How to tell when guppy is going to give birth?

Ok so I am new to guppies. I picked up a pair or fancy ones and I am 100% sure the female is pregers. She is huge and although from her mid back to her tale black the spot is clear and black.

Anyway to my question I see that you guys seem to have guppies on a cycle were they are droping fry every 30days ish. I got this pair on 3/8/08 I can not be sure she was pregnant when I got her but from what I have read it is likely she was.

So how can I tell she is going to pop. I don't wana shock or hurt her moving her to the tank she will birth and the fry will live in till old enough but I also don't wana lose these fry? I am not looking for like she will drop on x/x/x at 13:01. But like a few days would be nice.

At this point has a huge belly flat bottom she is not eating much at all and is kind taking her time getting around and is content to just hang around in 1 spot.

 

HI 1GAMMA45! WELCOME TO FISHLORE!

Ahhhh your gonna have babies....gotta love em.



Tell me about your tanks.....The one the pair is in now....how big, is it cycled? Do you have the results of your water tests?

The fry tank....same thing...

IF both tanks are fully cycled, I would suggest getting a medium sized plastic container....scoop her into it along with a little tank water...put some of the tank water in from the other tank, acclimate her just like you do new fish coming home from the LFS....I would do this today....

The reason I say to do it like this is to net her could be a little more traumatic, and you can't acclimate her, and guppies are rather sensitive...

Let her have the babies in the fry tank, hopefully it has some plants in there for cover....Java moss is perfect. Then when she is all done, put her back over....be sure to do water changes in the fry tank about 25% each day, and cover filter and syphon intake with either sponge or mesh material so you don't loose fry.

Have fun, and good luck!

 

My main tank is a 20 gal rectangle. The Ph is 7.0 and is about 70 deg. There are the pair of guppies a pair of neon tetras and a pair of neon The name I forget all have been good together also have 1 alge eater with a box filte. The other is a 5gal octagon with bottom grate filtler the water I used to fill the 5gal is 75% tank water from the 20 gal. same Ph same temp.

The only dif is the 20 has rocks and a few cave things liek a boat and chest but they never go in them aside from the tetras. and the 5gal have floating plants no rocks

 

So without knowing if your tanks are cycled, this is what I suggest.

You need to get an API Master test kit (liquid) so you can test the tanks for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate.

After a month, if your tanks weren't cycled before you added fish, you should be doing 25-50% water changes every day....your fish's behavior could be because the water is becoming toxic....or as you say, she is getting ready to drop her fry, either way fish, and especially fry don't live long in water with elevated ammonia or nitrite...

Once you have the test kit, keep up the testing and water changes until the ammonia and nitrite go back down to 0 and nitrate goes up....

This is all explained in the article on the nitrogen cycle you can find up under "ARTICLES", at the top of this page. Open that up, and click on the link to nitrogen cycle.

The only other suggestion is that an Under gravel filter is not adequate to filter a fry tank. You need to get a HOB (hang on back), filter that will process a minimum of 50 gph. this needs to have the mesh or sponge placed over the intake (not usually part of the filter, you have to improvise) Hope this helps.

 

Ok so I did do or have had these tank cycled I just had not heard it called nitrogen cycle so I was a bit confused. Anyway here are the details of both tanks.

1. 15 gal Ph 7.0
Ammonia 0.10
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 30
Temp 76

2. 5 gal Ph 7.0
Ammonia 0.10
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 30
Temp 76


I did as you suggested and changed the filter in the 5 gal tank to the style you recomended.

I added a plant to the 15 gal tanks today. Added some green color to the tank even though its fake it looks nice.

How long should I keep the female away from the rest now that I have her in her own tank if she does not drop fry?

Is it posable for fish to have contractions or is this a sign of something else.


For the last 1 or so she has been in 1 area of the tank and for last like 30min she has been taking what I can only discribe as a deep breath then she fans out all her fins does a little wiggle then back to norm this happens about every 15-20 sec

Anyone able to give me some info on this fish and tanks.


Are my tanks ok do I need to make more changes. It would seem fo rthe most part she has stopped with the wiggles but no babies no change in her size.

 

It looks like the tanks are beginning to cycle. I'd use Prime for your water conditioner and be doing daily 25-40% water changes.

I'm not sure of her behavior, but our livebearers always drop their fry at night or when we're out.

 

Well I still have no fry but that's ok I guess waiting and watching is fun anyway.


I went to the store and got some frozen baby brine shrimp and gave some to my main tank and a little to my female in the birthing tank.


The fish in the main tank killed the stuff it was like a feeding frenzy the second it hit the water. The felmale how ever waited for it it get down to the bottom kinda or if it was near her she seems to really like the green plants I have in with her.

 

Yea, the livebearers enjoy eating, that's for sure. drool Is she mostly staying near cover? Does her back end look like it's squaring off any?

 

I took pics I am putting them on disk today and will post them.


Yes she is staying in the plants or under the filter. She is only eating if it comes to her. She won't go to the top of the tank and eat floaties but if they happen to fall past her she is eating.


Lastnite she was all over the place.


And yes she looks like she has a rectangle box she swallowed.

 

She's definitely ready to drop. Test the water to be sure the chemistry is ok and maybe do a partial water change. They'll often drop after a water change since they feel the water conditions are more right then.

 

here are some pics of her


here arte her tank stats

2. 5 gal Ph 7.2
Ammonia 0.10
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 30
Temp 76

here is the male she mated with.

My neon tetra and my alge eater these are in the main tank all shots of the female are in the birth tank

no fry yet but she is really hiding in the greens now.


current tank stats after 25% water change

5g

Ph7.2
Ammonia 0.20
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 10
Temp 78

 

Are you using anything with the partial water changes to bring the ammonia down? It is still too high. Might want to do another smaller water change. You will want it all worked out before the fry drop.

 

Its been between 0 and 0.20 and other then water changes and scooping food or waste while I change the water no I am not adding anything to it ATM.


will 2 tenths of a % really make that much difference?

 

from what I've been reading, with the fry it matters. : the adults it does too, but they are bigger and it would affect them over time. a mod. or others with more experience will correct me if I'm wrong.

 

wow ok well then I will work on keeping it at 0 then. Any suggestions on what to use to bring it down

 

safest way is the water changes (not huge ones).

 

Ok so today marks the 30days that I have had this fish. No fry yet.

I did a 30% water change on her tank and ATm it is.


7.2ph
0 Nitrite
5.0 Nitrate
Ammonia 0.10
Temp 78


At this point this ammo thing has me a bit confused. I can not seem to get the test to read the same even from the same sample batch. Normaly I will take about 3-4oz of water out of the tank and use that to do all my tests pooring in the amount need for each test from the cup. The first time I did it I got a reading of 0.50 I did it again with the same sample cup and got .00 changed the water got 0.10. and if I wait and go back and test again I bet it will be different.

I am using the API fresh water master test kit. All the other test I do with it seem to give the correct results but this ammonia is not. The test kit suggests using a product called Ammo lock. Should I think about that as my nitrite and nitrate lvls seem good.

 

Make sure you are shaking the bottles well to mix the solutions. Have been reading a few posts lately talking about the importance of getting the test solutions mixed like it says on the bottles.

 

I am normally a stickler to that kinda stuff to the point I even time how long it said for shaking wait time b4 look at tester. Even to the point that you need to shake the nitrate test #2 for 30sec b4 you add the drops to the test water.

 

How old is the test kit? I'd use Prime for the water conditioner, rather than getting ammo lock.

 

The kit is brand new. and thanks.


Should I wait b4 putting the fem back into "Gen Pop" or is it safe once she drops her fry?

 

She could go back in.. The will sometimes drop a few more fry up to 5 days after the first ones drop.

 

cool cause I only have 1 male guppies the tetra and other 2 stay away from the guppies too busy chasing each other around.


And I got some nice plant cover in the main tank so if she drops a few more they have places to hide

 

Any fry yet?

 

Not yet no fry.


However I seem to have fixed my ammonia issue


Did a 25% water change today.


Took these readings about 2 hrs after

Ph 7.2
Temp 78
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 5.0
Ammo 0


She is hiding in the grass and cave thingy I got she is very boxy sits near the bottom if food comes to her she will eat but won't go to it. her spot is very black were as a few days ago there was some redness to it. Her tail is also gaining some red color as well and swear I see eyes.

 

Soooo, how are things going?

 

Just stop waiting for the babies. Then she will drop them lol. Whenever I looked for them I never saw the fry in my guppy tank but now every few weeks I see little fellers swimming around and just pull them and put them in the fry tank. Have about 15-20 atm and 2 of my females are about to drop.

 

Hope she decided to drop by now. She sounded really close. ;D

 

Nope she is so holding out on me.


I am thinking its sometime soon. I have had her now for a little over 5weeks I don't know for 100% sure she was pregers when I got her. I do know she has looked the way she did in the picks for atleast 3weeks and she is really squared off now.


Personal I think she hates me.

 

Check the water parameters. Gups can hold a long time if they want, and one thing that makes them do that is if the water chemistry is off any. You might want to try a partial water change today and maybe rearrange decor some to make a more isolated-feeling corner of the tank for her to retreat to.

 

Believe me once they start dropping fry they don't stop. Its easy to quickly become overwelmed with babies.

 

Ph 7.2
Temp 78
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 5.0
Ammo 0



Current tank info for her. She has plants to hid in and behind and she has a little cave thingy she litels to hide in. Her tank is a 5 gal and she is alone.

 

Well still no fry. water still the same as posted she is doing the same stuff she has been for 2 weeks now.


I did a water change and moved some plants around she seems to like this new plant I put it spend most of her time in it or under it.


Oh well keep waiting I guess I swear she looks liek she is going to explode. I waiting to see her a million babys out.

 

chances are that she had a few fry at first and ate them and now she will have her big drop. that's what happens with a lot of my first time moms. my molly had one fry that survived and my platy had 5 fry that I saved but the next time she will have the mother load. my other platy had three fry that survived and now I think there is only one of them still alive but she's ready to go again soon but the Mickey mouse one had a ton and shes ready to go again too. good luck it will be soon and it will be a ton. my guppys I had before use to have a ton of the little things and they were small.

 

Yea could be. I have had the pair for about 6 weeks now. I don't think this is her first birthing however. She is pritty large a good inch and 1/2 to 2 inchs when I got her.

The store I get her and all my fish is real nice its all they do is fish freah salt and outside ponds. And they are still selling some from the batch I bought.

 

Ok so I am now 100% sure my guppy hates me.


I am at a loss. I have had the the pair for 7 weeks now. I know she was not pregers when I got her as the only difference between her and the mail when I got them was the color he is red and orange and black she mostly black.

about a week being home she statered to get bigger and has been about the same size and and shap as the pics I have posted about for about 4 weeks now. I have had her in her own tank for 3 weeks. It is a 5gal with plants and a cave thingy. She spends most of her time in or under the bottom branchs of the plants. She is eating.

I know you have all said they can hold out for a long time but I am starting to think she is lonely and I know the male misses her as he is always looking for her.

At what point do I just say screw it and put her back with the others and hope her fry whenever she drops will make it?

 

Ok well still now fish fry lol yea ok I know corny.


I am however seeing the boxy shape you guys speak of b4 they drop so I am guessing that just my simple lack of knowlage about these fish and how they breed left me to belive that when I did this post on 4/4/08 she had most likley just became pregers sometime in that and around that week maybe the week b4.

That being said I am expecting that she will drop in the next few days. She is still eating but that's about the only time I can get her to move she has been for the last day in the back of the tank under the filter behind the plants she is clearly trying to hide. She has started heavy breathing and she wiggles a lot like she has an itch she can't scratch. again this has only started a day or 2 ago.

current specs on her water are

5gal

Temp 80
Ammo 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 5
Ph 7.2

Aisde from the temp going from 78 to 80 the tank has evened off nicely I think.

So with any luck and a bit of talking to we should have fishies this weekend.

 

it sounds like shes going to have them any day now. they get really quet at first and off on their own and the day she going to drop she'll go crazy up and down the glass and pushing against things to help her push them out. good luck with them.