Introduction to guppy fish pregnancy
Being a fish lover, the thrill of having witnessed the profundity of life in your tank is an experience you would have every day. Guppies which are widely admired for their colorful hues and friendly disposition, makes them often preferred pets for beginning aquarists. The tiny little fish from the warm waters are very popular for their prolific breeding ability, hence the need to fully grasp the indication of the season of the signs of pregnancy. In this article I will walk you through the tale of guppy fish pregnancy, equipped with the right skills to distinctly know if the guppy in question was pregnant and start the procedure of preparing for the arrival of the well-looked after babies.
Understanding the reproductive cycle of Guppy Fish Is Pregnant
We shall begin our study of the signs of pregnancy in guppy fish by initially refreshing our knowledge on the reproductive cycle of the fish. Guppies are livebearers, giving them sole reproductive advantage over the fishes that lay eggs. The female guppy can keep sperm for a long time without which can go on with multiple broods even without the existence of a male. After mating, this period of carrying the embryos (called gestation) more or less usually takes around 21 to 30 days, variable on the circumstances such as species, water temperature and the particular guppy’s health.
Physical signs of a Guppy Fish Is Pregnant
The abdomen of pregnant guppy fish is one of the most obvious changes and becomes visibly more pronounced. By the time, the eggs are developing inside the mother fish, her gut will have started to become swollen, and she will therefore appear with a puffy belly morphology. The protrusion of the abdomen will stay persistent already as time goes on and the pregnancy matures. It should be pointed out however the abdomen of the female may not be the best indication in case the number of her fry is different.
However, the other physical sign is a gravid spot that gets a darker spot. It is just prior to the female guppy’s anal fin, and through this stretch of skin, one can notice the developing fry. Because dark spot usually occurs in late pregnancy, it will become more obvious and the color will become darker at this time. Nevertheless, this is an appropriate approach only because the absence of this spot doesn’t mean pregnancy and it should not be the only thing you rely upon.
Behavioral changes in Guppy Fish Is Pregnant
Besides the physical alteration, grown-up guppy fish also demonstrate some behavioral differences. People often resort to sympathizing with others. Growing guppies appear to become more secluded and spend more time resting in the plants or aquarium equipment. They can also become less aggressive and swimming patterns may slow down.
Another behavioral phenomenon to track is unfriendly behavior towards other fish. Becoming more territorial, pregnant guppies might even frighten away other fishes, in particular males. This is an innate reflex for all families of fish to keep predators away from the young ones. If your pregnant guppy start to exhibit aggressive behaviours, it is vital to give your other fish adequate hiding places in order to avoid the stress and possible injuries which they could incur.
Recognizing changes in the guppy fish’s abdomen
To the size of baby fishes in the stomach is a vital clue of guppy’s pregnancy, which is one of the aspects I have already addressed. Yet, it’s necessary to distinguish that the well-fed and a pregnant guppy is not the same thing. To figure out whether the larger waistline results from pregnant, carefully touch the belly with your fingers. If you can palpate tiny grape-like bumps within its abdomen, it is an obvious sign that your female guppy is carrying her eggs. These bumps are under development of zygotes.
In addition, watch for any unusual shape of the abdomen. A guppy when pregnant will look like she has been stuffing her belly with more and more food, especially when compared to the one that is not pregnant. In this regard, the swelling will be larger that area where the fry are located, which is the midstream part.
Monitoring the gravid spot -Guppy Fish Is Pregnant
In fact, the gravid spot is one of the salient physical features which serve as a solid evidence of guppy fish pregnancy. Besides, to see the changes of your pregnant guppy, it’s necessary to take photos every moment. Watching the changes, you can witness a growing activity or a spot darkening. It can be a device to keep track of the pregnancy and perhaps estimate the time set for the spawning.
A consideration must be given to the fact that the length of the gravid spot may differ from one guppy to the other. A handful of them could be dark and they could cover the bigger areas. On the other hand, some of them could be concentrated on a smaller spot. The primary concern is the recognition of the anomalies such as color variation and size difference to the base line.
Observing the guppy fish’s eating habits
Pregnant guppies may have feeding schedule changes. A few others could be having an increased appetite and their food intake will increase considerably. It’s because she spends more energy towards the growth of the fry that female requires extra energy. In that way, some pregnant guppies would experience less appetite, mostly when in the later stage fo pregnancy and the developing fry push all insides to the abdomen.
For your neon guppy to stay healthy, ensure you feed them a balanced diet. Provide your customers with different tasty foods such as flakes, pellets and frozen or live foods. And besides that you should try to divide the portion between smaller meals to follow their dynamic appetite.
Preparing for the birth of guppy fry
As the guppy fish are approaching the endpoint of gestation, it’s better to make the preparations for the release of fry. Female guppies are prolific breeders, who on average could give birth to well over a dozen of fry bred at a time. So, we need to ensure that their living conditions are comfortable and nurturing. To begin the process you need to either arrange a separate tank for breeding or put a nursery within the bigger aquarium. The application of wire mesh i diminishes the impact of aggressive fish and also provides favorable conditions.
To assure the fry would have sufficient hiding place, the tank should be full of stuff, such as plants or plastic breeding traps, that could help the fry feel confident and relax. We also have to remember to maintain two key water factors, namely temperature and water quality, as these are vital to the health and survival of the precious newborn fry.
Caring for pregnant guppy fish
Throughout the pregnancy, it is essential you give proper care to the pregnant guppy fish in roles of a parent. Frequent water changes and adequate water parameter control are appertinent in order to sustain appropriate environment for both the mother and fry. Try your best not to perform too sudden changes in the temperature and water chemistry since these may cause the pregnant guppy to get stressed and introduce some complications.
Furthermore, make sure that expecting the pregnant guppy is served with good balance diet and sheltered enough to control its stress level. Watch for any indications of anguish or difficulties, e.g. heavy breathing or struggling to swim using all your senses. If you observe any of these symptoms and they get more severe, seek further help from an experienced veterinary physician for fish care.
Conclusion: Enjoy the journey of guppy fish breeding
Identification of a guppy fish pregnancy itself is a responsive, thrilling and fascinating process. The physical signs, such as the gravid spot visible on the belly, and the behavioral changes, as the fish will appear larger in size, can help you accurately identify a female guppy is likely to give birth in a couple of days. And, contradictory, do not forget about supplying eggs with the needed help and care that will help their development, beginning with the initial fry. Being ahead of multi-color guppy fish breeding and the happiness associated with the new creation in your aquarium will be the ultimate experience.