Whoa, That Was Weird/cool (Guppy)

[Ltygress]

I actually just WATCHED my guppy's body square off. I've known she was pregnant for a while - she's the fattest one I have. But so many have died and been replaced that I keep a very close eye on ALL of my fish lately.

And I got worried when I noticed her vent area had a slight ripple to it. I thought she may be about to poop, so I didn't pay much attention, until I realized she's also not at the surface of the water like usual. She is down hovering above the cave, not really scavenging like the others, hoping for a dropped morsel. 

So then I started to think maybe she's sick and has a type of worm. That's when I got really close and just stared. As I stared, the rippling continued, until she looked like her back end was wide enough to give birth. That's when it hit me, and I re-focused and noticed... SHE'S SQUARE! The rippling was probably just her dilating to prepare for birth - which is apparently what it means when they "square off". They are dilating.

So now I have to keep a close eye on her because she's the only guppy who is NOT a carrier and has NOT died from this disease the others had. To me, that makes her babies more valuable than the most colorful guppy in the world. But she's in a community tank, so I'll need to watch for babies so I can siphon them out before the other fish see them!

Now is when I really wish I had decided to use breeder boxes.

 

[Far_King]

That's cool and I doubt many people have witnessed what you've just seen.
 
I always keep a breeder box handy just in case , not always for expecting fish but if one is injured and needs immediate isolation until I can get them into a hospital tank.
 
Every time I've put a pregnant fish in a box they've refused to give birth! lol

 

[Ltygress]

That's pretty much why I don't want to do it. I don't want any stress-related miscarriages, lol!

So airline tubing to siphon them, and watching like a hawk will have to do.