Feeding and Nutrition :: How to tell if a guppy is pregnant

[daredevilgirl013]

Ok I have this guppy that has a big belly compared to the rest of the guppies though it is the largest guppy of the group..but is it pregnant? How can I tell? I want to know so that if one day I go to clean the tank I'll know to look for babys (however many there should be which how many do they have usually?)

Also, I was just wondering about Hatchling pellets, how long do you feed them that? Michelangelo is 1.25 inches, hasn't shed that I know of, and I've only had him for four months. Do I feed him those pellets for a year and then upgrade or does it go by shell length?

[cam722]

There is a black area on the underside of live bearing fish that indicates if they are pregnant. (Can't remember what the heck it's called) The belly does get larger but a large belly on it's own doesn't mean it's pregnant.

As for the pellets, I'd keep feeding him the baby ones for a bit. His mouth may not be able to handle the larger ones and it will end up just being more work for you in the long run. I think there's just a bit of a difference in the nutritional values of the "adult" and baby reptomin.. I know I posted the difference some where on here..

[knite]

It's called the gravid spot I believe.

[cam722]

lol you know, I was going to say a gavid spot.. but well then I got to thinking gravid being eggs like turtles .. oh well maybe I'm not as forgetful as I think

[daredevilgirl013]

Well so far the attempt to get them to roll over is not working so when I go to clean the tank I'll have to get them out and roll them over (at least the pregnant looking one)

[reptilegrrl]

it is the largest guppy of the group..but is it pregnant? How can I tell?

Is it setting the table and putting on a bib?

Guppies are famous for eating their young... so I don't think you will have to worry about babies, one way or another.

[missibsu]

When my guppies have babies it takes me a couple of days to even find them. They are so tiny and with a 75 gallon, they just kind of disappear. I have found that when I am cleaning and the guppies are in the tank it is easier to drain most of the water and do my scrubbing, syphon the crud, and then add the water back in. I never remove the guppies. I tried that once, and it isn't something I want to repeat.

[cam722]

you think guppy babies are tiny, you should see my baby convict cichids.. they start as eggs in a cave and end up a few weeks later as swimmers. You can barely see the little buggers.. and you have to change the water every other day to get them to grow properly.. talk about work!!!!

[ellman605]

well, if you do that, put them all in a ten gallon tank until they are large enough so you dont have to change the water everyday, then it's easier to change.

[cam722]

You need to do a partial water change every other day to reduce the pheramone levels so they grow properly. It's not because of waste. You should leave the babies with their parents for a few months. Btw, Convicts are one of the best fish parents around. They also have HUNDREDS of babies at a time, so it's rather difficult to catch those tiny little buggers..

Here's a pic of when they first emerged from their cave.



I'll have to take a pic of what they look like now.. only 7 survived to this point which is actually a good thing.. there were like 100-200 eggs.

[daredevilgirl013]

Ack if guppies look like that..... I'll never find them!!!!

[andywoo87]

I recently just had a guppy fry, and believe me, they are very tiny. For the first few days all that you can see are their eyes. Make sure you have either fake plants or real plants floating on the surface of your tank so the babies can hide. That way they won't be eaten till you find them. Then you need to put them in a separate tank(it doesn't have to big at all) for a few weeks until they get big enough not to be eaten. A guppy usually has about 15-25 babies at a time.

[daredevilgirl013]

Oh geesh, today I'll find out if my guppy is pregnant when I transfer tanks, I hope she isn't. And I have fake plants (look in photo gallery for the new tank set up so far) and some real plants will be in there as well (gotta get more)

But so far I'm not worried if she has babies and is pregnant as my turtle hasn't eaten any of them so it's all good in the tank!

[andywoo87]

If your lucky you can see the babies eyes through the gravid spot on the mother. But that is REALLY hard to see.

[daredevilgirl013]

I couldn't tell she wouldn't hold still. Oh well if there are babies I'll let you know.