All about pregnancy and childbirth of guppy fish

Among the most well-liked and low-maintenance freshwater fish for home aquariums are guppy fish. Many aquarium enthusiasts find them to be a favorite because of their lively nature and vibrant colors. Knowing about a guppie’s pregnancy and delivery can be interesting and useful for maintaining their wellbeing, whether you’re new to keeping them or you’re just interested in learning more about their reproductive system.

As livebearers, guppies don’t lay eggs; instead, they give birth to young that swim freely. This implies that soon after birth, you’ll see tiny guppy fry swimming around rather than having to wait for the eggs to hatch. You can help create the best environment for the mother and her unborn children by being aware of the signs of pregnancy and knowing how to care for the pregnant woman.

We will examine the whole process of guppy pregnancy and delivery in this article. We’ll go over all you need to know to ensure your guppies grow and thrive, from identifying pregnancy symptoms to knowing how to get ready for the fry’s arrival. Prepare to explore the fascinating world of guppy reproduction and discover how to help these stunning fish get through one of the most exciting periods of their lives.

Topic Description
Pregnancy Duration Guppy fish are pregnant for about 21-30 days, depending on water temperature and other factors.
Signs of Pregnancy Look for a rounded belly and a dark spot near the anal fin, called a gravid spot.
Birthing Process Guppies give birth to live young. They usually do it in a secluded area, like among plants or in a breeding box.
Caring for Fry Once born, fry are tiny and need to be kept in a separate tank or breeding box to avoid being eaten by adults.
Feeding Fry Feed them powdered or finely crushed food suitable for baby fish. They need frequent, small feedings.

How to understand that a guppy is pregnant

Guppies are viviparous fish that fertilize internally. In 3–4 months, females reach sexual maturity. Men start wooing sexually mature women. The female stops allowing males in after fertilization, and she soon exhibits the first symptoms of pregnancy.

Because they don’t know what pregnant guppies look like, many inexperienced aquarium keepers mistakenly believe that the fish is overeating. It’s easy to figure out if a guppy is pregnant. The female’s belly becomes rounder and starts to protrude on the sides. It eventually takes on a rectangular shape, with a "step" developing in front of the anal fin. Pregnant women’s heads appear thinner because of their larger bellies. The fish keeps its round shape and only the lower portion of its belly expands after overeating.

An additional indication that the female is carrying a child is the existence of a dark patch on the lower abdomen, close to the anal fin. It is brief and poorly stated at the start of the term. The spot gets bigger and darker as the progeny grows. But you shouldn’t use one spot to determine whether a guppy is pregnant. It might be absent or poorly expressed in certain species, but it might be present in non-pregnant fish in others. Therefore, based on a number of indicators, a determination is made regarding the existence or absence of pregnancy.

Caring for a pregnant female

A pregnant guppy requires careful attention. If one wishes for pregnancy and childbirth to go smoothly, one should adhere to the following advice:

  1. Feed the female carrying the fry a variety of foods. The diet should be complete and contain all the necessary vitamins and nutrients. It is advisable to give live food.
  2. You should not change the water parameters abruptly. This leads to stress and can provoke premature birth.
  3. There is no need to disturb the female, who is carrying fry, and transplant her to another aquarium without need. Any change of environment is stress for the fish, which can negatively affect the course of pregnancy. It is recommended to remove the female shortly before the birth to protect the future fry. If the aquarist does not have the goal of getting a large offspring, and also if there are many shelters and few fish in the aquarium, the female can be left to give birth in a common aquarium.

How long does a guppy pregnancy last?

The average guppy pregnancy lasts between 21 and 24 days. There have been instances where the gestation period lasted 42 days. The following variables affect how long a pregnancy lasts:

  • age of the fish;
  • its health;
  • stress;
  • water temperature;
  • keeping conditions;
  • feeding.

The gestation period lengthens when fish are housed in unfavorable conditions with stress and insufficient food. Illnesses hinder the growth of eggs and may result in miscarriages and frozen pregnancies. Younger fish have longer-lasting pregnancies than older guppies. Egg development is accelerated by a small rise in water temperature, up to 24-26°C. Premature birth can be caused by extreme stress. Premature babies usually don’t make it.

Because of their vibrant colors and unusual reproduction method, guppy fish are fascinating creatures. We’ll go over everything you need to know about guppy pregnancy and delivery in this article, from identifying the symptoms of pregnancy to giving birth. By being aware of these phases, you can give your guppies the best care possible and guarantee a healthy environment for the mother and her fry.

How to understand that a female guppy is about to give birth

The female’s abdomen becomes rectangular and the dark area next to the anal fin expands during the later stages of pregnancy. It gets lighter before childbirth. The bodies and eyes of the fry are visible through the thin skin of the fish in this area. The female’s cloaca develops a triangular protrusion one to two hours before giving birth.

Before giving birth, the guppy’s behavior changes in addition to its appearance. The female becomes agitated, loses her appetite, and starts to shake. She swims away into plant thickets or another shaded area in an attempt to retire and hide from other fish. Guppies typically give birth behind a filter or heater, at the bottom or in a corner of the aquarium. The fish may decide to give birth in the aquarium if the water’s surface is covered in floating plants.

Do I need to separate the female for giving birth

It is preferable to separate the female before she gives birth in order to prevent stress from other fish during the spawning process for the pregnant guppy. Additionally, separation is done to keep the young from being devoured by other aquarium occupants.

When the fish has a triangular protrusion in the cloaca area, separation is done to save the guppy from needless stress. This signal means that labor will start in the next one to two hours.

The fish are transferred to a spawning tank, which is a tiny aquarium holding 10–15 liters. Its water parameters ought to match those of the primary aquarium. Avoid putting dirt on the bottom; this will keep the water cleaner for longer. The spawning tank must have one or more plant-filled pots added to it, along with floating greenery, as the newly born fry will hide there.

Note: Before the very birth, the offspring can be moved to a special small lift with holes, where it is spawned, to prevent the female from eating her offspring. The holes in its walls are just big enough for fry to pass through, but they keep adult fish from leaving.

How is the birth

Guppi’s birth typically lasts several hours to several days and starts at night or in the morning. Guppi fry are born one or more times at specific intervals of time. The female trembles and then freezes her tail, bringing Malek into the light at birth. He has two options: either descend to the bottom to gather strength, or come to the surface right away and hide in the tangle of plants.

How many fry guppy gives birth

You can receive up to 2000 fish from a single female guppy in your lifetime because she gives birth to fry frequently. The age of the female determines how many fry are born in a single birth. Eight or ten fry are born to young guppies. At a time, older females give birth to 20–100 fry.

Postpartum behavior of the female

Once the birthing process is finished, the female guppy must be separated from her young because she can consume the fry. The fish can be put back in the main aquarium if the aquarist is certain that the birth is finished. You can transfer the female to a tiny breeding tank with holes inside the spawning tank and leave her there for a few more hours if you have any suspicions that there may still be fry inside of her.

The female’s behavior quickly returns to normal after giving birth: she becomes active right away, starts looking for food, and eventually has the ability to become pregnant once more. Guppies can breed up to eight times in a row after mating with one male, so even if the female gets separated from the males, she can still give birth to fry.

What to do if the female cannot give birth

Although guppy births are generally simple, occasionally young, elderly, or ill females may have issues. By raising the temperature by 1-2°C, you can assist the female in giving birth. It is important to keep in mind that the temperature rise should be gradual. Sharp jumps will make you stressed, which will make things worse. Another way to induce labor is to add the female fish to the aquarium, replacing 20–30% of the water.

Caring for fry in the first days

You can leave the newly born fry in the spawning tank. To ensure that they don’t run out of room, multiple aquariums should be used to house newborns if there are a lot of them. Fish that are overcrowded experience stunted growth, curved spines, and ongoing conflicts with one another.

Aquarium water for babies should be pure. It gets quickly contaminated by growing fry, so you have to replace 20–40% of the volume every one to two weeks. Aquarium lighting should be done for 12 to 15 hours every day. You can leave the light on all night during the initial days. It is important to keep the temperature steady and not drop below 23°C. A temperature between 24 and 25°C is ideal.

Ensuring adequate filtration and aeration is crucial. When a lot of fish are gathered in a small area, installing a compressor with a sprayer is extremely important. If a filter is present, tulle covers it to prevent the fry from being drawn inside.

Small-sized food should be fed to the fry multiple times a day. Food needs to be in the aquarium nearly all the time so the fish don’t starve and can grow healthily.

To feed the fry, you can use premade mixes, but it’s crucial to watch how much you feed it. Food that has gone bad quickly taints the water and can poison the fish. Using dried daphnia that has been ground into a powder is safer. It is easy for the guppy fry to gather because it floats on the water’s surface for an extended period of time without settling. Sculpies of Artemia, living dust, college, and microcracks are utilized as animal sources of animal protein.

Reminder: It’s a good idea to add snails to the aquarium to get rid of extra food. They will contribute to preventing water pollution by throwing away uneaten fish.

Feeders should not be used for baby fish. To ensure that none of the fry go hungry, the food is dispersed equally over the water’s surface. The fish can be allowed to get used to the feeder when they are 10–12 days old. The sex of the young can already be identified at this age; females have a dark patch on the back of their abdomens. The fry are arranged in different containers based on their sex in order to prevent early pregnancy.

Gaining insight into the guppy fish’s reproductive cycle offers an intriguing look into the world of aquarium life. Although guppies are well-known for their vivid colors and energetic personalities, their reproductive system is also fascinating. You can provide better care for the mother and her fry if you are aware of what to expect during this time.

Seeing your guppy fish grow from the first indications of pregnancy to the actual birth can be a fulfilling experience. You can get hints about whether or not they are ready to give birth by observing changes in their behavior and physical state. Everyone involved can benefit from a more seamless and stress-free process if the mother fish is given a comfortable environment and preparations are made for the fry’s arrival.

If you adhere to the shared guidelines and tips, you’ll be ready to assist your guppies during their pregnancy and delivery. Acquiring this knowledge not only improves your ability to maintain an aquarium, but it also guarantees your fish a healthy and happy home.

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Elena Grishina

Ecologist and aquarist with a special interest in creating balanced ecosystems in aquariums. Main focus — ecosystems that require minimal human intervention. I support a natural approach to aquarium care, where each element plays its role, helping to maintain harmony in a closed ecosystem. I promote sustainable aquarium keeping and respect for nature.

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