Will Little Fry Become Preg. Before I Know Gender?

[GuppyGoddess]

Hi everyone,

I brought home an itty bitty fry from the pet store and am hoping to keep it alive. The store never sells their fry but because I'm in there *all* the time, I begged and they gave me one to attempt to raise.

Since I don't know if it's a boy or girl, my question is IF it's a girl and because it's in a tank with two male guppies, will chances be that it'll become pregnant before there I figure out which gender it is? I do have a breeding trap that I can move the fish to if it needs to be seperated from the boys.

 

[kelly528]

Probably not. You should be able to tell the gender when it is a little over half an inch long (what you are looking for is a teeny, but marked gravid spot). Guppies won't attempt mating with the fry until it is far closer to adult size.

 

[GuppyGoddess]

Will the gravid spot be on the side or more underneath the fish, like around "the bum?" lol I do see a microscopic dark spot but it's under the fish along it's vent region. Ugh. My husband is going to kill me if I end up with a tank full of baby guppies.

 

[kelly528]

Will the gravid spot be on the side or more underneath the fish, like around "the bum?" lol I do see a microscopic dark spot but it's under the fish along it's vent region. Ugh. My husband is going to kill me if I end up with a tank full of baby guppies.

Yeah if its near the anal fin then thats it. Honestly, if she drops fry (outside of a trap) the other guppies will probably just eat them so I wouldn't worry.

 

[GuppyGoddess]

hahaha - I always feel like if a person lets their fish get pregnant with the theory that the adults will eat them, than that's the equivalent to not getting a cat/dog fixed thinking someone ELSE will be responsible by adopting them. lol Eh! Okay, I already have a breeding net, but will have to be careful in the meantime since she'll be in a tank with two (most likely sex crazed) males. Once she gets bigger, I'll test out her with the female betta (who I had hoped to leave by herself).

Maybe she'll have fancy guppies and I can sell them for millions

 

[OldMan47]

I would not count on or spend the millions just yet GuppyGoddess. You may well get some nice fry from the new fish but in a betta tank you won't see very many of them beyond the first day or two. A Betta splendens is a fair-to-good hunter and is definitely carnivorous in its preferences. It will help immensely with the population explosion problem. I must agree with your theory that irresponsible breeding is to be avoided. I try to focus my attempts at having fry survive on the goodeids and similar fish that are not well represented in the hobby and are thus easy to sell to people at club auctions. I made the mistake of taking in a colony of wild type endlers and really have no room for their prolific reproduction. They have become my problem fish although I love the look of them. I now have a betta male about 1 1/2 years old living in my biggest endler tank. He never seems very hungry but he is not making much of a dent in the prolific breeding of the adults in the tank

 

[GuppyGoddess]

I made the mistake of taking in a colony of wild type endlers and really have no room for their prolific reproduction.

I wish I could recall the book's name, but when I was a child, I read a book about a kid who's guppies had babies and more babies and the kid kept sticking them in jars and they still kept on breeding - no heater or filter needed. hahaha That story always stuck with me. If I put the baby guppies in with the betta, they will remain in the trap. Actually, I have no idea what I'll do if I end up with fry. Lots of ideas, but nothing specifically planned out, as of yet. . .My husband will not be pleased if I get another tank, so I may have to hide one under my side of the bed. lol Extra long and wide and 2" deep Question is, where will the cat sleep as under the bed is where he hides from the kids.

 

[kelly528]

hahaha - I always feel like if a person lets their fish get pregnant with the theory that the adults will eat them, than that's the equivalent to not getting a cat/dog fixed thinking someone ELSE will be responsible by adopting them. lol Eh!

I know it's a guilt trip but I just bear in mind that. Fish population is not exactly a burden to the system like shelters are and furthermore, they make good snacks. Of course, they can still feel pain but I believe 'culling' to be ethical as long as the fish are put to a quick, unpainful death. You are certainly correct in assuming that breeding should be prevented unless you know what you are going to do with the fry.

Okay, I already have a breeding net, but will have to be careful in the meantime since she'll be in a tank with two (most likely sex crazed) males. Once she gets bigger, I'll test out her with the female betta (who I had hoped to leave by herself).

ohh yeahh that's probably a good call. Not only will leaving her with the males cause unwanted lovechildren, the males will most likely harass her to death. They can be real horndogs and need alot of females to keep them sane.