My guppy just gave birth! HELP!

[Amy]

I'm sorry I know it's not herp related but does anyone know how the youngin's will feed? The female gave birth in a breeding pen in approximatly the last few hours. What do I have to do? It is a tropical tank approx 26 degrees with plant material.

 

[Guest]

Just feed the adult guppies as usuall and the food that doesnt get eaten the babies will finish off, guppies are very resiliant fish, they should be able to fend for themselves so long as there is room for them to get away from the parents, cause they are peodophage's (eat their babies) and will do so any chance they get.

So, just let them be and you and the fish, will be fine.

Cheers, Alan.

 

[SnakeWrangler]

If you want them to survive then I would seperate the fry from the parents, you can buy special containers that float inside the aquarium and allow the water to flow through, if you don't have one you could to get a fish net (with small holes) to float somehow and stick the fry in that until you can get a proper setup. There is also special food that the fry should be fed if you want them to grow strong and healthy, can't think of then name right now but I am sure your local pet shop will sell it. Just tell them about your fry and they will get you the right stuff. They will live for a while off the normal food that they can get to, but most will die because they will get too weak to swim away from the parents and will be eaten, if you are really patient you could just grind the normal flakes into dust and sprinkle that into the tank, the fry will get that, in fact if you are willing to do it all the time they would live off of that if they are seperated from the parents.

Did you get to see the birth of any, I used to breed guppies, swordtails, mollies, platies, basically most of the common live bearers, it is lots of fun.

Cheers.

 

[africancichlidau]

Throw in heaps of fine surface floating plants and carry on as normal. If you really want to pamper the fry throw in pellet food that you have crushed to a powder consistency. I you really really want to pamper them buy some liquid livebearer fry food for them. If you really wnat to pamper them without spending any money and you live in Melbourne, come over to my place and I'll give you a bottle of fry food If you don't give a poo feed 'em to their mummy and daddy

 

[Noskcajam]

That is great Amy.....but

Did you know that Female Guppies can give birth approx 6 times after one "encounter".
They have them about a month appart, with normally about 15 fry each time.

You will need a second tank....just a small one. And
"Live Bearers fry food", it is very high in protein (46%).
The food is dust and you put a tiny pinch in for the babies about three times a day.

Good Luck.

 

[Guest]

Or, you can get some cichlids to clean them up for you!!! LOL
Should be fun to watch for about 7 seconds!!! LOL

 

[Noskcajam]

Or, you can get some cichlids to clean them up for you!!! LOL

Not needed.... The male guppies get the idea after the first batch and BANG, every month after is a feeding frenzy. Trust me they are very hard to beat.

 

[africancichlidau]

If you listen to Tankster I am currently selling a tankfull of Tropheus Full breeding colony af Tanganyikan cichlids with a 5 foot plus tank and over $ 2000 worth of aquarium related accessories for any reasonable offer.

 

[jimmy_the_kid]

ill give ya fitty bucks afromathingy

 

[Amy]

haha! Thanks guys. Firstly, I'm over in WA so thanks for the offer Afri but no thanks

I have one of those breeding pen thingys that float in the water, I saw the preggers mum this morn and she looked like she was about to explode, her vent (fish equivilent?) was enlarged and I figured it was about time.

6 times after one encounter? The tank they are in is only 4ft long x 1ft wide x 2ft deep!?!uh oh, I have 4 females, all preggers, only one has given birth. Hehe, looks like I can now justify buying oscars to the boyfriend! :twisted:
I have a molly and an angelfish who are both interested in the fry, would the fry be smart enough to stay in the relative safety of the breeding pen? How fast do the fry grow? Do they have to be similar in size to the other fish before I can release them into the main tank? What about inbreeding? The female and males are all together, should I think about separating the sexes? How old are the fry before I can safely tell their sex? Sorry about all the questions, We bought the fish already preggers and I was going to just let the other fish eat the fry but I have become a bit soft hearted recently and I wouldn't mind a tank of lovely coloured boys. Will the boys fight if they are all in together but separate from the females??

On second thoughts, can anyone suggest a good book that could answer all the questions? One that could be widely accessed by us Westeners?

 

[jimmy_the_kid]

lol umm nice questions no idea of any of the answers but im sure if u cant find a book or the advice on here look up sum guppy carre sheets or go to ur local pet store they will probley know what u need to know

 

[Guest]

Males wont fight.
Babies can be released into the main stream tank when they are about a month old.
Inbreeding doesnt really affect guppies.
Fry will be smart enough to stay in the pen.
You could keep a colony of 100' and 100's in the tank you named.
And you will be able to tell the sexe's once the guppies colour up, as you probably know, males get the looks in that kettle of fish...LOL parden the pun.
And as for a book, would have a clue.

cheers, Alan.

 

[rodentrancher]

Guppies, Mollies, Platys and Other Live-Bearers: Purchase, Care, Feeding, Diseases, Behavior and a Special Section on Breeding (A Complete Pet Owner)
by Harro Hieronimus


List Price: $7.95
Price: $7.95 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. See details.
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours

see product details

Hi Amy, this book is available on Amazon.com Lots of good books at Amazon. You need a credit card to buy online. I've bought about 4 books through them. A very good service. Cheers Cheryl

 

[Guest]

Or, you can get some cichlids to clean them up for you!!! LOL

Not needed.... The male guppies get the idea after the first batch and BANG, every month after is a feeding frenzy. Trust me they are very hard to beat.

Ha haaa, have you seen or owned any South american or african cichlids?? I have a cichlid at the moment that would eat the tank bare. Even the male guppies would be a snack for most cichlids. When it comes to aggression in fresh water fish, you cant beat the Sth americans, they are the best.

 

[instar]

Most livebearer babies can fend for themselves on finely ground reg fish flakes. You must separate em though as quick as poss. Very hard to beat a hungry mother.

 

[Amy]

Thanks for the help people! Have a smaller tank I will use to house the preggers guppies until I can sort something more permanent out. I will go buy the fry food and see how we go.

Ta heaps
Amy

 

[africancichlidau]

you cant beat the Sth americans, they are the best.

You ever seen a hungry Tropheus Brichardi Team?

 

[jimmy_the_kid]

africa thingy wats the go u want to make a trade or what

 

[sxereturn]

At work, we keep 5 Oscars, a Red Devil, a Jaguar Cichlid, 3 Silver Dollars and a colony of these catfish things...all in the same tank. There was Barry the Barra too, but he decided life wasn't worth living and jumped out.

 

[Robert]

Love my mangrove jacks.

Anyone know much the "flowerhorns"?.
All i know is they are a red devil cross.