Which pregnant guppy would you expect to have its first ?

[Jellybean123]

Hi guys ,

I am venturing into breeding some guppies I am typical used to egg layers so this is new for me. I brought two females they person who sold them said they are pregnant but didn’t know when to expect the fry .

There is one massive female ( yellow tail) who has a very larger black gravid spot and is very round .

One is darker in colour (blue/purple) and smaller in size generally. Her gravid spot is dark but has some red/ dark brown areas . She also seems more open in her anus area conspired to the other female and seems more boxy . I have noticed she is pooing a lot today .

They are both very active and eat furiously .
The larger female keep swimming under the smaller female and head butting her . They have plenty of space to get away and hid but they seem to be together . They also keep looking like they are doing a courtship behaviour with some chasing in circles and displaying fins .

Has annoy one any idea which to expect to have fry first ? I would have thought the big one due to size and gravid spot but now I am not sure ?

 

[emeraldking]

It's obvious that both are pregnant. The one in pic#3 looks more squared off than the other. But that doesn't mean that the one in pic#3 will drop fry first. Squaring off only means that she's using her max gestation period. But not all pregnant female guppies which are almost due will square off. So, it's hard to tell which one will drop fry first.

 

[GaryE]

We're all chickens, @Jellybean123 . We wait for @emeraldking to post, because he knows more about guppies than almost all, if not all, of the rest of us.

 

[Jellybean123]

It's obvious that both are pregnant. The one in pic#3 looks more squared off than the other. But that doesn't mean that the one in pic#3 will drop fry first. Squaring off only means that she's using her max gestation period. But not all pregnant female guppies which are almost due will square off. So, it's hard to tell which one will drop fry first.

Thank you for your reply . That’s really helpful is that why she is chasing the other female off? Are there any key signs you woudl look for as there’s mix answers online . Some people say they stop eating, lose colour and become less active just before they drop fry . Do you have any signs you typically look for ?

Thanks

 

[emeraldking]

Thank you for your reply . That’s really helpful is that why she is chasing the other female off? Are there any key signs you woudl look for as there’s mix answers online . Some people say they stop eating, lose colour and become less active just before they drop fry . Do you have any signs you typically look for ?

Thanks

All things mentioned by others can be in play when a female is due. There are specimens that start to hide or separate from the group. But I've seen frequently overhere that there are also females that just swim around as they usually do and drop fry on the way. So basically, there's no exact key sign when a female will drop her fry. That's also why you read so many different opinions. For everybody's got their own experience with females that are almost due.
A reply like this given, doesn't make it easier for you. But this is the reality with pregnant female guppies (and most other livebearers for that matter).

 

[Colin_T]

Which pregnant guppy would you expect to have its first ?

The fat one

 

[Ichthys]

Why does it matter who's first? You're not putting them in one of those death traps are you?

 

[Jellybean123]

Which pregnant guppy would you expect to have its first ?

The fat one

All things mentioned by others can be in play when a female is due. There are specimens that start to hide or separate from the group. But I've seen frequently overhere that there are also females that just swim around as they usually do and drop fry on the way. So basically, there's no exact key sign when a female will drop her fry. That's also why you read so many different opinions. For everybody's got their own experience with females that are almost due.
A reply like this given, doesn't make it easier for you. But this is the reality with pregnant female guppies (and most other livebearers for that matter).

Thank you for your help you have been really informative as I wasn’t look for the signs . The yellow had some fry this morning we seem to have 6 fry and about 40 unfertilised eggs , she hasn’t had anymore for the last few hours so will separate her from the fry tank in a few more hours . I notice she was under a plant and then saw a fry .

More questions-
- With all the unfertilised eggs does that mean it’s likely been a while since she has been with a male (as I hear they can hold it for 6 months ) or is just look of the draw .
- Also the other female is munching on the unfertilised eggs is this okay as there’s a lot ?

Thanks for all your help

 

[Colin_T]

It's fine for the female to eat the eggs.

If the female was from a pet shop any time during the last 6 months, she will probably still have sperm packets in her that she can use to fertilise eggs.

If the female is stressed they can give birth prematurely. Stress can include being caught and moved into a breeding trap or different aquarium. If you have to move gravid (pregnant) livebearers, catch the fish in a net but don't lift it out of the water. Put a bucket or plastic container under the net and lift the female up in net in some water. Then move her to the new tank and let her swim out. You should also use this method when moving the females that have given birth in the last week so you don't damage them internally.

 

[Jellybean123]

Why does it matter who's first? You're not putting them in one of those death traps are you?

Presuming you mean a breeder box no but I do have a grow out tank (a fully cycles separate tank) and wanted to put the one who was most likely in there instead of the big tank .

 

[Ichthys]

Presuming you mean a breeder box no but I do have a grow out tank (a fully cycles separate tank) and wanted to put the one who was most likely in there instead of the big tank .

Ah good, just checking.

I'd put them both in (lots of plants?). I've had livebearers get very fat before they drop fry, and also had them drop them when they seemed quite a way off.