birth right in the main tank, then scoop out the fry and put them in another tank?

 

[MountGuppy]

that would be perfect but youll have to keep a good eye on the female

 

[star_tenshi]

ok...much thanks MountGuppy...and they've been hanging around the heater for a few days now....is that a sign that they're about to give birth?

 

[thebulk]

Maybe put the neons into the other tank now depending on the size of the other tank therefore you can allow the mother to give a natural birth in the community tank, although she will probably eat her young, one mouth to feed will result in less fry being eaten as opposed to six!

Once that is done you can put the fry in a breeding net or similar and reintroduce the neons.

Goodluck with it.

I find it much easier to use a divider in my tank with livebearers. I hadnt bred Swordtails before but Mountguppy told me that they aren't large enough not to be eaten so a glass or plastic(clear) divider will solve all your problems.

Good luck with it

B)

 

[star_tenshi]

lol....

yup, that makes sense. I'll try that thebulk, but it'll be a bit harder as i had bought more neons just this sunday. I'll see what i can do because i have school and all, so i don't know if i'll have the time to do all of that. I guess i'll hafta budget my time so that i get an equilibrium between school and my fish.

Well, much thanks thebulk!

 

[star_tenshi]

Just as a little add-on question, my pregnant guppies are barely eating. One just stays near the heater all the time, while the other hangs around the heater, swims around and when there's food, she sort of 'sniffs' it and returns back to the heater. Is this behaviour normal?

 

[cassandra]

Just as a little add-on question, my pregnant guppies are barely eating. One just stays near the heater all the time, while the other hangs around the heater, swims around and when there's food, she sort of 'sniffs' it and returns back to the heater. Is this behaviour normal?

just be very careful about getting the fry out of your tank they could get scared and try to hide and drown in your pebbles!!!
baby fry are soooo cute

 

[cassandra]

Just as a little add-on question, my pregnant guppies are barely eating. One just stays near the heater all the time, while the other hangs around the heater, swims around and when there's food, she sort of 'sniffs' it and returns back to the heater. Is this behaviour normal?

just be very careful about getting the fry out of your tank they could get scared and try to hide and drown in your pebbles!!!
baby fry are soooo cute

well how high do you have your heater it might need to be turned up a bit not to much or they may need some heat

 

[MountGuppy]

if shes not eating that usually mean shes close to birth

 

[star_tenshi]

ok...thanks cassandra and MountGuppy for all the information....i think the heater is on a bit too low....23*C....maybe too low...but when i use my other bigger heater...the thermostat seems weird....and the temperature goes way up high.....i'm afraid of boiling my fish!!!!

but i'll keep a close eye on them....i rush home everyday after biology class to see if i see any fry....and i'm so relieved to see that they haven't given birth yet....this is my first tank of tropical freshwater fish...so i'm really nervous....sorry!!!

another thing...i've seen this picture on the internet....but my guppies' bellies aren't that big yet...are they not ready for birth yet?

much thx!