How many guppy babies

Fun fact, adult guppies also eat the fry so you may need to separate them. Pregnant female guppies have expanded and blackened gravid spots near their anal vents.

The gestation period usually lasts between 21 and 30 days. However, it varies considerably depending on the species of guppies.

The good news is that they typically give birth several times throughout their lifespan. Guppy physiology and behavior also contribute to their rapid rate of reproduction. Males constantly try to mate with females. On top of this, a single mating can produce multiple batches of offspring -- a characteristic called super-foetation.

This combination of frequent mating and super-foetation means female guppies are more or less constantly pregnant as soon as they reach maturity. Once a female guppy is 2 or 3 months old, she tends to start giving birth.

A female guppy under optimal conditions can give birth every 30 days -- and each batch of fry can range from 20 to 50 baby guppies. This combination of maturing rapidly, birthing live young and almost constant reproduction means guppies reproduce very rapidly. When breeding guppies, the biggest concern is the parents. During this period, the fry develops different body organs. After fertilization, it takes a few days to tell a female guppy is pregnant. Below are signs that can help you know when your guppy is pregnant.

When a female guppy is pregnant, they need special care to ensure they do not get stressed. Stress can lead to pregnancy termination or unplanned abortion for the guppy.

There are no definite indicators that a female guppy is ready to give birth. However, as the days get nearer, she will mostly remain at one spot in the tank. On normal circumstances, it will take approximately 2 to 6 hours for the guppy to drop all the fry. However, on special circumstances, the female guppy may deliver some fry then resume the process after 12 hours or a few days.

However, after a few hours, they uncurl and start swimming. During birth, it is important to separate the female guppy from the rest of the fish. The fry are at a risk of being eaten by the mature fish in the tank. Hungry female mothers can also feed on the fry once they are born. The fry should be fed often, especially within the first few weeks when they are undergoing major developments. After four weeks, the fry will be mature already, and at the six week mark, most of them will become sexually mature, ready to reproduce.

Guppies are also called million fish because they are active breeders. Since guppies get to sexual maturity within a short period of time, a female guppy can give birth up to two thousand baby guppies in her entire lifetime.

Once a female guppy is fertilized, she can continue to get pregnant from the sperms stored up in her body. Hey, I'm Fabian, chief editor at Aquarium Nexus. I really enjoy the aquarium hobby and love sharing my experience with others. If you have any questions feel free to contact me or leave a comment below.