Baby guppies growing up fast ...

Hi, All -

After one initial devastating loss, I now have seven 6-week-old guppy fry. ;D The question is, at what point can I let them join the rest of the community? I've grown quite attached to them and will be sad if they get eaten or traumatized by the others, but I don't want to keep them in captivity longer than necessary. How can I tell when it's okay?

(20 gal. tank: 4 neon tetras, 2 guppy parents, 3 fairly aggressive danios (1 long-finned zebra, 2 blue))

Advice sought!
Thanks!
LnX

 

Ya know.. I've been wondering this same exact thing with my danio fry. They're still too teeny right now, but they are growing and I'm wondering when I should put them back into the regular part of the tank.
I know that it should be big enough to where the grownups won't be able to swallow them whole... but I'm afraid if I put them in too soon they'll get nipped to death.

 

It depends how big they are.

 

Well, they're just shy of a half-inch long and they look like real fish - which is to say that their eyes are no longer the biggest part of their little bodies and their tails are getting colors and filling out. As it turns out, my indefatigable guppy mom delivered about a dozen more last night and I just left them in the tank because the breeder tank is full and I don't know what to do with a dozen more fish. They made it through the night and all day completely fine - until I tried to release some of the big babies into the tank. Big mistake. :'( Two of them caught the attention of my evil danios and one got eaten. I immediately recaptured the rest and put them back in the breeder tank and felt horrible. Then the bigger fish all of a sudden noticed the new fry and started hunting them...This is awful! What can I do? I love my guppies - large and small - but hate the savagery. Will pet stores accept baby fish? I'd raise them all if they'd have a future. Advise, O wise ones ...

 

Not sure if big ones like petsmart take fish... you could see if you have any smaller privately owned petstores around that carry fish and give them a call to see if they'd be interested. Or even better, see if there is a local fish store and give it to them.. hopefully they'd do a better job raising healthy babies.. if they take them that is

 

They can be with some of the other fish like zebra danios and male guppies when they're about 1 inch long. Pet stores will usually be glad to take surplus fish off your hands because they're usually better than the ones shipped far away.

 

I've heard fry are ok at 3/4 inch.

 

Ouch. Danios are wonderful fish, but one thing they aren't going to pass up is a guppyburger. Your babies won't be safe until they are nearly full grown. You could set up another tank, add more plants to the community tank, or find an appreciative home for the danios. You should separate your male and female guppies as soon as you can tell the sexes apart, to avoid future heartbreak, until you can come to a solution.
Good luck, my friend. Guppygranny.

 

Thanks, All - especially Guppygranny! From your fishlore handle, I'd guess you know all about this process. I don't know that I could find anyone to take the danios, but I definitely have some good plantlife already going on in the tank. The tiniest fry do pretty well among the lowest leaves and the top of the roots. Most of those born a few days ago seem still to be hanging around and doing just fine, actually. It seems that for now, the bigger the fry, the less safe they are, since they can't hide as easily. Or maybe the danios just don't think the little ones are worth the calories ... who knows? Cheers, LnX