# Guppies won't eat



## Cichlid Dude!

Hello everyone, I just got a pair of guppies, both happy and healthy, except that they don't seem to eat. I have tried both flake food and tubifex (freeze dried), but they just don't seem hungry. I have had them for three days now with no success in terms of food consumption. they both seem very healthy though, and I have seen them nibble a little at the plants, but they lack enthusiasm. Can anyone help me?


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## TheOldSalt

They are probably still in transfer shock. The water they came from must have been quite different from yours. This should wear off soon.


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## Cichlid Dude!

Okay, I took the plants out because they (the plants) were dying, and the male ate when I fed him! The female nibbled a little, but she still doesn't have an appetite. However, the next morning, I got barely a nibble. How can I get them to eat more? I don't want them to die. I am hoping that they live long enough for the female to give birth (hopefully, her offspring will be smarter than her when it comes to food). Speaking of which, I would really like to find a way to get her pregnant and birthing fast, but so far, she seems very unreceptive. Is there any way to make sure that she is mated with? Please tell me!


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## humdedum

It'll take longer for a guppy to starve to death. Like TOS said, in a few days they'll probably be hungry enough to be tempted by some food. 

If the female was in a mixed tank (males and females) chances are she's already pregnant. Of course, she could have been carefully separated from the males when she was young and there's a small chance she's a virgin fish (oh, that sounds weird... ). 

At 90 degrees, it takes guppy fry 19 days from initial fertilization to birth, versus the average of about 28 days. Of course, this will speed up the life cycle of the fry and they will have a correspondingly shorter life span. 

Can't remember which book I read that from...I have about ten in my room right now that I always keep checked out from the library.


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## Cichlid Dude!

Bad news, yesterday her stomach looked slightly distended, so I thought she was pregnant, but when I checked later on, she was dead! I am very sad, but at least I'll get a refund from petco. I'm thinking this was one of those lighting-fast killer-cases of dropsy I've heard so much about. Too bad for me. At least she didn't suffer long. The male is acting fine, a little nervous and still not eating, but healthy. He is swimming around in circles and up and down with his nose to the tank wall. I am going to try to get a different color of guppy than the male so that I will get more assortment when I try to sell the babies. Also, in reply to Humdedum, at my petco the males and females are separated. My females gravid spot was very pale and not at all prominent, and she was not at all distended when I got her, so I am pretty sure she was a virgin fish (you're right, that does sound weird).


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