# Are my Guppies Pregnant?



## Edifiler (Nov 28, 2011)

Hey guys, today i went to pick up some guppies, 2 females : 1 male. Doing a bit of research, it looked like my 2 females were already pregnant even before i bought them. Im not too sure if they are but they all show characteristics of big belly and a gravid spot. ( though i read from somewhere that it has to be dark red or black *not too sure about which colour*)
So anyways im hoping that some of you guppies experts may be able to help. Heres some pictures to aid you ( sorry for the low quality). And thanks for advance. 

































Also i notice the male seem to be chasing the larger female, and i read from a website that the males do that to eat the fry and to try and mate with the female again.


----------



## jamiend97 (Feb 22, 2012)

I'd say their pregnant. Wait and see if they get any bigger. They look it though.
Mine had a big black spot and the fish were very big. Then one day I woke up with lots of little baby guppies. The fish will eat them, so make sure you have plants they can hide in.
Mine love floating plants.


----------



## fish monger (Dec 29, 2011)

They look prego to me also.


----------



## Edifiler (Nov 28, 2011)

Thanks for your responses, I'll keep a look out for when their due. They dont quite yet have the "squared-off" shaped many websites were talking about yet. The only fear I have would be that the male and the females might eat the fry :x Like i said, i just picked them up today, which means i have not fed them yet. I plan to feed them tomorrow morning ( its currently 1:30am for me) which means if the fry were to come out, most of them might not make it. Hopefully, fingers crossed, that my live plants and driftwood may offer some shelter until i can remove them. 

Now here comes another question. I plan to get a breeders box and a "Hatchery". But i've read from some places that these boxes puts the guppies under lots of stress, resulting in her being forever "pregnant" (until she dies of course). Should i place them in the boxes at the last second? or should i let them bear the fry in the tank and hope that the live plants shield them from the adults? And if i do proceed with that method, how should i remove the fry from the tank? Perhaps cupping them?


----------



## jamiend97 (Feb 22, 2012)

You're welcome. Mine never looked "Squared off". Mine just got very round. 
I personally would not get one. I had one, my fish just freaked out for a while so I took her out. I've also heard that putting the fry in there can stunt their growth, making them never really grow and they turn into food.

To remove them, I'd just use a net and put them in a different tank with a few plants. Then when they get bigger just put them back in the big tank.

I don't remove mine. They're fairly easy breeders and practically require no attention. Just make sure your filter can't suck them up. I tied a hairnet around the bottom of my filter so it can't suck them up.

Plants provide nice cover, even floating plants, like wisteria. Moss is amazing for them too. Java works well, so does Riccia. I have Riccia attached to a big stone in mine and it's almost like a little "rug". They run in it and hide there. 
and make sure you crush up food very small so they can eat.


----------



## 4shi (Feb 25, 2012)

First of all: they are all pregnant, and that spot has to be dark/black. If you will see non pregnant females (which are pretty rare, heheh...), and you will check it, you will see, that the orange colour is something empty there, while when it's black, it's filled with small balls.. I agree with the not-removing thing, guppies can breed pretty easily, but it depends on the other fishes in the tank too.


----------



## Edifiler (Nov 28, 2011)

@jamiend97 I've just fed them today, still no sign of any frys in the tank yet. How would you remove them with a net? wouldnt they be too small ( unless you have a small holed net ). Also would netting them cause some damage to the small fry? 

Also would it better that i just leave the frys in there? And if i do, im not sure how to feed them. They'll eat the infusoria growing on the live plants in there, but im sure they'll need more then that to grow. I've got a sponge filter with a "not so strong" current, is that fine?

@4shi Thanks for the clear up, i would prefer not to remove them from the tank as im sure it'll cause them lots of stress. Currently, I have 3 guppies, 2 females and 1 male, in my planted 10 gallon. 

Heres a picture of my 10 gallon, would that have enough cover for the fry to hide from the adults and grow up? 









* Ignore the ceramic rings in the bag near the filter, i was using it to speed up the cycling process earlier *


----------



## bettalover2033 (Feb 17, 2010)

*Just to add in another opinion.*

I would say that the first one is pregnant and the second picture female is not pregnant.

The female in P#2 (*Photo Number 2*) looks to be average belly size since usually my non pregnant females have that size stomach where the female in P#1 looks to have a larger belly with a very dark colored gravid spot.

Did you originally want fry?


----------



## Edifiler (Nov 28, 2011)

@bettalover2033 Thanks for the respond, i'll keep a look out for the 1st female fish then. Also im not sure but it seems like the female in the 2nd picture has grown in belly size, so i'll have to wait and see. 

Well, to be honest, i went and bought guppies full knowing that they can produce lots of fry in a very short time. For that reason, i got rid of my other established tank so i could have another 10gallon for the fry to grow. But having said that, i did not do proper research on how to tell my guppies are pregnant. I do however have the necessary food needed to raise the fries. So i guess to answer your question, half and half? ;x


----------



## bettalover2033 (Feb 17, 2010)

Edifiler said:


> @bettalover2033 Thanks for the respond, i'll keep a look out for the 1st female fish then. Also im not sure but it seems like the female in the 2nd picture has grown in belly size, so i'll have to wait and see.
> 
> Well, to be honest, i went and bought guppies full knowing that they can produce lots of fry in a very short time. For that reason, i got rid of my other established tank so i could have another 10gallon for the fry to grow. But having said that, i did not do proper research on how to tell my guppies are pregnant. I do however have the necessary food needed to raise the fries. So i guess to answer your question, half and half? ;x


IMO that's fair because I did the same thing and just researched their pregnant info.

I also try to get some feeder guppies knowing they reproduce fast and when I thought of that, my LPS started only selling fancy guppies instead of feeders.


----------



## Edifiler (Nov 28, 2011)

I hope they dont reproduce too many :x But i guess my local fish shop would gladly take them in. Do you have any larger fishes that feed off feeders?


----------



## bettalover2033 (Feb 17, 2010)

Edifiler said:


> I hope they dont reproduce too many :x But i guess my local fish shop would gladly take them in. Do you have any larger fishes that feed off feeders?


I used to have a nice big Oscar. I'm going to be getting either one or two big ones again. I miss having them!


----------



## Edifiler (Nov 28, 2011)

Haha i would love an oscar but i dont have a big enough tank or room to have one ;x


----------



## bettalover2033 (Feb 17, 2010)

Edifiler said:


> Haha i would love an oscar but i dont have a big enough tank or room to have one ;x


I have A 55 gallon tank and it looks so empty. I have 8 DG(Dwarf Gouramis) and 2 BG's (Blue Gouramis). I know that they will get about 6-8 inches.


----------



## Edifiler (Nov 28, 2011)

Is it planted? 

On a side note, the other female and male was chasing one of my guppy alot so i decided to isloate it in a floating container and placed some frogbit around it. Is that a bad choice? Should i let her back in?
Shes showing signs of pregnancy, faster breathing rate and a very boxed look.


----------



## bettalover2033 (Feb 17, 2010)

Edifiler said:


> Is it planted?
> 
> On a side note, the other female and male was chasing one of my guppy alot so i decided to isloate it in a floating container and placed some frogbit around it. Is that a bad choice? Should i let her back in?
> Shes showing signs of pregnancy, faster breathing rate and a very boxed look.


No it's not planted. Though I really want to get a TON of live plants to add to it. I have a few ornaments, but that isnt really much so it looks so empty. I thought I was getting two huge oscars a little while back, but it never happened so I never got any nice ornaments to really have a heavily planted tank.

No this isnt bad. You actually did the right thing by cupping it and separating it from the rest. Guppies are known to be nippers so it is suggested to get more than three usually up to 5 of them.


----------



## Edifiler (Nov 28, 2011)

Yeah, my planted tank is pretty new too, hopefully it'll grow well ;x I dont really like ornaments, since they can tear betta fins ;x

I plan to keep the female in there for now, and by tomorrow morning, if there isnt any fry, i'll release her back in. I am however concern that overnight she might give birth to the fry and consume them before i can remove her tomorrow morning ;x


----------



## bettalover2033 (Feb 17, 2010)

Edifiler said:


> Yeah, my planted tank is pretty new too, hopefully it'll grow well ;x I dont really like ornaments, since they can tear betta fins ;x
> 
> I plan to keep the female in there for now, and by tomorrow morning, if there isnt any fry, i'll release her back in. I am however concern that overnight she might give birth to the fry and consume them before i can remove her tomorrow morning ;x


Well I was meaning more like a smooth ornament and there are silk plants with no jagged edges so they are fine. Also some driftwood would be interesting to have as well.

That is a good idea. I'm sure she wont give birth and consume them all in one night. It is possible, but I dont think this will happen considering they are pretty fast and if it is heavily planted most can get away fast.


----------



## Edifiler (Nov 28, 2011)

But if she gives birth to the fry while shes in the isolation container i dont think they'll be able to hide ;x


----------



## jamiend97 (Feb 22, 2012)

Edifiler said:


> @jamiend97 I've just fed them today, still no sign of any frys in the tank yet. How would you remove them with a net? wouldnt they be too small ( unless you have a small holed net ). Also would netting them cause some damage to the small fry?
> 
> Also would it better that i just leave the frys in there? And if i do, im not sure how to feed them. They'll eat the infusoria growing on the live plants in there, but im sure they'll need more then that to grow. I've got a sponge filter with a "not so strong" current, is that fine?
> 
> ...


My net has really tiny holes. If you do it carefully they'd be fine.
I leave mine in there, but sometimes I take them out and give them to the pet store or put them in other tanks. As for feeding, I drop sinking food in one corner of the tank so the big guppies go crazy over there, then I sprinkle food next to my floating plants (Thats where my guppies hide) and they eat there.

Your tank looks good, lots of hiding places. I strongly reccomend floating plants. I think your filter is fine. I have a regular HOB filter that doesn't bother them.


----------



## fish monger (Dec 29, 2011)

Yes, floating plants would be great. Also, I've never noticed guppies being big fry eaters...not to the extent that they tirelessly hunt them down. Just keep the adults well fed. The fry get beyond the dangerous size fairly quickly.


----------



## Edifiler (Nov 28, 2011)

@jamiend97 I do have some frogbit in there, just not shown in the picture ;x 

@fishmonger How much would you recommend as well fed, if the pellets are tiny?


----------



## 1077 (Apr 16, 2008)

Crushed up flake food would perhaps be a bit easier for the fish to take, than pellet foods.
Livebearer's such as mollies,guppies,platy's have upturned mouths which suggest's that they feed quite a bit from the surface.
Fishes will forage from the bottom as well, but the fry are instictively drawn to the surface where the shape of their mouth's makes it easier for them to take food while searching through the plant cover if available, and where plant's on surface also offer a place to hide from predatory fishes.
Floating pellet food, may or may not be easily consumed by baby fishes as easily as crushed flake foods.


----------



## Edifiler (Nov 28, 2011)

@1077 thanks for the info  i'll drop by the petshop to pick up some flakes for the guppies, also would you happen to know how many flakes on average a guppy should have a meal? and do they eat 3 times a day? or just one feeding?


----------



## 1077 (Apr 16, 2008)

Edifiler said:


> @1077 thanks for the info  i'll drop by the petshop to pick up some flakes for the guppies, also would you happen to know how many flakes on average a guppy should have a meal? and do they eat 3 times a day? or just one feeding?


Fry will grow much quicker with three small feeding's per day, while adult's can get by with one.
If you were to take three flakes of most foods, and crush it between your thumb and fingers, you would see that it is quite a bit.
I would sprinkle this amount o9n the surface near the fish and watch to see that they eat it before offering more.
Fry may need even less than three flakes depending on number's.
Omega one veggie flakes is good product and found at most pet stores or spirulina flake.
You just don't want to offer so much food, that much of it winds up sinking to the bottom before fish can eat it.
Feed a tiny amount,and then maybe offer a tiny bit more AFTER the first bit is gone.;-)


----------



## fish monger (Dec 29, 2011)

Edifiler, I'd use flakes and feed to manufacturer's instructions. You just don't want the adults to be overly hungry at this point. 1077 offers good advice.


----------



## Edifiler (Nov 28, 2011)

@1077 thanks for the help, but to clarify, for fry, no matter the amount, they are fed 3 crushed up flakes 3 times a day? And for adults, 3 flakes each adult?


----------



## Edifiler (Nov 28, 2011)

@fish monger But most manufacturer instructions given at the back of the containers are mostly wrong, or the usual, feed no more then you fish can consume in 3 minutes.


----------



## 1077 (Apr 16, 2008)

There are 180 seconds in three minutes,if you were to count from 180 backwards,, and offered enough food for fish to feed this length of time,,you would be way overfeeding, and water quality would be more difficult to maintain between weekly water changes than it needs to be.
Food manufacturer's would like for you too feed more, so that food runs out,and you buy more food:roll:
I would begin with the three flakes crushed to near powder,and offer this amount a little at a time.After this amount is eaten adult fish would be fine.
Babies might need half this amount, three or four times a day, or maybe same amount if you have large number's of fry.
another food you might try and fishes will like is ..'Sally's seaweed". it is dried marine algae that many herbivorous fish love.


----------



## bettalover2033 (Feb 17, 2010)

@1077: Please don't take this to offense but that isn't very logical. I mean of course no one is going to sit there and keep shaking a food container for 3 minutes because that would definitely be a bad thing. If you give your fish a pinch or food, and they can't consume it all in 3 minutes to 4 minutes maximum, you are over feeding.

For example, if you have an average sized betta and you feed him 4 pellets one day and he finished three in 3 minutes or just leaves the last one, then you feed him 3 next time and he eats them all in 3 or less minutes (which is how it usually is because bettas don't take very long to eat their pellets).

Another example would be goldfish. I you have let's say a 4-5 inch goldfish and you feed him just a thick pinch of flakes and he is still having food or eating the food past 4-5 minutes then you are over feeding. If you were to count to 180, then obviously you will have much more trouble with excess food waste and other problems with filtering and the fish's health all together. It would not be very smart to keep pouring fish flakes into the tank for 180 seconds. It would be more logical just to put in a pinch when you feed your fish, depending on the fish and the fish food. You see goldfish's stomachs are like a bottomless pit.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## 1077 (Apr 16, 2008)

bettalover2033 said:


> @1077: Please don't take this to offense but that isn't very logical. I mean of course no one is going to sit there and keep shaking a food container for 3 minutes because that would definitely be a bad thing. If you give your fish a pinch or food, and they can't consume it all in 3 minutes to 4 minutes maximum, you are over feeding.
> 
> For example, if you have an average sized betta and you feed him 4 pellets one day and he finished three in 3 minutes or just leaves the last one, then you feed him 3 next time and he eats them all in 3 or less minutes (which is how it usually is because bettas don't take very long to eat their pellets).
> 
> ...


 
I agree with you.(believe we are saying same thing) 
But some folks, think that fish food instructions mean you should feed enough food for fish to feed for three to five minutes, rather than offer tiny amounts as mentioned, for the three to five minutes.
You can't really say no one would, cause many unfortunately do.


----------



## bettalover2033 (Feb 17, 2010)

I agree with that statement as well. Though I would say (jokingly) that goldfish are an accepting since they are literally always hungry. They eat 5 times their size a week or more and they are always hungry, or willing to eat!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## 1077 (Apr 16, 2008)

bettalover2033 said:


> I agree with that statement as well. Though I would say (jokingly) that goldfish are an accepting since they are literally always hungry. They eat 5 times their size a week or more and they are always hungry, or willing to eat!
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


Yes,,and they produce five times the amount of waste that other fishes produce.
Large tank's and lot's of filtration to keep these fish happy/healthy.;-)


----------



## bettalover2033 (Feb 17, 2010)

Yes very true! My grandmonther had a koi (they are not goldfish) that were 5 feet long in her pond and 10-15 inch goldfish in her bigger inside tank. So I guess you can say we got the fish inheritance from her.

Through with goldfish, they grow with as much as you feed them and it's like they grow an inch a week if you feed tem enough and have a big tank that won't stunt their growth.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## fish monger (Dec 29, 2011)

I'm confused. Is feeding your fish the amount they can consume in a few minutes, 2-3 times a day, really overfeeding ? It's not like you're shoving it down their throats for 3 minutes at a time.


----------



## bettalover2033 (Feb 17, 2010)

What you should do is feed your fish as much as they can eat in a matter of 3 minutes since that would be best for the fish, though this rule can vary with Different species of fish since they all grow to different sizes, shapes, ect.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## 1077 (Apr 16, 2008)

Can feed fishes of all kinds once a day,,or every other day, and no harm will come.
Been doin it for a long time, and nobody I or you know, ever lost fish by doing likewise.


----------



## Edifiler (Nov 28, 2011)

To all who are interested and those who have helped me, one of my guppy has given birth ( not sure about the other ). But, I was at my classes at the time and am not sure what the total amount is. I came home to feed my guppies and out of the corner of my eye, saw this tiny fry poking its head out before hiding again. I tried my best to find him. After 5 minutes of searching, I located him and tried to remove him but to avail. Worst of all, I believe he is the only remaining survivor, and therefore have named him Larry, for Lonesome Larry. I have my fingers crossed and pray that he can survive past the "edible" stage. Thanks for all the help, but I can only wait until what fate has decided for him :X


----------



## bettalover2033 (Feb 17, 2010)

Wow. Congrats on your new guppy fry! He sounds so cute. Be sure to post pictures. I would love to see him or her. Well I have eggs in my bubble nest from my spawning so I guess we both are excited now

KEEP us updated
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## Edifiler (Nov 28, 2011)

Haha i'll try my best to get some pictures, atm he or she is only around 7mm, and he / she really knows how to hide. Do you happen to know what size is out of the danger zone?

Haha congrats on your spawn! Is this the red hmpk pair with the reluctant female?


----------

