1. Welcome to Aquarium Space! We are a friendly online community for aquarium owners all over the world who love their tanks including their fish, reefs, corals, invertebrates and their aquatic livestock. If you haven't joined yet, we invite you to register and join our community!

Gravid female guppy questions

Discussion in 'Livebearer Fish' started by heatherine, Jan 20, 2011.

  1. heatherine

    heatherine Thread Starter Member

    Messages:
    66
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    6
    I sure wish I could post a picture of her but she just won't stay still!

    I inherited three male and one female endler along with a female guppy. They were in bad shape and after a few weeks I'm left with one male endler and one female guppy. However before the other three died, I noticed what appeared to be courting behavior and now the female guppy appears gravid from the research I've done. I've read it takes about 28 days and it's been about 2 weeks or so, and I really have nowhere to put her fry once they arrive. She's currently in a six gallon with a barb and the other endler for now. I was ill prepared for these little fishes and have no intentions of allowing the endler & guppy to breed again (guppy or endler will go in the angel tank).

    Someone suggested I use the fry to feed my Jack which is a good idea, but I'm a sucker for baby ANYTHING and just won't have the heart to do it (though I have no compunction about feeding him live food otherwise, oddly enough).

    My questions are, will the fry get eaten by either the barb or their parents (guppy & endler), and if so, should I try and keep them in a little box or something, maybe in my 25 gal until they're big enough to go to new homes?
     
    heatherine, Jan 20, 2011
    #1
  2. MOD_Dawn

    MOD_Dawn Active Member

    Messages:
    5,172
    Likes Received:
    15
    Trophy Points:
    38
    the barb will DEFINATELY make a quick meal of the fry.
    Even in the 25 gallon they'll be eaten...angels will rip a planted tank apart if they spot one.

    if your insistant upon keeping them the only answer is to get a container (even a plastic kitchen one) and put them in there with a bubbler (hopefully you'll find a spot warm enough that won't require the use of a heater- if NOT then you;ll need to add a heater also).
    That'd be bare minimum requirements.
     
    MOD_Dawn, Jan 20, 2011
    #2
  3. heatherine

    heatherine Thread Starter Member

    Messages:
    66
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    6
    Thanks...that's what I figured. I do have an unused 2 gal and a small heater...will just need a bubbler. If it were just me, I'd probably let nature take its course... I know that endler/guppy hybrids are frowned upon. But my 12 year old is very excited about the prospect of becoming a "father" to these fry. So I'll probably let them be his project. :)
     
    heatherine, Jan 21, 2011
    #3
  4. MOD_Dawn

    MOD_Dawn Active Member

    Messages:
    5,172
    Likes Received:
    15
    Trophy Points:
    38
    I completely understand when it comes to kids getting excited over babies!
    2 gallon would do the trick, especially since you have a heater. I'd just toss a really small sponge filter in there and then hand over the reigns. Good Luck!!
     
    MOD_Dawn, Jan 21, 2011
    #4
  5. heatherine

    heatherine Thread Starter Member

    Messages:
    66
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    6
    Yes, I'd forgotten about the 2 gal we have until your reply. I don't keep bettas and it's so small it's useless to me, so it's been sitting in the basement for years (acrylic so no silicone degredation). I'm really curious to see how he'll (my son) deal with the inevitable guppy problem (endless propogation). I'm sure he'll end up with two more tanks in his room (besides his 6gal!) - one for the gents and another for the ladies. Time to thin out the toys & make room for the tanks!
     
    heatherine, Jan 21, 2011
    #5