Welcome to GuppyLog.com
New to Guppylog?
Immediate Help


Conversions and Calculator
Conversions and Tank volume calculator


Add yourself to our guppylog map
Guppylog Members


* Change as much water as often as you can! *
Inkmaker
Front Page · Everything · News · Ask Guppylog · Diaries
Display: Sort:
Pregnant Gup ??????? | 7 comments (7 topical, editorial, 0 hidden)
Ouch, that's frustrating! (none / 0) (#1)
by unclescott on Wed Oct 08, 2003 at 04:34:25 PM PST

Was mama well fed so she would leave the fry alone?

Was there plant cover for the fry?



Preg Gup (none / 0) (#2)
by Kitti1120 on Wed Oct 08, 2003 at 11:44:17 PM PST

Shes very well fed i feed them three times a day she was in a tank that has the bottom that the babies fall under a grate to where she cant get them her gravid spot looks a little bigger again but shes not a fat as she was yesterday though
How long can i keep her in the breeding tank?? will she live in it for a week or so?? i dont wanna kill her but i dont want her or the other gups to eat the babies when she finally has them.
the space shed have to swin in is about
5" x 4" x 4 1/2" and shes only about an 1 1/4"
~*~April~*~
[ Parent ]


Breeder trap, not tank!! (none / 0) (#3)
by guppygirl on Thu Oct 09, 2003 at 12:15:45 AM PST

Kitti1120, those breeding devices are very dangerous for both the mother and the fry!!!

There is no water circulation for the fish inside, and the babies can get stuck in the grate.

If you want to protect the fry from the mother and other guppies, get a breeder net. They are much better and cost only a few dollars.

If the mother shows signs of stress in the breeder net, you should let her deliver her fry in the tank.  

Keep all the fish well fed, and provide cover for the fry. Some floating plants, and maybe some for the bottom.

Best of luck!
:-)


[ Parent ]



hello (none / 0) (#4)
by Phry on Thu Oct 09, 2003 at 06:45:19 AM PST

Kitti, I would suggest returning your female to the communal tank as well. Even in the worst case scenario, I can vouch from multiple previous experiences that well-fed adult guppies only very rarely eat fry, especially if your tank is moderately well 'planted.' I can't promise a thing, but in my experience I have had exactly ZERO fry eaten and more than one (or two, or three...) opportunities (for one reason or another) to witness live birth, etc in a tank with full-grown guppies. Now, don't get me wrong, it is definitely best to attempt to isolate the female when it appears she is going to drop (if for no other reason than the fact that fry seem to emit pheremones (or some such) which inhibit the growth of older male guppies- so the fry [or males] would need to be moved even if they remained safe). I suggest you keep a close eye on your expectant mother- as you seem to be. She will become very large, and just as her gravid reaches its largest, it should actually contract and become very dark. When this happens, place her in the breeding tank before you go to sleep, because guppies often deliver in the morning when sufficient light first reaches the tank, or not long after you turn on the light. I'm really tired right now and NEED to go to bed instead of trying to type, :) but I don't think you have anything to be worried about. Hope this made sense... :D
Phry

[ Parent ]


You were most definately on the right (none / 0) (#5)
by unclescott on Thu Oct 09, 2003 at 03:54:35 PM PST

track. As Phry has mentioned, you might as well put her back in the community tank for now. Her male was in that tank?

We didn't ask how big she was. Very young females may not drop many fry. It is not entirely unusual for there to be a problem with the first drop. Despite your fine care, that may be a rocky time for the female. As Phry perceptively noted, next time will be better.

It is very wise to have a tank all to the expectant female, even if it's only a 5.5 gallon one (although the 10s often cost less). Today is the 9th of October. At the end of the month, maybe while waiting for trick or treaters, move her to her own tank. That gives her a week to get comfortable.

Even a big plastic sweater or storage box from K-Mart will do. Either cover it or put plants in it. If it is covered, punch a small hole in the middle of the top. Slide a piece of hard airline tubing in there - it will do the trick.

Make sure the maternity ward is not in a drafty place.

Even if she's in a conventional tank, drop a bunch of plants in with her. Feed her a fair amount of live or rinsed frozen foods.

If you really want to cover your bets, leave a few black worms in a clean (soapless) pickle jar. Those darn worms can climb almost anything except glass. (I was feeding some "baby sat" discus, had the worms in my hand and felt a twitch at my elbow...). This allows the female livebearer (or egg layer as a matter of fact) to recreationally forage for worms rather than fry.

I would like to second G.G.s warning about those breeder boxes being death traps. I learned that while killing my favorite female guppy (as a junior high kid.)

Also don't move females too close to term as they may prematurely drop. Sometimes everything works out, sometimes the fry may be hurt or some stillborn. It can even injure mom. I found that out when I was old enough to know better. :(

This is going to sound gross, but if your female was moved right before it was time to drop, the majority of the fry may have been still born. She may have even eaten some of them (in nature that is available protein for the next batch).

[ Parent ]



Pregnant Gup ??????? | 7 comments (7 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)
Display: Sort:

Menu

· create account

· F.A.Q. For Newbies!

· Immediate Help For Newbies!

· search


Web www.guppylog.com

· Scoop Info

· Our Tanks

Login
Make a new account
Username:
Password:

SourceForge Logo Powered by Scoop
Subscribe to our news feed
All trademarks and copyrights on this page are owned by their respective companies. Comments are owned by the Poster. The Rest © 2002 and beyond The Management

create account | faq | search