I posted in the livebearer's forum that I actually WATCHED a female guppy dilating (going square) last night, right before my eyes. It took a matter of seconds and included some "rippling" of the skin around her vent. I thought she had worms or something, but quickly realized the issue.
Well sure enough, she had a ton of babies overnight. I woke up early, and when the tank lights came on (they're on a timer) I walked over and saw three little ones slowly rising from the java moss. I got the bucket and the airline tubing and started collecting. But I was collecting more water than babies. Those suckers can swim FAST from an airline tubing siphon! I had gotten up to eleven when the bucket got full, so I raised the bucket level and began slowly siphoning the water back in, keeping an eye out to make sure the guppy babies didn't get sucked back up and put back into the tank. But since they swam away from it IN the tank, I was sure they'd stay in the bucket.
I found a few more, and realized my blue net had a fine-mesh net with holes small enough to effectively catch the boogers. But one STILL swam too fast to get caught in it (the middle brace in the center of the tank didn't help). Just as I thought I had him, it happened. The bucket with 11 other babies fell down! Water went EVERYWHERE! Unfortunately, that tank sits on carpeting (although no padding underneath, so it will dry quick) and the carpet is a dark brown and cream colored mixed fiber. It's sparse (AKA CHEAP) but just thick enough for flip-flopping babies to get down in between fibers and get lost.
I only found one. It was also several minutes after the bucket went down so not surprisingly, he didn't make it. The other ten are lost in the carpeting until they dry and my Roomba picks them up later on. I lost eleven babies.
BUT, this female was so incredibly fat, and so very pregnant, I found seven more in the tank. And I STILL don't think I got them all. After the bucket fell, I put it on the ground two feet away, and just used the net to get the rest. But I still can't believe I lost 11 babies from a guppy who has apparently been immune to every disease these other fish have suffered. They are SO VALUABLE. I don't give a hoot about color or even form with them, I wanted to breed that immunity into others! But I lost eleven of them. I really screwed up that one!
At least there are seven others so I really can breed that immunity into others. But the 11 were still a huge loss to me.
Well sure enough, she had a ton of babies overnight. I woke up early, and when the tank lights came on (they're on a timer) I walked over and saw three little ones slowly rising from the java moss. I got the bucket and the airline tubing and started collecting. But I was collecting more water than babies. Those suckers can swim FAST from an airline tubing siphon! I had gotten up to eleven when the bucket got full, so I raised the bucket level and began slowly siphoning the water back in, keeping an eye out to make sure the guppy babies didn't get sucked back up and put back into the tank. But since they swam away from it IN the tank, I was sure they'd stay in the bucket.
I found a few more, and realized my blue net had a fine-mesh net with holes small enough to effectively catch the boogers. But one STILL swam too fast to get caught in it (the middle brace in the center of the tank didn't help). Just as I thought I had him, it happened. The bucket with 11 other babies fell down! Water went EVERYWHERE! Unfortunately, that tank sits on carpeting (although no padding underneath, so it will dry quick) and the carpet is a dark brown and cream colored mixed fiber. It's sparse (AKA CHEAP) but just thick enough for flip-flopping babies to get down in between fibers and get lost.
I only found one. It was also several minutes after the bucket went down so not surprisingly, he didn't make it. The other ten are lost in the carpeting until they dry and my Roomba picks them up later on. I lost eleven babies.
BUT, this female was so incredibly fat, and so very pregnant, I found seven more in the tank. And I STILL don't think I got them all. After the bucket fell, I put it on the ground two feet away, and just used the net to get the rest. But I still can't believe I lost 11 babies from a guppy who has apparently been immune to every disease these other fish have suffered. They are SO VALUABLE. I don't give a hoot about color or even form with them, I wanted to breed that immunity into others! But I lost eleven of them. I really screwed up that one!
At least there are seven others so I really can breed that immunity into others. But the 11 were still a huge loss to me.
that's dreadful to hear. The poor little things are so tiny though.
