Guppy fish is also known as million fish. The reason behind that is guppies can breed out of control if you keep male and female guppies together in the same tank. Female guppies store the sperm of a male guppy and get pregnant multiple times during their lifespan using that sperm.
With such breeding behavior of guppies, you, as a guppy keeper, should know all about taking care of a pregnant female guppy and the fry. Knowing when we should place the pregnant guppy in a breeder box is necessary to ensure the safe delivery of the fry. So, When to put pregnant guppy in the breeding box? Let us find out.
Put your pregnant guppy in a breeding box when they reach three months of pregnancy. A guppy fish remain pregnant for one month before releasing the fry. Keeping pregnant guppy in a breeder box for more than two weeks will make them come under stress, and they can even pass away.
This article will discuss when to put the pregnant guppy in a breeding box and how long we can keep pregnant guppy and guppy fry in a breeder box. So, let us get into it.
Contents
When should I separate my pregnant guppy?
You should separate the pregnant guppy when they are about to give birth.
Usually, a female guppy will be pregnant for one month before giving birth to the fry.
Consider separating the pregnant guppy and placing them in a breeding box when they reach three weeks of pregnancy.
You can consider using the Pawfly Fish Breeding Box to keep your pregnant guppy in.
You can buy this product at amazon: Pawfly Fish Breeding Box.
Before that, let them be in the main tank.
Separating the pregnant guppy before that time will make them come under stress, and even they can pass away.
Also read: Should I Separate My Pregnant Guppy?
How long can a pregnant guppy stay in a breeder box?
Keeping your pregnant guppy in a breeding box for a long time will make them come under stress.
Because of the stress, pregnant guppy can drop the fry, resulting in miscarriage.
Female pregnant guppy can pass away during labor or after giving birth because of high-level stress.
So, consider not keeping a pregnant guppy in for more than one week in a breeding box.
Also read: When Can Guppy Fry Go With Adults?
How do you know when a guppy is going to give birth?
These are the signs that indicate that your pregnant female guppy is about to give birth:
- A pregnant guppy will develop a darker and enlarged gravid spot.
- A pregnant guppy will have an angular shape belly like (\_/) this.
- You will notice your pregnant guppy is hiding most of the time behind the plants or in other decors when about to give birth.
- A pregnant guppy will refuse to eat as the guppy fry will take up the space.
- The pregnant guppy will try to bend her spin so that the tail comes upside, and this will look like she is shivering; it is a contraction.
Also read: 8 Signs Guppy Is About To Give Birth.
When to separate the mother guppy from the guppy fry?
Guppies don’t have parental instincts and will happily feed on their fry.
So, to keep the guppy fry safe from the mother guppy, we should separate the mother guppy from the fry as soon as they give birth to them.
Separate the guppy fry from the mother guppy and place them in a separate tank until they reach the size that doesn’t fit the adult guppies’ mouth.
Avoid keeping your guppy fry in a breeding box for more than 1-2 weeks, as it will affect their growth and development.
Place the mother guppy back in the main tank and let the guppy fry remain in a separate tank for some weeks until they reach an adequate size.
Also read: Can Guppy Fry Survive In A Community Tank?
Pregnant guppy care.
Taking good care of a female pregnant guppy is necessary for both the pregnant guppy and the fry.
Female pregnant guppies will be weak and under stress during their gestation period.
They will lose their appetite and will refuse to eat because of the space taken up by the fry.
Feed your pregnant guppy a small pinch of food three to four times a day so that they can eat it comfortably in small portions, and your tank will also not get polluted by leftovers.
Create lots of hiding spots for your pregnant guppy by adding plenty of live aquatic plants and other hiding decors.
There are many options available when it comes to adding hiding places in your guppy fish tank, of which rock caves are good.
You can buy rock caves at amazon: Stackable Aquarium Decoration Rock Caves.
Separate the pregnant guppy when they reach about three weeks of pregnancy.
Make sure not to keep pregnant guppy for more than two weeks in a breeding box as it can make them come under stress, and they can even pass away.
Maintain the water temperature between 78-82 °F to ensure the ideal condition for giving birth.
Also read: Why Is My Pregnant Guppy Not Eating?
Conclusion:
Put the pregnant guppy in a breeding box when they reach three weeks of pregnancy.
The gestation period of a pregnant guppy is 28-30 days.
Keeping pregnant guppies in a breeding box for a long time will make them come under stress, and they can pass away, or it can result in miscarriage.
Separate the pregnant guppy from the guppy fry as soon as they release the fry, as guppies lack parental instinct and will don’t hesitate to feed on their fry.
Avoid keeping the guppy fry in a breeding box for more than 1-2 weeks, as it will affect their growth and development.
Also, if you have a separate tank for your guppy fry, avoid keeping them in a breeder box.
Reference: Wikipedia, ResearchGate, NCBI,