FishProfiles.com Message Forums

Hello haven't been here for a long while!

I set up a 15 gallon hex with six female guppies and two males(end of sept). so far no baby guppies. the tank has plants some rooted some floating and they get fed and Wc'd regularly - once a fortnight 20% food every day some live some flakes some frozen. i test etc - all good. the tank also has a air stone.

it is a guppy only tank, i moved the pleco i had in there and now fight algae with a credit card.

i think i am not getting babies because the two males fight ALOT and don't have time to do the deedso to speak. a couple of the girls get hassled but no one is even getting fat. when i kept guppies as "feeder" fish for my keyhole cichlids they bred like mad and i gave loads away - but then i had loads more males and loads more well everything. i set the new tank up with six girls and brought in two new boys.

although i have homes lined for new fry and still have cichlids to feed(although in the end i always feel too guilty - hence giving away and setting a new tank just for them)its not so much a burning desire to for them to breed, i am more worried they aren't happy?

do i need another boy to spread the load are the boys feeling the pressure?

or since they are all swimming and eating should i just leave them alone?

it did cross my mind that maybe since they weren't under threat they didn't feel the need to breed?

thanks in advance for any suggestions

Goldfishgeek
xx

_______________________________________
Never be bullied into silence. Never allow yourself to be made a victim. Accept no one's definition of your life; define yourself.
Harvey S. Firestone

i do think you should get new male guppies OR get another.
also what temp. is it in the tank, cuz it should be 74-75 for them to breed.or the might be stressed out.other then that i don't know

Or you could try removing one male temporarily and see what happens. Maybe the boys are too busy fighting over the girls to give them any attention.

I did wonder if my girls might be infertile but the other girls i have given away have all had loads of babies, and surely all six can't be infertile? maybe it is the boys? but again what are the odds of them both being infertile.

i don't have any were to put Mr guppy (other tanks have different salt levels Guppy tank has none) so maybe i ll get another boy to add to the tank. oh dear i have to buy another fish.....what a pain...

thanks
GFG

_______________________________________
Never be bullied into silence. Never allow yourself to be made a victim. Accept no one's definition of your life; define yourself.
Harvey S. Firestone

Ok here are my two cents on the matter:

1. Leave them be...I find that after I've moved my guppies it can take them a few months to adjust to the new surroundings before they get busy doing what comes almost too naturally to them. Yes, it sounds crazy, and it's just the matter of moving the tank and the fish...same fish, same tank, a few months to start breeding again.

2. Go ahead and by another male and female that you really like. But, the problem being if you are anything like me this can take forever (I'm picky as all get out)...

OK that leads you back to just leave them alone for another month or two, then go get some fresh blood for the tank...until then, keep feeding them, loving them, and appreciate them for not overcrowding the tank for you yet...it will come, and when it does watch out!!!

Best of luck!

"I've got a great ambition to die of exhaustion rather than boredom." Thomas Carlyle

Did the males come from a tank of males only? If this is not the case I agree with the crowd. Males should never be raised males only or they become worthless. A few token females should always be present.

max

When I bought them at the pet shop they were in a male only tank? but i don't if they were raised that way?

the good news is that my mollies have bred!!! I only saw two babies(suspect the flying fox and female bettas are to blame for the lack of babies)

but at least i know everything is working in that tank!!!a big well done to my mollie boy he has three young ladies to look after!!!

GFG
xx

_______________________________________
Never be bullied into silence. Never allow yourself to be made a victim. Accept no one's definition of your life; define yourself.
Harvey S. Firestone

Just give them more time & you'll see some fry very soon.

I don't think that they are all infertile.

Congratulations for the Mollies.




http://www.flickr.com/photos/corydoras/
Member of the Malta Aquarist Society - 1970.
http://www.maltaaquarist.com

I went away for a couple of nights and came back to two dead female guppies in the filter - think that was what killed them - they got sucked up?? water tests clear and i didn't leave food in the tank or anything whilst i was a way to cause death all other fish look good.
also all the mollies babies were eaten, i didn't really want them to be eaten but oh well i am sure there will be more in a month!

so breeding not going very well at all!

this also mean i only have two full grown guppy females with two males(other two girls that are left are pretty small. I think i should get more females - at least a pair?

what do you think - i am inclined to leave it for a bit make sure the tank isn't going down with somthing?



_______________________________________
Never be bullied into silence. Never allow yourself to be made a victim. Accept no one's definition of your life; define yourself.
Harvey S. Firestone

You are OK with two pair or even one pregnant female. I have purchased guppies and lost all but one and I still get the strain started.

You might seperate the molly fry next time, or better yet remove the female to a seperate tank with lots of plants for hiding places before she drops. I bet that will be about a month from now. You can put her back in the tank after she drops.

max

Hey, if you're in London, you can come and pick up some guppies here. I let them breed in the main tank in the hope that the fry will be eaten, but some of them always make it. I'm seriously sick of guppies. You can even have the mother of all female guppies... It seems to me like she spawns every other day, and so many fry too! There's something about her because the males almost give no attention to the other females so some females have converted to lesbianism.

Last edited by untitled at 10-Jan-2005 12:23

i have found the biggest guppies i have ever seen. I pick them up on friday and i am pathetically excited. they are easily as big as mollies and heavily pregnant.
I can't wait.

also they have these pretty orange and black mollies and a really pale blue platy, such a pretty girl she will go great with my boy, i do need a second female though but i didn't see any others that i liked.

i get the guppies on friday, and the others on Tuesday. wooo hoo.

i have such big plans. but now i need to do water changes and what not......for example in a fit of naffness i bought glo in the dark plastic plants!!! forgive me

Goldfishgeek
xxxxx


_______________________________________
Never be bullied into silence. Never allow yourself to be made a victim. Accept no one's definition of your life; define yourself.
Harvey S. Firestone

I am green with envy. Look at my post in the classifieds.

max

Well i went to the shop today for my reserved Guppies..... and of course came home with five platies, ho hum. the Guppies had white spot and i still have some reserved but can't get there till tuesday.

the one platy is a massive pregnant female really huge, i am looking forward to her babies, the others are all fairly small fry that came free - as in they swum into the net as the big one did!

oh and and i got two male guppies, one red and one yellow so now i have two of each. I am going to get my girls(two -already have four)on tuesday. am still excited.

right good night all
gfgxx
PS - Guppy max i couldn't find your post in the classifieds? sorry, and untitled pm me i need a local to discuss my breeding plans!! cheers
xx

Last edited by goldfishgeek at 14-Jan-2005 16:44

_______________________________________
Never be bullied into silence. Never allow yourself to be made a victim. Accept no one's definition of your life; define yourself.
Harvey S. Firestone