Guppy fry

[emeraldking]

For the trained eye, after 2-4 days it should already be possible to determine the genders. Overhere, I do have to seperate males from females at a very early stage. So, females can grow up to the right proportional size and being virgins for as long as possible. Those will be the better females to breed with.

 

[SpaceFish42]

Some of them are larger with markings that look like the beginnings of a half-black something. Does that have anything to do with gender?

 

[emeraldking]

Nope! For both genders could turn in half black bodies to start with...

 

[keegster803]

For the trained eye, after 2-4 days it should already be possible to determine the genders. Overhere, I do have to seperate males from females at a very early stage. So, females can grow up to the right proportional size and being virgins for as long as possible. Those will be the better females to breed with.

How can you tell the gender then? I can only tell within the first couple months


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[SpaceFish42]

Nope! For both genders could turn in half black bodies to start with...

It's just weird because all except three came from the same mother, but about a quarter of them are like that.

 

[SpaceFish42]

How can you tell the gender then? I can only tell within the first couple months


Sent from my iPad using Aquarium Advice

Yes, I was wondering that too. There is someone who is going to recurve some guppies for her birthday, and I need to make sure there is at least one male. (Getting all females wouldn't be quite as exciting for a younger kid.)

 

[SpaceFish42]

Yes, I was wondering that too. There is someone who is going to recurve some guppies for her birthday, and I need to make sure there is at least one male. (Getting all females wouldn't be quite as exciting for a younger kid.)

Whoops! Receive, not recurve. Stupid autocorrect! ?

 

[emeraldking]

Well, first of all... female guppies are already born with a gravid spot to start with. And it's clear of less clear to see at each individual female. But after 2-4 days a slight spot should be seen. And remind you that a gravid spot doesn't have to be black.

I'm sexing guppies and other livebearers (with the exception of goodeids) for many years at an early stage like that. With xiphophorus strains it can be a bit tricky because a sex change from female to male can happen.

Young females and males tend to grow up with the same speed. But males can develop their gonopodium between the age of 4-8 weeks. This differs between the individual males. Once a juvenile male has developed a gonopodium, it will be functional. So, in a tank with mixed genders, juvenile females can get pregnant at an early stage. Which results maiinly in small remaining females. I'm breeding for shows and competitions as well and you just can't offer smaller females to be judged. At a competiton or championship when you offer pairs, the females should always be larger than a male. So, letting females grow up seperate from the males ensures you to have fullsize females. It also ensures virgins which have a better potential to carry during pregnancy.

 

[emeraldking]

It's just weird because all except three came from the same mother, but about a quarter of them are like that.

I don't know where all others came from but it's a common thing nowadays that both genders can get coloured markings on their bodies. If I look at my tuxedos for example, they are born grey but will turn darker (both genders) when they get older. And I don't mean just their fins but also their bodies.