female guppy

Question
QUESTION: Hello, I have a female guppy that after she gave birth now just sits on the bottom of the tank. Could that just mean she's stressed?

ANSWER: Hi Dawn.  Absolutely.  The "moms" need a rest for at LEAST 24 hours after they have the fry so that they can recover.  Not only is it hard on them, but if they are released with the males, the males start badgering them immediately wanting to mate again, and this stresses sometimes to the point of death.  I'll tell you what I do.  I have a breeding trap and a breeding net.  I keep the mom in the breeding trap until she has the fry.  When she is done, I used to put the fry in the net and leave the mom in the trap for 24 hours, but now I have a 10 gallon that I put the fry in to the 10 gallon tank and the mom in to the net for 24 hours (or more) so she can recover.  It's totally up to you though.  I'm just trying to give you some ideas.

If I can be of any further help, please get back in touch.

Good luck!!!      ;o)

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thanks for getting back ahold of me...much appreciated.  I think I'm too late, but just incase I did seperate her from the others. Except now she is having problems swimming and floats kind of funny in the tank and is breathing very heavy. I also think that she might still have fry inside of her because her gravid spot is still dark even though she is now skinny. I also have 2 more females that I think might be preggy because both are very fat but their spot isn't very dark. The fatter of the two (she looks like she's about to explode) I put into a breeder net so I can catch the babies this time and to avoid what happened to the other guppy from happening again. This is the first time I'm trying to raise guppies and it seems very complicated.  I also raise convict chilids (in another tank so my guppies won't be food) and they are so much easier since the parents don't eat them. Thanks again for taking time to answer my question and if you could give me some good advice on raising guppies like when I should put them into the breeder net, how to tell when there about ready to give birth, etc. I would very much appreciate as I am a beginner with trying to raise guppies and don't want to see anymore  possibly get hurt.

Answer
Thanks for getting back ahold of me...much appreciated.

<You're very welcome>

I think I'm too late, but just incase I did seperate her from the others. Except now she is having problems swimming and floats kind of funny in the tank and is breathing very heavy.

<Is quite normal most of the time, it takes a LOT out of them to have fry.....this is why they should be kept alone for at least 24 hours after done having fry.>

I also think that she might still have fry inside of her because her gravid spot is still dark even though she is now skinny.

<Given the other symptoms of panting and swimming funny, you are probably right.  If she gets stressed or too exhausted, she'll hang on to them until she recovers a bit, it's not unusual.>

I also have 2 more females that I think might be preggy because both are very fat but their spot isn't very dark.

<Depending on the type and the color, the gravid spot cannot always be seen.  It's much easier to see in light colored fish.  It doesn't necessarily need to be "dark" either. Some fis  you can't even tell.  It just all depends.>

The fatter of the two (she looks like she's about to explode) I put into a breeder net so I can catch the babies this time and to avoid what happened to the other guppy from happening again.

<Good thought.  Write down on your calendar the day she has them so you can "time" the next batch.>

This is the first time I'm trying to raise guppies and it seems very complicated.

<Not complicated at all.  Actually very easy, they do all the work!!  After the first batch, it is easy, because you can guage when the next batch will be here because you have the date of he fry being released.  It's 4-5 weeks in between, and you want to try to put the fish in the breeding net 4-5 days ahead of time so they get acclimated to it prior to having the fry.  They tend to "square off" and look like a box in the back end bottom when they are getting close to releasing their fry.  They may also spend time alone, in a corner, at the bottom in some plants, etc.  After a few times you'll get used to it.>

I also raise convict chilids (in another tank so my guppies won't be food) and they are so much easier since the parents don't eat them. Thanks again for taking time to answer my question and if you could give me some good advice on raising guppies like when I should put them into the breeder net, how to tell when there about ready to give birth, etc. I would very much appreciate as I am a beginner with trying to raise guppies and don't want to see anymore  possibly get hurt.

<I explained that above.  Look for them to start looking like a box from behind and behavior changes.  It's easy to spot after a time or 2.>

You're quite welcome and GOOD LUCK!!!  ;O)