Where to put 3 week old Guppies?

T

TeaPea

AC Members
Aug 26, 2002
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Brightwaters, NY
Hi all! Well my first "litter" of baby guppies are a little over 3 weeks old now. Only 6 of them survived and they have been in a breeder net hanging in the back of my 29G tank. The adult guppies are housed in a 5 gallon in my kitchen.

Well this morning I got a little surprise. I fed the babies and made a mental note to myself that they didn't seem to be getting much bigger at all. Then I went to the 5 gallon to feed the big guys, and-- low and behold--swimming amongst the four adult guppies was a baby, who was twice the size of his brothers and sisters that are in the breeder net!!! He must've survived all this time by hiding in the grass I have in the tank. Well he's a brave little bugger because now he's swimming with the big guys--even fighting for food with them and they are leaving the alone!

I don't know how I didn't see him sooner. I've even done water changes on that tank and somehow missed him! Anyway, now that I see how much that breeder net is stunting their growth, I'm debating putting my 6 babies in the 5 gallon with the others and hope they survive by hiding out in the grass.

I should add that I don't have the time, money or inclination to set up another spare tank for them to grow in, though I know this is best. I really want these guys to survive. What's everyone's opinon on this? Do you think they'll make it in the "big guy" tank or was my one baby just very lucky?

EDIT: Another idea I just had is to put the four adult guppies in my 29G and leave all the babies in the 5G. I'm just a little concerned that my 2 Pearl Gourami's might eat the guppies. Anyone know if Pearl's eat guppies? :(

TIA!
 
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I recently raised 3 female guppy fry (now a month old) in with their parents, in a well planted 4 gal (imperial) tank. After about a week and half they were large enough to not be eaten. I wouldnt worry about your gouramis eating your adult guppies, and that sounds like a great idea to give the fry a chance to grow in the 5 gal.

Thom.
 
you could just get a bucket and put an air stone in ther with an air pump that is what i use to raiuse my guppy fry if my tanks are full.
 
Hey, sounds like you and I share the same situation, TeaPea - in fact, I'm wondering if I helped you out awhile ago with your guppies.

I have about 13 Adult Feeder Guppies in a 60 Gallon, (believe me, they are not all...check my aquarium stats for more info,) and 2 pairs of Fancy Guppies. I haven't yet decided what to do with the feeder guppies - I would like to but a used 15 gallon for them. The point is, they give birth rather often. Usually, I think the fry are eaten before I have a chance to see them - I am only home 3-5 days a week. I haven't seen any lately, so when 7 showed up, (largest litter ever,) in some floating hornwart, I decided to see how long they lasted instead of transfering them to the 15 Gallon tank set up for fry.

Strange. More hornwart came uprooted, creating a larger pile. In two weeks, I think all the fry were gone. Either they got lost in the hornwart pile, (about the size of 2-3 softballs,) or eaten. Also possible is that they grew up - although I haven't seen anyone that small. Since I also have some Bala's and Giant Danios, which would reak havoc, I think I will transfer all the fry now.

I found it very easy to set up that 15 Gallon. It is a bare bottom tank, running off an old Whisper 4, (at about 1/10 flow) in a leaky, 12 year-old tank along with it's 12-year-old light, and a bunch of hornwart. I feed them crumbled up flakes and, now that I have purchased some, frozen food as well.

If you need any additional help, (I don't think your pearl's will be a problem for adult guppies, esspicially if they are fancy and not feeder variety - depends on how big your pearls are, but check for fin nipping if you do transfer them,) feel free to PM me.
 
Thanks as always for all the feedback! I did a water change this afternoon on the 29G and at that time took out the breedernet and put all 6 fry into the 5 gallon. I also decided to remove only 2 of the adult guppies from the 5G (male and female)and put them in the 29G. I did this figuring the fry should be OK at this point with the other 2 adults, and this way the 5 gallon won't be too cramped. ( I'll probably move a few more into the big one when they're adults).

Only thing that's got me worried is the 2 adults seem totally lost in the 29G. The male is just sitting at the very top of the water and the female is hiding behind some plastic plants. The other fish gave them the once over and then left them alone. I just hope they adjust to their new surroundings. ( I made a mental note to pick up some watersprite for the 29G, they're none in there now and that's what they're used to from the 5G.).

Rocketman--yes they are fancy guppies and I'm glad to report that the Pearl's could care less about them (as well as any other of the fish in the 29G--2 Platy's, a Cory Cat, Dwarf Gourami, 3 Cherry Barb's, 2 Gold Cichlids).

So far these guppies have been great, I'm wondering if my LFS will give me credits for fry in the future...after all, what else will I do with all the fry to come?

:confused:
 
With all the fry? Raise them, and breed them if you'd like. If I had more time, (not saying that you do,) I would do the same; I think it would be very interesting. So, you'd just put every following guppy fry into the 5 Gallon, and when they matured they would go into the 29 Gallon.

I have Guppies in my 60 Gallon. They seem to know their way around fairly well.
 
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