Breeding a True Monster

[jredner]

I've decided to start breading a true monster fish... the guppy!
So they might not be true monsters but I had a quick question.
I've got a 2-Way Breeder and was wondering when is the best time to put the pregnant females in there? How do I tell when they are about ready to drop fry?

 

[fishlvr]

Wait 'til they look like they're about to bust,typically at 2-4 weeks(depending on temp.) after the "gravid spot" appears.

 

[jredner]

i just picked them up today and two of them are pregnant and, since i just got them, i don't know how long they have been pregnant. one of them appears to have a darker spot but i'm not sure if it's ready to drop. will the gravid spot be much darker than the rest of the body? the female is all white and right now the gravid spot is redish brown.

 

[Alistriwen]

With guppies it varies from female to female how she will appear just before birth but one thing common to all of them is the squaring off of their bodies. This may happen in the front of the 'chest' earlier but the real sign is when she is all boxxy with the back end near the anal fin square as well. The gravid spot (dark patch) will be right around her birthing canal and recedes slowly as she drops fry. Females can be fatter or thinner all depending on diet, water conditions and the condition of the fish so how big she is is not a good way to go.

Best time to put a female in is hrs before she is going to drop and take her out 2 hrs after she is done. Good luck doing that with a female you don't know though, it really takes time and knowledge of the individual fish to get it that precise. Best bet is to throw her in when she's squared off, give her some plant cover and feed her high quality foods. I find that feeding my fish brine shrimp or some other 'treat' food can help reduce stress right off when theyre in a new smaller environment.

The best way to breed guppies is to allow the females to birth in seperate tanks but Im not sure if that is an option for you. I've got about 200 guppies right now of various sizes, so if you have any more questions, feel free to pm me. Just make sure your questions are specific .

 

[jredner]

thanks for the great info!