EdnJean

Hi all,

I beleive my female guppy is pregnant. She is huge, very bloated, and has a dark gravid spot.

But, she has been this way for about 6 weeks. Does it normally take this long?

The male is generally always around her.

Is something wrong, or is she just going to have lots and lots of babies, so taking longer to make them?

Thanks

Ed

Nick Goody

She is probably just about to drop. Guppies can hold fry for anywhere from 21-42 days.

Wyoming_Bound

I had female didnt drop for 2 months, she finaily droped 106 fry. If it a good sized female she prolly workin on a big batch.

COBettaCouple

Check for water conditions and maybe move the male to a separate tank. They can hold the fry if they want to if they feel the conditions aren't right.

cwest187

i have one that is doing that, she is HUGE and her gravid spot is now kind of a lighter shade, does anyone know if this is normal??

COBettaCouple

Welcome to Fishlore. What are the water conditions and other fish in her tank?

BParker

mine ha a gravid spot aswel and its got a little brown dot on its chest, what does that mean?

COBettaCouple

Is that spot new? Do you have a pic that you could post of it?

EdnJean

I also think my guppy's gravid spot has gotten a little lighter.

I recently checked the water and the pH is 6.6, ammonia and nitrite zero, and nitrate at about 60ppm.

Checked with my partner and she thinks it been closer to 12 weeks now!

What is going on??

Ed

COBettaCouple

That's really high nitrates, it could be the problem. I'd start doing daily 25% water changes and add some live plants and aeration to that tank if possible. If you can get a water conditioner called "Prime", I'd add 1-2 drops per gallon each day after you do the water changes, sticking with the usual water conditioner for the water changes.

BParker

i cant quiet get a pic of her cause she keeps moving to fast but ill try
and one of my guppy gravid spot is really big and dark brown

kati_v123

my 3 female guppies are the same i have had them for bout 3 months and were big and boxy, really big, dark gravid spots and they havent dropped since i got them. Apart from one who gave birth to 2 live fry and 4 looked really undeveloped and were dead. But her belly stayed the same size and gravid spot didnt disappear.

EdnJean

Just to let you know, that I adjusted the water closer to pH 7, and did daily water changes to get the Nitrates down, and she gave birth.

I put her in a breeder box a few days ago, luckily.

I came home last night to find my other fish, the bigger ones, hovering near the bottom of the box, "sucking" the fry through the netting of the box. AARRGGHH!!!

I took evasive action, and only managed to save four of them. Have moved them to my "sick bay" tank.

This is my first experience with babies. I hope I can keep them alive. Have ground some Flake into powder - hope it works.

Cheers

Ed

COBettaCouple

I'm glad to hear that she dropped. It's a shame the fry got eaten but good that you were able to save some. Can you find some floating "guppy grass"? They're a good place for the fry to swim into that the adults have a difficult time following. A lot of plants and caves are good hiding places and a layer of flat glass marbles gives fry lots of gaps to swim into and hide from adults. Food falls down in there too, which the fry can eat in safety.