Possible mating dances???

[alia258]

I have just recently started breeding guppies for hobbyist purposes (and also for sales to anyone who might want them, and possible protein snacks if the amount of babies gets out of hand) I currently have 1 male and 2 females. There are two specific things that my male does that I was hoping someone on here might have an explanation for:

1.) Slowly swims to bottom of tank, pauses, and swims back up to the surface fast and vertically, repeat.

2.) when near a female, curves body into a u shape, makes his tail thinner, points his dorsal fin straight up, and vibrates his body.

Here are pics of the fishies:
Male(Tiger) :


View attachment 82022

Female(Noir) :


View attachment 82023

Female(Blondie) :


View attachment 82025

 

[jetajockey]

#2 is definitely mating gestures.

 

[alia258]

Alright! Number 2 is anwsered (now I know what he's doing half the time!) thanks! ^^

 

[jetajockey]

The other thing is, eh, not sure really, I've had some fish that do this, not only guppies, so who knows. I think with some fish they don't realize there is a glass barrier in front of them so they just go up and down along the glass.

 

[alia258]

He doesn't do it against the glass though, he's usually in the middle of the tank, otherwise I would've passed it of as not knowing about the glass too, that was my first thought when I first saw him do it, but he wasn't near the glass really

 

[FwA]

I agree. Number two mating dances. Number 1 maybe just the playful guppy attitude

 

[alia258]

Well it's very cute! I wonder if he knows there's glass there and that's how he gets exercise? Then he's one smart cookie! ^^

 

[Matt68005]

Its called flashing. And shipping is hard and stressful so don't expect to be shipping to alot of people.

 

[jetajockey]

I've always considered it flashing when they flick themselves against surfaces in the tank. Also shipping isn't that bad, pretty much every fish in every store was shipped there.

 

[alia258]

I was thinking that if I use bubble wrap to keep it from moving and then some StressCoat+ to keep the stress level down, and then the fact that young guppies are better at adjusting, then they should be okay in shipping ^^ so I guess I just have an excited guppy ^^

 

[SkullAngel]

Make sure you don't breed the frys with each other, it can cause weaker immune systems and possibly more deaths

 

[alia258]

Yes I know

 

[jetajockey]

That's actually not even an issue until several generations in. Usually breeders will introduce a new line after 6 or 8 cycles or when they are throwing a lot of culls.

 

[alia258]

If offspring are born with a birth defect (I hear commonly its a bent spine) what's the likely possibility that they can still live a long and happy life? (and of course I wouldn't breed them, just let them live) and what are any other defects? And the commonness of the defect?

 

[FwA]

I've had a few live happy normal lives, others end up dying. Hard to tell really

 

[alia258]

Oh I see. Perhaps it's just better to get rid of them so they don't struggle? Is it cruel to feed the defected ones to the other fish?

 

[SkullAngel]

I think that would be better just to end their suffering

 

[alia258]

So, the freezer and then I'll just have to feed them to the rest I suppose. That's not cruel, is it?

 

[SkullAngel]

It is better to end a life than to let it live a uncomfortable life and die unhappy , it's sad but true

 

[alia258]

I think you're right. I figure I might feed the dead ones as a protien snack to the older fish, so that way the dead ones are kind of going into the future generations! ??? Not sure wether that's a good or a bad thing :/