what does a guppy do when preggers

[chishnfips]

Hi I was wondering if anyone would enlighten me. I noticed the post at the top of the livebearers forum.
I recently bought a new guppy to keep my other one company, the lady in the pet shop told me that the males have more of a fanned tale than the females and a generally more colourful, when I started thinking about it I said that I had a male so I got another male so I wasn't going to get any baby guppies, but when I got home I noticed that my other guppy looks totally different to this new one, when I introduced them they got rather frisky and where chasing each other everywhere and now all the other guppy does is sit at the very top of the tank, it occassionally goes down to swim about but then it goes back to the top. Now I am wondering if this is a characteristic of a guppy that has a bun in the oven. She seems well so I dont think she is ill. Any ideas?

 

[sunflower]

With livebearers you should be able to see a gravid spot on the underside and obviously she will start to get fat.

Are you sure she's not just stressed out? It's recommended that you have at least 2 females to every male to spread the amourous attention out a bit between the women.

 

[kitty falol]

Hi chishnfips

Check out the pinned topic at the top of this forum, just to make certain that you have got a female and a male - http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=13664 . 2 male guppies will chase each other anyway if they haven't got any females to chase after.

How long have you had the original guppy? Most female guppies are pregnant when you buy them, unless they haven't been anywhere near a male guppy for quite a few months.

As sunflower says, male guppies are very highly sexed so it is recommended to have at least 2 female guppies per male to reduce the stress on the female. She may just be trying to hide from the male.

To answer your question, it will be quite obvious as time goes on if your guppy is pregnant as her gravid spot will darken and her belly will become very big and swollen. Behaviourwise, she may become a little more subdued in the few days prior to giving birth. Some people notice that the females stop eating when they are very close (but mine don't seem to!)

If you have got a male and a female you really should either take the female back and get another male, or get at least 1 more female (ideally 2!) just to reduce their stress.

HTH Kathryn

 

[chishnfips]

Magic,
Thanks for the help I'll look for that gravid spot tonight.

 

[SnowyzMom]

A preggers female gets very square looking in her body, once she's fully grown and she does sit motionless near the top of the tank, mine love being by the heater. Do you have any plants in the tank she can use to hide in, or use to evade the male? Definitely a couple more females will drop her stress load if she is stressed out(you might see little red lines, blood vessels, along her head if she is). I haven't seen guppy condoms for sale yet, so unless you've got a monastery tank for the male you need a couple more girls to keep him tired out!

 

[willywonka099]

Yes often the fem. will get real still but sometimes not always .... don't expect this just b/c someone elses fish does this then you will freak out when she doesn't do it !!! Complicatins may occur but there isn't much you can do about that ... they will come when ready don't rush it