Curious Guppy Care Taker

[mrs.seawright]

Hello, new to Aquarium Advice as a poster but not as a reader. I have a question. I have two female guppies (Lavern & Shirley) and one male (one of several in the last 6 months..a question for another post). One of my females (Lavern) have birth to about 30 fry (counting is nearly impossible) last month. 11 days later my other guppy (Shirley) joined suit and did the same to approx. the same amount. The last batch was born 2 weeks and 2 days ago. Yesterday, the guppy to give birth last (Shirley) was acting strange, hiding in the corner. I assumed it was because she was still coping with a recent fin nipper in our large tank. Since she had her fin nipped, I've moved all 3 (females and male) to "nursery tank." Last night I notice approx. 10 new, very new, fry. They had to have been born yesterday because I know they weren't in there the day before. And since Shirley is the only one acting "out of character" they have to be hers. Lavern's gravid spot is pinkish and Shirley's is still somewhat dark. Is it normal to have fry every 16 days? I just find this amazing so I'm asking the professionals. Thank you in advance for your feedback.

 

[Colin_T]

Hi and welcome to the forum

Love the names Lavern & Shirley. The male is called Lenny or Squiggy by any chance?

Normally when they aren't stressed, they give birth to all the young at the same time. However, if the female is stressed out, she might give birth to some young prematurely, or she might hold young for a little while.

It's preferable not to chase or lift gravid (pregnant) female livebearers out of water because you can damage the females or developing young. If you have to move them, carefully catch them in a net but keep them in the water. Then use a plastic container to put under the net and lift the female up in the net and water. Move the container to a new tank and let her swim out.

 

[mrs.seawright]

Thank you for the welcome. The original male was Richey but he died….too friendly I think. A couple weeks ago when she was big and boxy and wouldn’t come when fed I knew it was time. I scooted her in a floating breeding box that floats on the water of the community tank. It was her first time being in it and she wasn’t happy. Maybe that was too much stress and she didn’t release all fly?
I hope she’s released them all now. She’s acting normalish. She still goes in the corner and seems stressed at times. She also comes out and eats when fed.
I will keep an eye on her. What’s a few more fry when you have an upward of 70! Thank you for your reply and advise!

 

[Colin_T]

I have never had a female livebearer do well in breeding nets/ traps. They always stress in them. I prefer to have lots of plants in the tank and just let them give birth in the tank. Then scoop the fry out and move them to a breeding net or another tank. If the adults are well fed, they don't normally eat the young.

Water Sprote (Ceratopteris thalictroides/ cornuta) is one of the best plants for livebearers. It has lots of branches and big leaves for the babies and mother to hide among and when you look down from above, you can normally see the fry among the leaves. Then you scoop them up with a plastic cup or icecream bucket.

 

[mrs.seawright]

Great advice! Thanks Colin!