When will my guppy give birth?

[Leighcampbell]

Hi guys!
Hoping somebody may be able to help me with how soon I might be able to expect my pregnant guppy to give birth?
I got her about a week ago already pregnant and this is my first time breeding.
Last night I noticed her withdrawing and hiding a bit so placed her in the breeding box. I have read a few things about how this may stress them out however I have a male who won’t leave her alone so would prefer to separate her for her own comfort - she doesn’t appear to be stressing in the box at all.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated! For your info tank is cycled, nitrites and ammonia very low and nitrate in the safe zone.
Thanks in advance

 

[Autumnsky]

I'd probably put the male in time out instead of the female.

Is your tank cycled has it been running for a couple months yet?

 

[Leighcampbell]

Hey Autumnsky
Thanks for your reply and info! I have taken her out of the box and will monitor if the male harasses her, if so I’ll place him in the box.
I want to try and keep as many fry as possible and have some plants but also have some neon tetras and fear they will eat the fry if birthing in the main tank.
The tank is about 1.5 months old and I’ve been following the cycling process with regular water changes and levels have been kept pretty healthy.
Any idea how far along my pregnant female might be?
Thanks again!

 

[Autumnsky]

Can't quite tell, I believe it is around 28 days for birth. If you look from the top of the tank, I would expect to see a bit of a squared body, also referred to being "squared off". Then it is within few days. She would usually look square and glossy/shiny
and some bulges like she's gonna pop.

When you see her you will think, "Ah yes, there it is!" lol If you look up pics you might see it. But in person very noticable. You may see eyes.

The fish in with her...
In my 80G there are 7 Neons in withe the Endlers. And I have at least 100 babies there.

My recommendation is to get some live stem plants, whatever the store says grows like a weed. Rinse off and let it float in the top area for hiding places.

Guppies have the ability hold sperm for 6 months, how crazy is that? So this fish would be able to give birth over and over and over. And with the male, you will have rounds of babies "forever" .

Point being livebearers have lots of babies so that some will survive, you shouldn't need to be too worried if they eat a few.

Feeding them a little more around birth time also helps, some mommas are starving and others do not want to eat during birth but usually mine want to eat. I feed just a bit so all fish aren't extra hungry. Feed at the opposite side of tank as momma is hanging out in, then put a little next to momma. Keeps the other fish busy away from her.

 

[Autumnsky]

The also, was to do a couple good water changes, vac'ing before birth happens ideally so you don't need to worry about it after there are tiny babies are scavaging around every where.

 

[Leighcampbell]

Thanks again!
She’s definitely looking square, I’d just love to know roughly how many weeks in she is as I didn’t ask how far along she was when I bought her.
She’s always hungry and pooping a lot!
I’ve got some plants which are growing like crazy so I’ll probably take some cuttings and float them on the top for the babies.
I’ll try to get some better pics of the tank setup but it’s difficult! I’ll do another full vacuum and partial water change in the next 24-48 hours.
The male is still chasing her but not too much now. I have another male who has been looking quite sickly and hanging at the top, I’m worried about him so I’ve put him in the breeder box and hoping it’s not too serious and he recovers well.
In my tank I have: 3 guppies (2 male and 1 pregnant female - I know it’s recommended to have more females but so far they have got along well and I’m hoping some of my fry develop into females too), I also have 6 little neon tetras.
Really hoping she will give birth soon, I can’t wait and just hoping they survive and don’t get eaten!

 

[Leighcampbell]

It’s hard to get good pics with the light coming in from outside and reflecting off of the tank - heres a few though.

 

[Autumnsky]

What foods do you have planned for the babies, or use smashed up pellets or crushed flakes?

Also do you have a cover on the filter intake? Often there isn't any loss of babies because they are strong swimmers, but they have also gone in to nibble bits of algae/ food...

 

[Leighcampbell]

I was planning to use crushed flakes for the babies. I don’t have a cover on the filter intake, have sort of just been hoping for the best but up until now was planning on her giving birth in the breeder box.
I suppose I could always try to remove as many fry as possible and place them in the breeding box to ensure their safety until they’re big enough....
I really hope she’s not too far away, it’s all so exciting and I just want it to happen!

 

[Autumnsky]

Very likely very soon!

Your option to decide which way to keep the fry. If kept in the breeder box, make sure to put clean dechlorinated water through the box. Pour it through gently.

Food waste build up can cause it to be a mini ammonia spike area /concentrated there. This style box has more openings so less chance, just something to be aware of. Babies get fed numerous times a day and things can build up.

Good fry birth to you and your momma!!!

 

[Leighcampbell]

Thanks Autumnsky! Keeping my fingers crossed it happens in the next few days! Appreciate your help!

 

[Desperado070]

When you really start to notice they are pregnant, they are about 1 / 2 weeks left.

The male wil smell it when she is about to give birth.
Once she gives birth, he be the first eating them.
If she gets harassed to much she won't drop the fry and can even die.

While fry are fast swimmers they are not strong swimmers.
Most filter intakes wil be the end of the fry.
Putting something over it is a must if you want them al to survive.

You can put the fry in a breeder box.
Put a couple of plants (or bits) in it, so the fry feels more safe.
Just remember it wil get messy so you need to clean that to (often).

Flakes are still to big and while they wil nip on it they can't really eat it.
If you put chiclic shrimp sticks in something like a (unused) salt mill you get powder which is perfect for the fry...

Baby brine shrimp hatchery isn't hard to make either.
All you need are bottles and a air stone.

 

[Leighcampbell]

Thanks Desperado,
The male seems to be uninterested in her at the moment. I’ll keep monitoring. I guess I just have to hope for the best and that it doesn’t happen when I’m asleep - either that or move her into the box when I go to bed (which I fear will just stress her out if she’s being put in there/moved every night).
She’s sort of just hanging around the bottom at the moment, she seems happy. I wish there was a way I could somehow be alerted when it’s happening, I’d love to watch - it’s fascinating!

 

[Leighcampbell]

Some more pics

 

[Leighcampbell]

THANKS EVERYONE! Happy to report that this afternoon my female has given birth to around 20 healthy fry! About 3-4 others did not make it/are not moving too much. I believe she still has more to drop as there are still dark specks in her gravid spot and she’s still large, however she is swimming around normally again for the moment.

 

[Autumnsky]

They look pretty big! Congratulations!

 

[Desperado070]

Congratulations

 

[Leighcampbell]

Hi guys, hoping you may be able to help me.
Until now I have been under the impression everything was great in my tank, my 23 guppy fry have been happily swimming around the breeding box and looking healthy.
Water parameters have been fine. Earlier today when I tested the water I noticed some nitrites and did a gravel vac and 30% water change. The water was conditioned from chlorine and heated to a similar temp to the tank water.
I returned to my tank 4 hours later to find all of my fry dead except 3!
Can somebody tell me what I might have done wrong? I am regretting doing a partial water change today and absolutely heartbroken that most of my babies have perished!!

 

[Desperado070]

It is hard to say, yes they don't tolerate a No2 spike even if it is minor.
What is your setup? show us a picture of the whole tank?
Thing is I don't think it was the water-change...
Giving birth is messy so it could have created a spike in NH3 first.
Keep testing and say so if it doesn't go down.

 

[Leighcampbell]

Thanks Desperado, I’ve attached a few pics of the setup.
The tank is a smaller size tank as it’s my first (approx 30 liters) and has 3 plants which all are quite healthy.
All my parameters still look ok, pH is in the neutral range, nitrites and ammonia at 0 and nitrate very low. No traces of chlorine.
I’m thinking maybe I added the new water too quickly, as I poured this into the tank instead of gradually drip-changing it....
I just feel so bad for the poor lost fry