My first 2010 vent - guppy gripe!

[MichelleCarmen]

My guppies are driving me nuts.

Guppies are rumored to have numerous babies (20+) and the parents are said to eat a few of them, hence, "population control," yet, even with that, tanks fill up and guppy owners end up with more than they can handle. I read of one guy who ended up with over 150 babies in his tank. (my local pet store said they'd take all the ones I don't want - so I do have that covered!)

I bought the first preg female a few (3?) weeks back. She was barely pregnant and the sales gal said it'd take a month for her to give birth. Well, a few days later I found *two* babies in her tank. One was sickly and the other healthy. Sickly one died and after about a week, the healthy one disappeared.

Disappointed (son was very upset we still didn't have babies) and me wanting some too, I went back and bought a second pregnant female. She was rounded but not ready to drop her fry. Friday, she had a rounded belly, however, Saturday, I checked the tank and she was sleek and thin again and again, not pregnant and NO BABIES.

Why? What is the deal?

Are my guppies duds or should I just keep buying more female guppies? lol

GRRR. . .

 

[somethingshiny]

MC~ sorry you''re still having fishy troubles!!

First of all, young guppies may only have half a dozen babies the first couple times. They can definitely eat all of those babies immediately (a mother will eat her own young). When your guppy is preggo, she''ll have a dark spot on the back of her abdomen that will darken as she gets closer to delivery. When you notice she''s getting really dark, try to remove her into a different tank (even if it''s just an old goldfish bowl) and give her a place to hide herself and the babies. Now, even if she hasn''t been with a male, she could still produce young for up to 6 months about once a month. Start checking her about 3 weeks from when you think she delivered last and look for the spot that is indicative of pregnancy. It usually takes at least a few hours to drop all the fry (when she''s having 50) so you''ll probably see her dropping. Take note of her behavior (and the other tank mates). Also if you think she''s close to dropping, you can turn your heater up a bit, it will help her to go a bit sooner and you can *know* when to expect fry. (make sure to drop the heat back down)

There''s a thing you can put in your tank that is plastic and has a grate in it. You put the expecting guppy in the top "cage" and her fry drop through the grate (keeping them safe and visible).

I wouldn''t buy anymore female guppies yet. Give your girl another chance in a few weeks. If you can provide a safe place for the fry, you should have better luck. Btw- You''ll still need a separate tank for the fry until they''re big enough to battle it out with the mature fish. Otherwise, they''ll still get eaten.

 

[Bella_mezzo]

Wow SS-You are a font of guppy knowledge

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Her gravid spot was quite dark and now it is pale. Is the very dark spot enough indication that she's about ready to drop her fry (I had - until now - thought females always have fairly dark spots)? With a regular bowl (say a 2-gallon) do I just stick a 7.5 watt heater in there and let her hang out without a filter? I found a mini-filter for a 2 gallon, but it was $15 and I don't want to spend the money on it. . .I have looked at the birthing platic containers. . .I just didn't realize I'd need one so quickly and my tank isn't very big.

Oh, and re: getting more plant cover. . .all the pet stores have snails in their live plant tanks. The only store that had sealed containers of "snail-free" plants was Petco and I bought one of those and then a week or so later found a few baby snails in my tank. I quickly removed them and no more showed up. Guess I can try that again? Seems like a tank with live plants would look weird with a few silk ones mixed in?

 

[somethingshiny]

Date: 1/10/2010 2:26:27 PM
Author: Bella_mezzo
Wow SS-You are a font of guppy knowledge

I did my best to raise several hundred when I was in jr high. It became a bit of an obsession....

lol

 

[somethingshiny]

MC~Every fish has different markings. Now that she's not preggo, you'll have a better idea of how dark her spot is getting. The darkness is indicative of the developing fry inside. Another indication that she may be ready to drop is if she kind of "paces" around the tank. She may quit eating for a day or two before dropping. And she may swim more vertically with her tail up higher. Sometimes you'll also notice the shape of her back end getting a bit square.

wattage- In a 5 gallon tank, if you want to keep the tank 5-10* higher than room temp (you'll want the water to be at least 75* but possibly up to 78*) a 25 watt bulb is appropriate. I'm not sure if 7.5 would be enough for the smaller tank, check with your pet store. Wattage is based on how much you need to increase the water temp from room temp.

filter- The only filter I ever used was one that came with my aquarium setup. I don't recall anything about it.

plants- You can put fake plants in with your real. You can't have the snails in with the fry. Just try to find a good color so it doesn't look weird.

birthing tank- sorry, I don't remember what they're actually called--you only need them in your tank for a day or so before removing your babies to their own tank. So, even though they take up a bit of room, it's only temporary.

eta- another indication that she's ready to drop is if she hovers near the heater.

 

[MichelleCarmen]

She was pacing a bit. I did notice that but though, na, she isn''t squared off enough.

Re: wattage, all my tanks have the right wattage required (the 3 five-gallons have 25 and my 10-gallon has a 50-watt. My 3-gallon has a 7.5 watt - there is a betta in that one and my 2-gallon has a 7.5 - yes, six tanks!). The current temp in the guppy tank is 79. I had to exchange my heater yesterday because it quit working. This the second time this has happened with Marineland brand. It''s really frustrating! It would only set around 72 or in the low 80s - one click change on the heater would reduce the heat by 10 degrees. The new one is working, but who knows for how long.

The guppy filter I have is for a 5-10 gallon and I covered the intake valve with foam so none of the fish could be sucked up. The filter seems to be doing a great job considering the tank is overstocked.

Thanks again. . .I''ll try and maintain patience.

(I have an extra empty uncycled 10-gallon I can use. My husband would be so mad if I set it up, though, because of all the tanks we currently have! lol)

 

[Dancing Fire]

Date: 1/10/2010 2:49:29 PM
Author: somethingshiny

birthing tank- sorry, I don''t remember what they''re actually called--you only need them in your tank for a day or so before removing your babies to their own tank. So, even though they take up a bit of room, it''s only temporary.

eta- another indication that she''s ready to drop is if she hovers near the heater.

yep,that''s what you''ll need to save them from their mommy.

 

[dragonfly411]

MC
I raised guppies - here is what I''m going to recommend

purchase some heavy ready to birth females if you are going to buy them preggo.

If not, get some young lithe females.

My other rec - I would buy non preggo females, who haven''t stressed as much, and get males and experience the full process. It definitely should only take a few weeks of preg-birth. I think having the males present can be beneficial to the females as well, and you''ll get a full process of continuous babies (the pet stores might end up purchasing if you supply enough young fish). Unfortunately buying females early in pregnancy is hard as they will stress and reabsorb the fry. I don''t recommend it personally. Also, make sure you are trying to be present during birthing because guppies are cannibalistic.... they eat their babies. Males and females both will eat the young. So that could be part of your problem as well.

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Date: 1/11/2010 3:07:23 PM
Author: dragonfly411
MC
My other rec - I would buy non preggo females, who haven''t stressed as much, and get males and experience the full process. It definitely should only take a few weeks of preg-birth. I think having the males present can be beneficial to the females as well, and you''ll get a full process of continuous babies (the pet stores might end up purchasing if you supply enough young fish). Unfortunately buying females early in pregnancy is hard as they will stress and reabsorb the fry. I don''t recommend it personally. Also, make sure you are trying to be present during birthing because guppies are cannibalistic.... they eat their babies. Males and females both will eat the young. So that could be part of your problem as well.

You know, I''m wondering if the second female did reaborb the fry. A website mentioned that could happen and it seems strange that I never saw a single baby given I was home almost all day. From what I''ve read, after females give birth, there are hormones in the mom that keep them from being hungry/eating their babies during a specific number of hours. . .that may help if I put one in a birthing tank and have to leave her there overnight.

Yesterday, in the paper, there as a blurb about how a lot of guppies have died this winter due to weather. Many guppies are raised on Florida and have frozen to death. Poor little guys!

Thanks for the advice. . .I''m still waiting on the two younger to show if they''re male or female. Right now both appear female. One other I had did have the female fin, but abrubtly turned into a male. lol

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Date: 1/11/2010 1:08:57 AM
Author: Dancing Fire

Date: 1/10/2010 2:49:29 PM
Author: somethingshiny

birthing tank- sorry, I don''t remember what they''re actually called--you only need them in your tank for a day or so before removing your babies to their own tank. So, even though they take up a bit of room, it''s only temporary.

eta- another indication that she''s ready to drop is if she hovers near the heater.

yep,that''s what you''ll need to save them from their mommy.

I''m going to have to reorganize everything. A small birthing tank set-up can work. . .my husband will just freak though if I stick another tank in the house, so it''ll have to be a temperary, uncycled one that I can take apart between births. lol I don''t want to spend a lot. Just get the tank, a small fiter & heater. No top or light.