Sexing Baby Guppies

[Fluffybiker]

OK the babies are about 4 weeks old now and some are gettin close to an inch long now...

They all still look like girls with the large fan anal fin... I have about 4 that are shpwing colour
and thats about it...

Do ya reckon i have all girls?? or could they still turn out to be some boys??

Cheers

 

[kewskills]

too early to tell yet i reckon, wait a few more weeks

 

[lilfishie]

normally 6/8 weeks before you can sex them

 

[Fluffybiker]

so what changes should i be looking for? would the boys start to lose the fan like anal fin?

cheers guys

 

[helterskelter]

The males will start to develop colour, and then your notice the anal fin will start to thicken up from the base and it will develop into a gonopodium.

with most it will take between 6-8 weeks to mature.

 

[Fluffybiker]

cool thanks for that 4 or 5 are already showing some dark markings and they are also the bigger of the lot..

My main problem now is with a 35 ltr tank and 3 platies and 12-14 (they move to quickly to count lol) baby guppies
the tanks now looking over stocked... I'm testing the water regularly and as yet am not having to change the water any more
frequently but it wont be long and i'll be in trouble i think!!!

BUT i dont want to part with the babies... but cant afford £50-100 for another tank!!

 

[Jozlyn]

Sorry, but you're going to have re-home them eventually, your tank is just not big enough for that many fish. I gather you also have adult guppies in there as well, otherwise you wouldn't have fry. In the mean time add another filter to the tank to help with processing the bio-load.

Have a look on eBay for a cheap tank near you, check your local papers. You don't have to get a new tank, just another tank! But keep in mind that livebearers breed at an alarming rate (guppies and platies every 4 weeks) so if you're not prepared to buy a lot more tanks for all your fry, then part with the females that produce the fry.

Breeding fish, breeds tanks!!!!

Good luck

 

[Fluffybiker]

sadly no adult guppies... dad died and mum got return to prevent more babies!

I know its getting close to overstock now.......

think i'm going to go inspecting the local fish shops see who i'd be happy taking some of them too

want to keep some boys though hence needed to know how to sex them and when

 

[Jozlyn]

Ahh I see, sorry for the loss of your male guppy

WTG, it was very responsible of you to return the female, many people don't and then moan about being overloaded with fry

Having your filtration at at least 5 x water volume should be enough, while your waiting to sex them. Personally I have all my tanks at 5 times filtration anyway. Just keep up your water tests as your doing and you'll catch anything before it becomes too much of an issue.

So, having said that you have room in your tank for about 24cm's of fish all together, at the moment you've got over 45cm's of fish in there, *grins* just a tad overstocked!

Your final stocking should be somthing like - 3 x Platy = 15cm + 2 x Guppies = 8cm = 23cm of fish and a full tank!