Guppy in a hole

[paulc]

I'm new to this fish 'thing' but have to say its a fascinating hobby!

... and onto another question

My tank is 92 litres and after 6 weeks fishless cycling has been established for approx 5 weeks with 4 black widow danio's. Water quality is fine.

On Sunday we added 3 black tuxedo platies and 4 male guppies. Tonight when I came home from work I couldn't see one of the guppies, I eventually found him in a little hole he had dug at the base of one the plants.

Any ideas what he's doing, is he just stressed from the move? We were told at the fish store that all the guppies were male but could he actually be a she and she's built somewhere safe to give birth?

Thanks
Paul

[millipede]

"black widow danios" never heard of those. You don't happen to have a camera do you? And guppies don't usually dig any kind of hole that I'm aware of. I hope the pet store you went to knows what they're selling.

[TankGirl]

Black widow tetras, maybe?

Female guppies are in general larger than males (at least once they are mature) and they lack the flowy caudal (tail) fin of the males. Generally it is pretty easy to tell males from females this way.

It is possible the fish is being picked on by others that has caused him to go in hiding. Or, if the fish has a swollen belly with a black spot near the back and lacks a colorful tail, it is a female finding a place to drop her fry.

[paulc]

Originally Posted by millipede

"black widow danios" never heard of those. You don't happen to have a camera do you?

Perhaps I've discovered a new species

Told you I was new at this, they are black widow tetras

[paulc]

Originally Posted by TankGirl

Black widow tetras, maybe?

Yep thats them

Originally Posted by TankGirl

Female guppies are in general larger than males (at least once they are mature) and they lack the flowy caudal (tail) fin of the males. Generally it is pretty easy to tell males from females this way.

They definately have flowy colourful tails so they must be male

Originally Posted by TankGirl

It is possible the fish is being picked on by others that has caused him to go in hiding. Or, if the fish has a swollen belly with a black spot near the back and lacks a colorful tail, it is a female finding a place to drop her fry.

The previous evening the guppy in question was picking on the platies, so perhaps its been taught a lesson and is now in hiding