Surprise delivery

[syywong]

Hi all. I have a 10G tank since Nov 2016. Currently there are 5 guppies, 2 male 3 female. I know the ratio is not ideal but 1 male fish is "handicap" so I assume it's ok.

Today without any warning what so ever, I woke up to 3 additional baby guppies in the tank. None of the female fish is prego. No gravid spot. No sign of going into labor.

How is this possible? And don't they usually give birth to dozens? Why are there only 3 babies? Is the mama fish sick?

 

[Barliman]

Younger fish will give birth to fewer and will have larger "litters" as they get older. And, to be honest, unless those females were isolated from males from the moment they become sexually mature, they were pregnant when you bought them.

 

[syywong]

Younger fish will give birth to fewer and will have larger "litters" as they get older. And, to be honest, unless those females were isolated from males from the moment they become sexually mature, they were pregnant when you bought them.

Thanks! Actually I raised them since babies from my first generation of guppies. That's why I don't understand what I see.

 

[DreaminginBlue]

Did you separate the baby females and males when you raised them? If it isn't done quickly enough they can mate.

 

[Toad]

If there are males and females in the same tank, they are going to breed, regardless if they are related or not.