# Pregnant Guppies



## fishmom11 (Aug 20, 2011)

I'm really confused and I guess I need help or advice. As many of you know I saved 6 guppies, a cory, and a male betta from my fiance's co-worker. When we got them I quickly determined that all 4 of the female guppies were in various stages of pregnancy (common I know). We've had the tank for a while now (I'm guesstimating 3 weeks) and we have no fry yet. One of the females was HUGE when we got her and she still is. There is a second female that is really large and neither of them have had any fry. I've seen the fry's eyes in all 4 of the females but no fry yet. 

Last week I moved the 2 largest females into a small 1 gallon filtered tank with "Baby Hide-Out" plants that I picked up from Petco. I know that the tank is too small for 2 fish but I wasn't planning on them being in there for this long. I moved them when I noticed they were staying on the filter in our 10 gallon tank and other signs of labor like shimmying. They don't seem stressed but there are no fry and they haven't gotten any smaller so I don't think they've been eating any.

I've noticed them show some signs of labor but still no fry since I moved them.

Should I move one or both of the females back to the 10 gallon or should I leave them? If I leave them, how long should I wait? Why haven't they had them yet? (That seems like a silly question but based on everything I've read and how pregnant the largest females were when we got them I'm concerned/confused)

Thank you for any and all help!


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## ZebraDanio12 (Jun 17, 2011)

Leave them. I felt the same way. Very anxious. Right when payed a bit more less attention to them, they gave birth to 12 healthy fry! Be patient!


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## fishmom11 (Aug 20, 2011)

I'm really trying to be patient. I've watched and I've ignored and still nothing. I just want to make sure they are healthy and that they don't die. It's a miracle they lived through where they came from to be honest.


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## ZebraDanio12 (Jun 17, 2011)

fishmom11 said:


> I'm really trying to be patient. I've watched and I've ignored and still nothing. I just want to make sure they are healthy and that they don't die. It's a miracle they lived through where they came from to be honest.



It will happen. I swear i thought mine was gonna expload!! She never gave birth. I'd had her for three weeks and she looked more preggo than that. But she gave birth finally. Haha. Be sure to put her on the calender!


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## lohachata (Jan 27, 2006)

what is in the 10 gallon tank ?buy a few bunches of hornwort and let it float in the 10...put the females back in the 10..let them have the fry where there is a little room....the floating plants will give them places to hide..confinig the fish causes too much stress and can cause them to abort or can even cause them to die..
i breed guppies in a 24 gallon plastic tote...approx...36 x 16 x 12...lots of hornwort...more fry than i can count...


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## ZebraDanio12 (Jun 17, 2011)

lohachata said:


> what is in the 10 gallon tank ?buy a few bunches of hornwort and let it float in the 10...put the females back in the 10..let them have the fry where there is a little room....the floating plants will give them places to hide..confinig the fish causes too much stress and can cause them to abort or can even cause them to die..
> i breed guppies in a 24 gallon plastic tote...approx...36 x 16 x 12...lots of hornwort...more fry than i can count...



Post a pic! I'd like to see your set up! I'm attempting to breed my fish..


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## fishmom11 (Aug 20, 2011)

There are 4 more guppies (2 male and 2 female), a cory cat, and a male betta (he's HUGE). The male guppies are really small (they weren't fed) and their tails are all ripped up. 

I moved them because I THOUGHT (now I don't think I actually did) I saw 2 fry in the filter.


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## fishmom11 (Aug 20, 2011)

So this is what I've done. Since I had advice to leave them and advice to move them I moved the smaller female back to the 10 gallon and for now I am leaving the big momma in the one gallon to see if she'll have her fry. If she doesn't have them soon I will move her back to the 10 gallon as well. I have both tanks next to each other so that the fish can see one another.


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

fry can end up in the filter, or in the betta's stomach. Put the betta in the 1, put a piece of aquarium filter sponge over the filter intake. Put all the guppies in the bigger tank. Add lots of plants, real or fake. Those plastic 'plant mats" you are supposed to bury in the gravel make great baby hide-a-ways when floating. Likely the betta is behind the tail-less-ness also.


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## fishmom11 (Aug 20, 2011)

I figured it was the betta who what snacking on some guppy tails. I'll move the "baby hide outs" I got at petco over to the 10 with the other plants in it. I'll have to get some of the filter sponge because we don't have any. Hopefully I will have some fry soon. These females are massive and they've been this way for a long time. I know they aren't just fat because I can see the eyes of the fry in the gravid spots.

I'm off to switch things around now


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## fishmom11 (Aug 20, 2011)

So the betta is being difficult and I can't net him to move him over. Frustrating :/


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## ZebraDanio12 (Jun 17, 2011)

fishmom11 said:


> So the betta is being difficult and I can't net him to move him over. Frustrating :/


My betta always hops right in! Lol. Hey post a picture of your female, maybe we can tell when shes gonna give birth or atleast estimate. Can you see the frys eyes yet? I can always see them. Its pretty cool.


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## fishmom11 (Aug 20, 2011)

This betta is used to being in the 10 gallon. He's been with the guppies since the lady got them I guess. I'm trying not to stress him out but I really want to move him over. I've been able to see the fry's eyes for a while now. I just took two pictures. I'll see if I can upload them now.


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## fishmom11 (Aug 20, 2011)

So the fish on the bottom is my big momma and the one above her is the second biggest. They're both fluttering their tails now that they're in the 10 gallon and they're hanging out by the filter but they will move around the tank. The second picture shows another female (by the male) and one of the males. See his tail and how small he is  The other male is the same way just different colors.

Oh can anyone tell me specifically what filter that is? I know it's a Marineland but that's all I know.

Thank you!


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## ZebraDanio12 (Jun 17, 2011)

fishmom11 said:


> So the fish on the bottom is my big momma and the one above her is the second biggest. They're both fluttering their tails now that they're in the 10 gallon and they're hanging out by the filter but they will move around the tank. The second picture shows another female (by the male) and one of the males. See his tail and how small he is  The other male is the same way just different colors.
> 
> Oh can anyone tell me specifically what filter that is? I know it's a Marineland but that's all I know.
> 
> Thank you!


Wow, that male is just beautiful. So jealous. But those females are pretty dang close. Probablly a few days. Do you have a heater? Increase the temp a degree or two a day, and she'll give birth soon. Also, raise the fry in warmer water. I have my month old fry without a heater up till bout 3 weeks, and i noticed the ones born with the heater, are almost my month old size but they are only two weeks old. Heat does make them grow faster. Im amazed


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## fishmom11 (Aug 20, 2011)

He's beautiful but he's missing some of his tail. I think it was nipped off by the male betta before I moved him. Still no fry but one of my females looks bigger. Hopefully soon! Thank you


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## ZebraDanio12 (Jun 17, 2011)

fishmom11 said:


> He's beautiful but he's missing some of his tail. I think it was nipped off by the male betta before I moved him. Still no fry but one of my females looks bigger. Hopefully soon! Thank you


No problem. Just had my third drop last saturday. Expecting another one any day now.  23 babies!


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## fishmom11 (Aug 20, 2011)

I just went to my tank and I saw my smallest female drop an egg and then I was looking in my baby Hide Outs and saw a FRY  she dropped another 2 eggs but no more fry yet. Hopefully I get to see her drop a few!


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## ZebraDanio12 (Jun 17, 2011)

fishmom11 said:


> I just went to my tank and I saw my smallest female drop an egg and then I was looking in my baby Hide Outs and saw a FRY  she dropped another 2 eggs but no more fry yet. Hopefully I get to see her drop a few!


Hmm. Eggs aren't good. But if you got a fry too, those are probably just the defective ones... Hopefully with have more fry Your lucky. I've had 3 drops and still haven't seen it happen. Urgh  Get it on tape for me if you can. That be cool. Ive seen a few on yutube, but they were all timed. 

My teacher has guppies in her room and i was watching her tank today and me and my friend found a baby. She was so excited. Haha. Rest must've been eatin.. haha.


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## fishmom11 (Aug 20, 2011)

I'm really sad... I think my fry was eaten. I left it in the main tank while I ate dinner and when I went back I couldn't find the fry in the Baby Hide Out  I really hope it's just hiding and not in someone's belly.


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## fishmom11 (Aug 20, 2011)

YAY!!!! The fry was just hiding!!!! I moved it temporarily until I can have a better setup but the baby is safe


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## ZebraDanio12 (Jun 17, 2011)

fishmom11 said:


> YAY!!!! The fry was just hiding!!!! I moved it temporarily until I can have a better setup but the baby is safe


Great! If you find anymore, use a 5 gallon or 10 gallon. More room helps them grow faster and better. I have some almost three week fry, and they shot up as big as my month and a week fry and are as big as them once added my heater. Heaters male a difference . My month old ones are getting color too!


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## lohachata (Jan 27, 2006)

zebra d...................go to walmart..k mart or wherever...get one of those plastic totes....you don't need a deep one...mine are only 12" deep...cost me about $9.00...a short piece of 1 1/2" PVC pipe about 8 or 10" long...put you heater in the pipe so it doesn't melt the tote...you will have to brace the sides..i use a couple of pieces of 1x4 as long as the tub..and 2 pieces of 1/4-20 threaded steel rod..fender washer and wingnuts....
a couple of good sponge filters and lots of hornwort...a striplight can rest on top of the rods..
i will put up a couple of pics of my tubs tomorrow or the day after...
i love the totes.....they are cheap and easy to use and clean...you can get a 50 gallon tote for about $20.00 or so...you can also put them outside for the summer and grow awesome plants and spectacular fish...lots of plants and cover and many fish will breed...tetras...barbs...danios...i was breeding odessa barbs for a couple of years....their colors are amazing......


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## ZebraDanio12 (Jun 17, 2011)

lohachata said:


> zebra d...................go to walmart..k mart or wherever...get one of those plastic totes....you don't need a deep one...mine are only 12" deep...cost me about $9.00...a short piece of 1 1/2" PVC pipe about 8 or 10" long...put you heater in the pipe so it doesn't melt the tote...you will have to brace the sides..i use a couple of pieces of 1x4 as long as the tub..and 2 pieces of 1/4-20 threaded steel rod..fender washer and wingnuts....
> a couple of good sponge filters and lots of hornwort...a striplight can rest on top of the rods..
> i will put up a couple of pics of my tubs tomorrow or the day after...
> i love the totes.....they are cheap and easy to use and clean...you can get a 50 gallon tote for about $20.00 or so...you can also put them outside for the summer and grow awesome plants and spectacular fish...lots of plants and cover and many fish will breed...tetras...barbs...danios...i was breeding odessa barbs for a couple of years....their colors are amazing......



Thats awesome, I cant wait to see how you have it. May do that some time.


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## fishmom11 (Aug 20, 2011)

I found a second fry today. It's really exciting


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