Pregnant guppy

[Lily1714]

So i just got a male and female guppy several days ago and the guy at the pet store said the female was pregnant and due in about a week. i have a breeding box but im not sure when im actually supposed to put her in it. How do i know when shes having her babies?

 

[Oceangirl]

She will get VERY fat and square off and look like a big barge! Then start hiding and giving birth. I would let her have the babies in the main tank and catch the babies and put them in the breeder net

 

[Lily1714]

I have a filter that will suck them up though and thatd e really sad

 

[Oceangirl]

a healthy fry will not be sucked up. You could also cover the intake with a aquarium sponge or aquaclear sponge with a hole cut in it.

 

[Lily1714]

Yea so i came home fromschool today and found 8 fry swimming around. i wasnt expectin them so soon. And the filter didnt seem to suck any up

 

[kdklovesfish]

I have CRS and platy fry, not guppy fry. I was watching my tank thinking "gee I can't find many of my 10 shrimp or two of my fry" and then watched a shrimp get sucked up. In near tears I turned off the filer and looked inside and there were 8 shrimp and 2 fry still alive in my filter pad! Holy cow! I cut up a chunk of the filter pad and shoved it in the hole. My filter still works fine and no more missing friends. I'm basically telling you this story because I have to disagree that healthy fry won't get sucked up a filter and think its better safe than sorry on covering the hole. Good luck with your new babies!

 

[Lily1714]

Thanks and ill do that next time she gets pregnant which will probably be soon

 

[kdklovesfish]

I've also heard of people using a piece of pantyhose over the piping too.

 

[Seahorse Lover 20]

Good luck raising the babies!

 

[Moobs99]

Iv got tights over all my filters as I had the same problem :-( enjoy raising the fry

 

[Lily1714]

Thanks

 

[pcdebb]

enjoy, you'll have another batch in about a month

 

[Aqualady40]

I agree my Sunburst platy was prego and I didn't know she was....but yesterday I was getting ready to do a pwc and saw a fry so I hurried up and grabbed a new knee high stocking and rubber band...slipped it over the intake on my qt and as she delivered I scooped and put in another tank...I was able to feel comfortable that no fry would get sucked in the filter...it was her first batch and she only had 8...they are all in the qt

 

[_skyla_]

Thanks and ill do that next time she gets pregnant which will probably be soon

Their little cuties arnt they I would definitely suggest you cover your filter intake as soon as you can if your intent on keeping this batch of fry or they will get sucked up when they swim near it. I have a piece of stocking tied around one of my filters and a sponge over the other. Good luck with your new fish bubs

 

[SlowHand]

I've also heard of people using a piece of pantyhose over the piping too.

i use pantyhose and it works very weel

 

[thebluespirit]

a healthy fry will not be sucked up. You could also cover the intake with a aquarium sponge or aquaclear sponge with a hole cut in it.

I agree with this. Guppy fry are pretty good swimmers and a healthy one should have no trouble getting away from a filter intake. Doesn't do any harm to cover the intake ibn any case

 

[Oceangirl]

It depends...I had a healthy CPD sucked up my intake because the intake was near where the group slept. I think he fell asleep and whoops right up the pipe. I have mine wrapped now and only a couple fry free swimming. I plan to move my 2 females guppies to their own 5 gallon for a while. and release the babies into the main tank 29 gallon tank. I plant to cycle the 5 as a hospital tank. All my fish are 2 inches and below