How to care for guppy fry after the female gives birth
Guppies are small omnivorous fish, found in the lower reaches of rivers, lakes, marshes and ditches in some tropical regions. Their wild habitats are diverse, and they are extremely adaptable to the environment and can tolerate turbid water. They are often introduced to countries around the world as ornamental fish and can be kept together with mild small and medium-sized tropical fish. Let's take a look below at how to care for guppy fry after they are born!
How to care for guppy fry after they are born?
1. After guppies give birth to fry, the adult fish and the fry should be kept separately, otherwise the fry may be eaten by the larger fish. During the feeding period, the female fish needs extra nutrition, and it is best to feed her some live food such as water fleas.
2. A stable aquatic environment is crucial for fish, so when separating adult guppies from baby guppies, it is best to use the water from the original tank.
3. Starting from the second day, the fry can be fed egg yolk water, but be careful not to feed too much. After 5 days, they can be fed dry fish food, which also needs to be crushed into powder. After 5 days, switch to feeding water fleas filtered through fine-mesh gauze.
Note: After the female guppy gives birth to the fry, do not rush to change the water. The new water may kill the female fish because she cannot adapt to it. You can keep her in the original water for a few days first, and after the female fish's condition stabilizes, then try changing her water.
Signs that a guppy is about to give birth
1. The female fish itself has a gravid spot. When it is not pregnant, the gravid spot is very small and cannot be seen without careful observation, but as the female fish's due date approaches, the gravid spot becomes large and black and looks very obvious.
2. The female fish swims irregularly in the water, because the enlargement of her body affects the guppy's swimming, and the female fish will find a hidden place to hide, mainly for a safe birth.
3. The female fish does not eat feed and has a poor appetite, and her outward color is brighter than usual. She swims near the top of the tank with her tail close to the tank bottom, and because of the growth of the fry inside her belly, the female fish's belly becomes heavier.
4. Part of the female fish's belly is close to square-shaped. Because the fry inside are arranged in a regular pattern, it appears square, and the anus protrudes. At the same time, in the two days before giving birth, she will prefer to be alone and will chase and bite fish that come near her.
How to raise baby guppies
1. Baby guppies should be kept in a smaller container. If it is too large, it is not easy for the fry to get food. You can feed the fry chopped water earthworms or crumbled egg yolk. Although egg yolk is quite ideal, it will pollute the water quality, so it is recommended to feed a little less.
2. Baby guppies do not necessarily need water changes. If the water change is not done properly, they are prone to pin-tail. Changing the water once a week is enough; do not change the water too frequently. If tap water is used when changing the water, it must be exposed to the sun for three days, and add a little salt with each water change to prevent disease.
3. The water temperature for baby guppies must be constant and should not keep changing, because the fry are very weak. During a water change, if the temperature difference exceeds 2 degrees, they cannot tolerate it. It is recommended to buy a heater and adjust the water temperature to between 24 and 26 degrees.
4. Once baby guppies can be distinguished by sex, keep them separate for rearing, otherwise the female fish giving birth too early is not good for the growth of the young female fish. For keeping them in the same tank, wait at least until they are 2 to 3 months old.
5. Inbreeding in baby guppies will lead to degeneration and deformities, but it is not yet obvious in the first generation; by the second and third generations it becomes obvious. It is recommended to stop at the second generation, and not to keep the third generation.
What should be done if a guppy has difficulty giving birth?
1. Manual induction of labor: Place a heater in and slowly raise the water temperature, then remove it and let the water cool naturally. Repeat this several times, and placing the female fish that is about to give birth into it can effectively induce labor. It can also help prevent the female fish from getting sick and provide good environmental conditions for the fry about to be born.
2. Cesarean surgery: For a female fish that truly cannot give birth smoothly, a cesarean section must be used. First prepare two shallow dishes with water, one bottle with water, two droppers, one pair of scissors with the front end cut off, two large-headed pins, tongs, scissors, alcohol and other tools.
(1) Drop alcohol on the gills to anesthetize her and quickly kill the female fish, then cut a small opening backward from the heart and use tongs to tear it open backward to expose the ovary. Put the ovary into a shallow dish and use a dropper to flush open the ovarian membrane. The more mature fry, under this pressure, will automatically break through the egg membrane and swim out.
(2) However, most cannot break the egg membrane on their own and need assistance. Usually the posture of the fish inside the egg looks like a comma, with the head and tail almost connected, but there is a gap there. One large-headed pin is inserted into that gap, and the other pin is used to pick at it.
(3) Pull the pin inserted in the gap outward and the fry will come out. Suck the fry into clean water and it is done.