How Close is My Guppy to Giving Birth?

[trustemedia]

While watching my pregnant Swordtail, I noticed my Guppy is ready to have babies and it looks like real soon, but I'm no expert. Can't believe I missed that! She's huge. Can someone tell from the photos how soon it will be before she gives birth so I can watch her? Thank you.

[Ian086]

Originally Posted by trustemedia

While watching my pregnant Swordtail, I noticed my Guppy is ready to have babies and it looks like real soon, but I'm no expert. Can't believe I missed that! She's huge. Can someone tell from the photos how soon it will be before she gives birth so I can watch her? Thank you.

Hey, she looks like she's starting to square off but is still a bit round. I would guess about a wk, maybe less. It's quite hard to say but when she stops eating, I find that it's usually about 3-4 days after that....

[trustemedia]

Thank you! I will keep an eye out for that for sure!

[trustemedia]

Hoping maybe anyone can weight in again on her. She hasn't gone yet and I don't want to miss saving them and don't want to put her in breeding box too early. I've been watching her. She looks really square. Today she is swimming around a lot, but hiding in plants. Not sure if because she's ready or she's hiding because the male guppy is following her around everywhere and nipping her constantly. He will NOT leave her alone. Can someone weigh in again on the new pics as to if she looks ready or not, please. I think she needs a break! I think she swims around the breeding box because she wants in. LOL She looks to be eating, but I'll double check if she's spitting it out. Thanks.

[Ian086]

Yeah she looks very close. I would try her in the box. Put her in just before lights out and this will keep stress to a minimum. If she seems too stress tomorrow, I would take her out...What's the plan for the fry??

[trustemedia]

Hmm, I posted reply and it didn't stick. I have her in the box now with lights out. I'll post what happens. Thank you for the follow-up reply. I needed a bit of advice as she was just not getting a break from the male today at all. I'm going to keep some fry as I need females, but not sure about the rest. Working something out with LFS, but also have friends, family, and the internet, so who knows what's in store. I have to save them all if I can though. It's in my nature. I love them.

[Ian086]

Originally Posted by trustemedia

Hmm, I posted reply and it didn't stick. I have her in the box now with lights out. I'll post what happens. Thank you for the follow-up reply. I needed a bit of advice as she was just not getting a break from the male today at all. I'm going to keep some fry as I need females, but not sure about the rest. Working something out with LFS, but also have friends, family, and the internet, so who knows what's in store. I have to save them all if I can though. It's in my nature. I love them.

As you plan on keeping some females, I would swap out the male(s) for a different one. This will stop inbreeding. I realize this is pretty common with guppies already but lets do our bit!!!

[trustemedia]

Nothing happened last night. She doesn't seem too stressed out about it. She looks for a way out sometimes (that what it looks like she is doing), but she looks at the other fish interested in her, eats, etc. I put a couple floating plants in with her to help and surrounded her box with plants as best I could to keep her a bit secluded. I didn't know if I should let her go for the day and put her back in at night or if that's too much. Just leaving her right now. If she doesn't go tonight, should I set her free in the morning and try again just at night? Not sure.

[Ian086]

Originally Posted by trustemedia

Nothing happened last night. She doesn't seem too stressed out about it. She looks for a way out sometimes (that what it looks like she is doing), but she looks at the other fish interested in her, eats, etc. I put a couple floating plants in with her to help and surrounded her box with plants as best I could to keep her a bit secluded. I didn't know if I should let her go for the day and put her back in at night or if that's too much. Just leaving her right now. If she doesn't go tonight, should I set her free in the morning and try again just at night? Not sure.

Some people will say yes, others will say not to use a traps at all. I personally use them and have kept them in there for 3-4 days with no issues. Try to keep the lights off as much as possible, even during the day. Also if you have bubblers, turn them off, especially at night. They usually, but not always, give birth at night because the tank is quiet and settled. She needs to feel secure to give birth and will hold off the birth if she doesn't feel safe. She can even self abort but you don't need to worry about that. She seems quite content. I know you have the trap already but for the future, have a look for a large trap, some are very small and this can add to the stress....

[trustemedia]

Thank you! I turned out the lights. I had them off and then turned them on recently, so I just went and shut them back out. I also shut off the lights in the room. I unplugged the air so the bubblers are off. I'll look for a bigger breeder. I got the biggest one the store I was at had, but know it's not real large. They only had small & medium. Okay. Keeping fingers crossed so I can take her out soon.

[Ian086]

Originally Posted by trustemedia

Thank you! I turned out the lights. I had them off and then turned them on recently, so I just went and shut them back out. I also shut off the lights in the room. I unplugged the air so the bubblers are off. I'll look for a bigger breeder. I got the biggest one the store I was at had, but know it's not real large. They only had small & medium. Okay. Keeping fingers crossed so I can take her out soon.

Yeah I find the bigger box better for them. After she has them, I usually leave her in there for a few hours and offer her some food asap afterwards. She will be very hungry and this helps stop her eating the fry....

[trustemedia]

UPDATE: I released her on day 3 and she still hasn't given birth. Guess she's just not ready yet.

[trustemedia]

Nope. Still nothin'. Tap, tap, tap. Wish she'd hurry up already.

[freshwaterashley]

Shouldnt be much more than a few days to a week more.. its been almost 3 weeks since your original post.. so you shouldnt be waiting much linger.. post some pics when it finally does happen

[freshwaterashley]

Any luck with your guppy?

[trustemedia]

Nope. Not yet. She had this huge thing come out of her yesterday. I thought she was dying or something. Some people thought she had worms and some said just cleaning herself out before birth and big poo. I am still not sure. But she hasn't gone yet. But she has to be really, really close after yesterday's fiasco.

Here's what I went through yesterday:

[Mcor]

WOWZER. that's some poo. I imagine though, with a belly full of babies sometimes you get a bit clogged up and then that happens.

[Ian086]

Originally Posted by trustemedia

Nope. Not yet. She had this huge thing come out of her yesterday. I thought she was dying or something. Some people thought she had worms and some said just cleaning herself out before birth and big poo. I am still not sure. But she hasn't gone yet. But she has to be really, really close after yesterday's fiasco.

Here's what I went through yesterday:

In the top picture. Is that after she had her 'poo'?? Her anal area looks quite swollen but her belly doesn't look that big now....

[trustemedia]

That is before the big poo. She formed a V in her belly where it looked like it dropped in the middle. You can see it in the picture. Like it was all sitting in the bottom in the middle of her underbelly. Clogged up from babies in there? After the poo she went back straight and square again. She did another one today, but not that big. After that poo she was swimming around and stuff, too and she was lying on the bottom. But she's still very pregnant and square. No babies. Just big poo.

[trustemedia]

Well, I seen 4 fry Saturday night at about 2am. there were 7 in the morning. i ended up releasing her and moving fry to fry tank. she still seemed to have some in there, but hasnt let anymore go, although she is mixed with others now. Like theres a few more stuck, saving for later, not ready yet? Dont know. But i got 7 cuties.