guppy mama - Aquarium Advice

emilz · 08-08-2008, 10:44 PM

I just got a female guppy to add to my tank from my Mom, and well... She is very very pregnent. I'm still pretty new to the guppy thing, so far my fish have just gone to town, but this female is wayy bigger then my other fish I think I should do something to make sure her babbies survive. I don't have another tank and theres no way I'd be able to put one up. what should I do??

**Zagz** · 08-09-2008, 01:31 AM

Welcome to AA! What size tank and what are the other tankmates? Adding some plants and hiding spots will help. Guppy grass is a good plant for fry to hide in.

SpeedEuphoria · 08-09-2008, 02:10 AM

Good Luck and welcome to AA. Is your tank Cycled?

I can tell you that Guppy's do eat there fry. I had a pretty basic tank, well thought I had hiding spots, then the 1st 3 fry drops all were eaten by the 5 adult Guppy's. Then I added more plants and had survivors. In a smal tank the population can rise very quick as they have fry every ~30days and can drop 3 times from one meeting with a male.

emilz · 08-09-2008, 03:18 PM

Its a 5 gallon tank and the other fish in the tank are other guppies (quite a lot) and 2 bronze corydoras

Alaris · 08-09-2008, 03:50 PM

How many guppies exactly are in your 5 gal? It sounds like you may have too many fish in there. Those guppies will eat the fry.

meegosh · 08-09-2008, 05:06 PM

Only other option you would have is to put the female into a breeder box before she is about to drop her fry. I'm not sure if a breeder box would even fit into a 5 gallon tank. With that size of a tank and not knowing how many guppies you have in it, you may want to just let nature take its course.

I had one fry that survived in a tank with 6 neons and two diamond tetras. Its just luck, and like the others said, having some type of plants for them to hide in will only increase the chances of survival. The lone fry that survived was hiding out in my java moss. I finally netted him and put him in my 10g grow out tank. I have 13 fry in my 10g and the two females are pregnant again, in my 30g. I am hoping that my two new GBRs will take care of any fry that drop now.

**Zagz** · 08-09-2008, 05:58 PM

If you want to keep the fry you will need to get a larger tank. As the amount of fish increases, the bioload increases. You will suffer from ammonia spikes and end up losing fish that way instead of just the fry being eaten.

wims590 · 08-11-2008, 08:40 PM

hi there!
i have several guppies and 6 fry at the moment...
i bought a little birthing tank and when i found the guppy babies i scooped them up in there and 3 weeks down the line are flourishing...i just feed them fry food and now flake, daphinia etc...
i also have 1 thats in the the main tank still its way to fast t catch and is doing extremly well...i would advise a lot of plants..i have many coconuts with java moss ..horn wort i think it is and 2 other plants im not too sure what they are and its doing fine in there.
by the looks of your guppy in the photo it may still have a while to go before birth.
it probably will eat some. i managed to save 6 and im happy!
i have never seen a guppy give birth either always do it when im sleeping!

08-09-2008, 03:50 PM	#5
Alaris Aquarium Advice FINatic Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 514	How many guppies exactly are in your 5 gal? It sounds like you may have too many fish in there. Those guppies will eat the fry. __________________ 10 gallon FW ~ male betta, 3 pygmy corys, 3 oto cats, java fern, java moss

08-09-2008, 05:06 PM	#6
meegosh Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Posts: 432 Images: 2	Only other option you would have is to put the female into a breeder box before she is about to drop her fry. I'm not sure if a breeder box would even fit into a 5 gallon tank. With that size of a tank and not knowing how many guppies you have in it, you may want to just let nature take its course. I had one fry that survived in a tank with 6 neons and two diamond tetras. Its just luck, and like the others said, having some type of plants for them to hide in will only increase the chances of survival. The lone fry that survived was hiding out in my java moss. I finally netted him and put him in my 10g grow out tank. I have 13 fry in my 10g and the two females are pregnant again, in my 30g. I am hoping that my two new GBRs will take care of any fry that drop now. __________________ 10g - 13 Guppy Fry \| Plants: Java Moss & Amazon Swords 30g Long - 6 Neons, 5 Diamonds, 4 Peppered & 2 Albino Corys, 1M/2F Guppies, 1 Upside-down Catfish

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08-09-2008, 03:18 PM	#4
emilz Aquarium Advice Newbie Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Canada Posts: 2	Its a 5 gallon tank and the other fish in the tank are other guppies (quite a lot) and 2 bronze corydoras

08-11-2008, 08:40 PM	#8
wims590 Aquarium Advice Apprentice Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 12	hi there! i have several guppies and 6 fry at the moment... i bought a little birthing tank and when i found the guppy babies i scooped them up in there and 3 weeks down the line are flourishing...i just feed them fry food and now flake, daphinia etc... i also have 1 thats in the the main tank still its way to fast t catch and is doing extremly well...i would advise a lot of plants..i have many coconuts with java moss ..horn wort i think it is and 2 other plants im not too sure what they are and its doing fine in there. by the looks of your guppy in the photo it may still have a while to go before birth. it probably will eat some. i managed to save 6 and im happy! i have never seen a guppy give birth either always do it when im sleeping!