Pregnant guppy?

[Aquaticguy]

Is my guppy pregnant or fat? Her gravid area is reddish black. She has also been hiding a lot in the aquarium. I’m pretty sure she is pregnant, but I’m just gonna double check.

 

[Flyfisha]

Hi Aquaticguy,
If your female guppy has been in the same tank as a male guppy in the last 3 months she is definitely pregnant.

 

[Aquaticguy]

She was in the same tank with 4 males and other 3 females. But I can tell that her belly was much bigger than before.

 

[MyFishAddiction]

She's pregnant. Not due, but pregnant.

 

[Aquaticguy]

Ok, I separated her to another breeder tank so that she won't be stressed. I added some plants for the fry to hide.
Btw how do I know if my guppies are pregnant? Im asking this because my other guppies might be pregnant.

 

[Flyfisha]

If the females are 4 months old and are reasonably healthy they are pregnant all their lives if a male is swimming in the tank or has been in the tank in the last 3 or so months. The young fry can start breeding at 4 months so you will need to separate males and females before then or you will have even more fry. All the adults and juveniles will eat most of the fry in 30 seconds including mum.

 

[SpottedKit329]

I know that soon before they will give birth, they will stay at the top gasping for air (they lose oxygen while giving birth) and will swim in the area near a hiding spot until they know it's safe
But Endler guppys are less likely to eat their babies
Also that orange female looks gorgeous!

 

[Aquaticguy]

Tnx. I asked this question because my pregnant guppy wasn't making fry I think because she was not ready and its not 21-25 days yet. But still I separated her just incase she makes fry.
Flyfisha Can they breed even tho the males were there for 2-3 weeks? Because my tank is new (60L around 15-16 gallons).

 

[Flyfisha]

My suggestion is to keep the female adults in one big tank. Every morning before sunrise or before the lights on the tank or in the house come on look very closely for tiny tiny fry. That is the best chance of netting a few of them out before they are snacked on. Adding a ton of floating plants or even plastic takeaway containers drinking straws etc will all give the fry a few more minutes.
As you have moved this female don’t move her again.
Moving pregnant fish is never a good idea. You can lose that months batch of fry? But as they are always pregnant it can’t be helped.
They do have some control about dropping fry or not. But in the main tank a female will be more relaxed about being in the same tank next time.

It’s also likely they are all dropping fry on a regular basis. They are gone in 30 seconds so you don’t see them .

You will get fry sooner or later if the tank has a working nitrogen cycle?

 

[Aquaticguy]

I added some bacteria and after 24 hours I added fish. Now Ammonia 0 ppm, nitrite 0ppm, and nitrate 5-15ppm. When do you think I should put back my pregnant guppy back to main tank?

 

[Flyfisha]

Is your statement in post #11 is that about the main tank or about the tank with the pregnant female? It’s about the pregnant females tank I assume?

It would seem that tank is not cycled.
Adding bacteria from a bottle does not cycle a tank or the filter.
The female can’t say in an uncycled tank .
Any fry will need a cycled tank .( or daily water changes) .

The most important thing is to keep the adults alive. For that reason I would return her now.

I suggest you need to research further the nitrogen cycle?
Having a spare filter running ( seeding) in an established tank for a few weeks will help when setting up another tank.

 

[Aquaticguy]

No the tank is cycled. I did a fish in cycle with daily water changes and I used something that kept the ammonia low. I mistakenly said bottled bacteria. But now the tank is cycled the nitrate are high and I'm doing water changes. Also my pregnant guppy is almost about to give birth. She hides a lot behind a floating plants and breathes super fast. I feed her twice a day. I feed her tetra flakes, (which guppies can eat). But the thing I've been stressing is about what to do with the female guppy. Like you said I should keep her in the main tank. My friend puts the fry in a breeder net, but I like to put them in a bigger tank so they can swim freely. So the next time one of my guppies are pregnant do I just leave them and if the fry are born net them out with a net? Sorry I have been worrying about my guppy.
And also I have a hang on back filter on my pregnant guppy tank and a sponge filter in the main.
What do you think I should do. I think the female could stay there until she gives birth and remove the female and put to the main tank.

 

[Flyfisha]

If it was my female I would leave her in the main tank and remove the fry.

As you have moved this female just a few days ago it may be wise not to move her again? So at this time leave this female on her own.

 

[SpottedKit329]

No the tank is cycled. I did a fish in cycle with daily water changes and I used something that kept the ammonia low. I mistakenly said bottled bacteria. But now the tank is cycled the nitrate are high and I'm doing water changes. Also my pregnant guppy is almost about to give birth. She hides a lot behind a floating plants and breathes super fast. I feed her twice a day. I feed her tetra flakes, (which guppies can eat). But the thing I've been stressing is about what to do with the female guppy. Like you said I should keep her in the main tank. My friend puts the fry in a breeder net, but I like to put them in a bigger tank so they can swim freely. So the next time one of my guppies are pregnant do I just leave them and if the fry are born net them out with a net? Sorry I have been worrying about my guppy.
And also I have a hang on back filter on my pregnant guppy tank and a sponge filter in the main.
What do you think I should do. I think the female could stay there until she gives birth and remove the female and put to the main tank.

Don't be sorry about wanting the best for you Guppy and her babies! There's nothing wrong with that, It's better safe then sorry

 

[Aquaticguy]

Thanks SpottedKit329. Flyfisha ok so I will leave my female guppy in the breeder tank and than when all the fry are born I will acclimate back to the main tank and so the fry won't be eaten by the mum. Hopefully my pregnant guppy will be ok!

 

[AcornTheBetta]

She's pregnant. As time goes on she'll get a boxy shape like this: \___/

 

[Aquaticguy]

Ok! She seems like her belly is getting bigger.

 

[SpottedKit329]

Yep, she will get boxy.
And they have a average of 10 to around 25 babies


Also if she gets HUGE she might be having more then average (Which can be to 70+!)

 

[Aquaticguy]

Ok. But do you think my nitrogen cycle is finished it is like 15 nitrate. Or close to finishing.

 

[Flyfisha]

Do you have nitrates in your tap water?
Do you have any ammonia or nitrites in the tank?

 

[Aquaticguy]

0 nitrite and 0 ammonia and I don't think there is nitrate in my tap water.

 

[Flyfisha]

A nitrates test of your tap water is essential to determine if the nitrates are coming from your change water or actually from the bacteria in (on) your tank.

 

[Aquaticguy]

I tested my tap water and it shows 0 nitrate.
I think its cycled because I don't have nitrate in my tap water plus there was no nitrate two weeks ago even after water changes so I think its cycled.
Btw the filter I use in the breeder tank I put it in that water for quite a time so the beneficial bacteria is now in my filter sponge. I think there is another pregnant female guppy. Her gravid area is a small black Spot. Is that pregnancy or something else?

btw my guppy literally gave birth. The fry are so cute!!

 

[Flyfisha]

Hey Aquaticguy thanks for the update.

 

[emeraldking]

If the females are 4 months old and are reasonably healthy they are pregnant all their lives if a male is swimming in the tank or has been in the tank in the last 3 or so months. The young fry can start breeding at 4 months so you will need to separate males and females before then or you will have even more fry. All the adults and juveniles will eat most of the fry in 30 seconds including mum.

Sorry, but I have to jump in. For some corrections are in place overhere. Ovoviviparous female livebearers such as guppies can become pregnant earlier than stated, despite of their size. To state that females are pregnant all their lives is an incorrect statement. If they're only storing sperm packets, they're not pregnant at all. They will only become pregnant if the female releases 1 or more sperm packets to fertilize her eggs. Only then, she'll be pregnant. It's the female herself that will decide the moment of becoming pregnant. So, mating itself does not mean that a female becomes pregnant. The sperm packets will be stored in the folds of the fallopian tube. And those folds will be opened randomly. So, you'll never know beforehand if she'll use a recent or an older donated sperm packet. The sperm storage itself can be hold on to for over a year and not just a couple of months.
Not all bigger guppies will chase or eat the fry. There are sufficient bigger ones that will leave them completely alone. It really depends on the individual nature of each specimen if it will chase and eat the fry.

Tnx. I asked this question because my pregnant guppy wasn't making fry I think because she was not ready and its not 21-25 days yet. But still I separated her just incase she makes fry.
Flyfisha Can they breed even tho the males were there for 2-3 weeks? Because my tank is new (60L around 15-16 gallons).

An average gestation period for guppies is 3-4 weeks. But they can even delay it to a max of 8 weeks if needed. In case, she's still not comfortable enough to drop those fry, she can even decide to absorb those fry. This goes for multiple ovoviviparous livebearers, btw. Absorbing fry won't harm the female.
The square off situation (boxed belly shape) only goes if a female takes her own individual max gestation period (this differs per individual female). So, this means that also just a round shaped female can deliver fry already.
Just know that once an egg is fertilized, the development of the embryo itself, only takes a couple of days till over just a week (depending on the kind of livebearer). The rest of the gestation period is needed to grow.

I hope this info will help you both a bit more about understanding livebearers. And in this case, ovoviviparous livebearers. For there are also viviparous, superfetative and asexual livebearers.

btw my guppy literally gave birth. The fry are so cute!!

Congrats...

 

[Aquaticguy]

Ok. I removed the mum from the tank and I think there is about 16 fry. The mum seems fine. And I just fed the fry some crushed tetra min flakes. Later I might feed them egg yolk.

 

[Flyfisha]

I stand corrected emeraldking , but as it’s been seven days since post #7 I can’t add an edit to address the issue or leave a comment on post #7 should anyone read that post in the future.

It’s a pretty minor point if a female is pregnant with a male in the tank or if she is just storing sperm I feel but I except my wording is incorrect.


Your second point as to wither every female will eat fry or not. You are correct I am sure.

 

[emeraldking]

It’s a pretty minor point if a female is pregnant with a male in the tank or if she is just storing sperm I feel but I except my wording is incorrect.

Well, as long as no sperm packet(s) is/are released, a female isn't pregnant. But I know what you mean...

 

[Aquaticguy]

What are all the ways to know if my guppy is pregnant. I have about 4-5 females in my tank and some of them seem to have swollen bellies. The males are chasing some of the females and dancing in front of them which kinda looks cute.

 

[JLAquatics]

If you have males and female guppies in a tank, chances are they will breed constantly with pregnant guppies are going to be a common occurrence. Here are some telltale signs your female Guppy is pregnant;

1. Their gravid spot change. This is the area by the butt. If she is indeed pregnant, this gravid spot will darken over time (because those are the eyes of the unborn babies)!

2. Bulging Bellies. This is an obvious one. However, the stomach should not bulge all at once and be more or a gradual process, like a few weeks. Do not confuse this with overfeeding, but you will also be able if this is the case if you see fat males in the tank. Males cannot be impregnated as you know and overfeeding can cause all sorts of problems in your fish tank.

3. Rapid Breathing. This comes relatively close to when the guppy will give birth, but this should only occur if your fish has other signs of pregnancy. If she is breathing rapidly while not looking pregnant, something may be off with your water parameters and it may be advisable to check them for anything awry.

4. Swimming in Place. Just like rapid breathing, this also comes relatively late in pregnancy.

5. More aggression. Female guppies can become more aggressive when they are inpregnated. This may result in chasing and even possibly fin nipping with the male guppies.

 

[Aquaticguy]

Tnx! I noticed that some of my female guppies are aggressive and hiding at the same time. I think they are pregnant.

 

[BPSabelhaus]

If not yet, then let me finish typing lol

Just work on the assumption that they are pregnant. Don’t worry about it until she looks like a rectangular balloon. If you want to separate her then, go for it. I just let mother nature do her thang.

 

[Aquaticguy]

I have been wondering why my Corydoras has a black dot inside his body near his vent. I think its just poo inside its body but what do you guys think.

 

[BigManAquatics]

A picture would probably help, but a lot of fish-especially lighter ones-you can often see things such as organs and poo. The ones that always freak me out are when you can see the eyes of fry inside mama on livebearers.

 

[Aquaticguy]

Yea. Rn I can't take a picture but I can describe as best as possible. So my Corydoras back of the body is kinda light and you can see some stuff in the body. I think it's just poo and not parasites.
Btw lets say he has parasites. Do I treat the whole tank, ( sometimes my guppies rub their selves to the plants) or do I make a hospital tank. I think I should treat the whole tank so all the parasites die.