How can you tell guppies are pregnant?

[Aquarius]

I recently bought 7 guppies and was planning to breed them for my tank. Some of the females are fat, so I figure they are pregnant. How can you tell for sure? How can you tell if they are close to giving birth?

 

[LondonGman]

I posted the below at http://www.aquariumadvice.com/viewtopic.php?t=11550 which is the full extent of my knowlegde on pregnant guppies

I think I have worked out how to get the timing right for when guppies are about to give birth within a day

• 1. Their bellies get very large and slightly long which makes the side the profile of the underside of their belly to look a bit flat
  2. The female guppy starts to look for quiet hiding spot near the gravel to give birth
  3. the large dark spot on either side and to the rear of the female starts to look slightly specked. These are the babies

Now this is the third batch of guppies that I have been able keep. The first batch I gave to a friend. I only had 9 survivors from the second batch which are currently growing nicely in my tank.

 

[TankGirl]

Gman, that is a great observation, and as good as anyone will likely get to determine when she will drop her babies!

 

[Aquarius]

I just have a normal filter on the side of my tank. would that suck the fry into it?

 

[TankGirl]

Not generally, as long as you have hiding spots (floating plants, fake or real) they will stay there mostly. If you have any concern, take some clean pantyhose and cover your intake strainer with it. It will get gunked up, but a quick rinse and you pop it back on, and no fish will get through that!