Guppy mating

Question
Tess and Laurie (of The Amazing Color-Change Gravid Spots) have shared a tank with Mark for almost six weeks, but with no sign of fry. It's not for lack of opportunity; Mark continually pesters them.

Does this non-stop interest from Mark indicate that Tess and Laurie are not pregnant? Or is he just an especially lascivious guppy? The other male isn't nearly as persistent as Mark.

How do guppies mate?  

Answer
Hello Janet!

Well, Tess and Laurie are very likely having fry but they are getting eaten. This is what usually happens with baby gups, unless you put a pregnant female in a fry trapping device or plant the aquarium heavily with large sufficient amounts of plants.

Mark is a typical male. Male guppies will pester even heavily pregnant females often to the point of exhaustion. I try to keep my male and female guppies in seperate tanks. For one is I have an almost half and half ratio of both genders which is not good. You should try to have at least twice or more many females than you do males.
I have seen male gups even do battle over females, ripping each-others tail fins and displaying to any passing female by rippling their fins and showing their best color--it's rather interesting to watch.

Male guppies breed females by mating with her with his tube shaped bottom fin. He mates sort of like mammals do, but it's extremely fast and short. You often miss it. When a male guppy is chasing a female, he is trying to mate with her and he nearly always suceeds.

I'm quite certain Tess and Laurie will have fry soon. Perhaps they are a little young, I have found the best females who throw the most fry frequently are gups about 1 1/2 to 2 inches at least. The older the guppy the bigger brood she will have. Or more likely the fry are being eaten.
Provide very thick areas for fry to hide or better yet use one of those breeding traps which are so common.

Well, I hope this clears some things up for you.

My very best wishes and Happy fishkeeping! hope you get fry soon!

Karen~