guppies not breeding

Dino

Large Fish
Mar 3, 2007
521
0
0
90 degrees north
#3
They can hold back dropping fry for several months.
This can be due to them not finding conditions favorable to having fry.
Lack of plants for fry to hide in, water conditions not to there liking, or EXTREME overcrowding( not in this case) can all cause this.

Dino
 

FreshwaterJeff

Superstar Fish
Mar 28, 2006
1,261
3
0
41
Chicago, IL
#4
Please tell me you aren't waiting to watch them start humping each other or something before you think they're breeding...

If you just got them, give it time. But regardless, you likely won't see anything when they do start mating...
 

MissFishy

Superstar Fish
Aug 10, 2006
2,237
5
0
Michigan
#6
In all likelihood, your guppies have already mated and the female is incubating fry. The babies should be born within 28 days, if she wasn't already pregnant when you got her, which is also very likely.
 

Feb 25, 2004
279
2
0
38
Florence, AL
Visit site
#9
Lol Jeff...I hope he isn't.

Give it time man, sometimes fish won't breed because of water temp, conditions etc but I've never known guppies to be that picky when it comes to breeding...give them time, maybe they just need to get to know each other first. If you threw a male and female human into a room together, they might not "breed" right away either. (Maybe lol)
 

Dino

Large Fish
Mar 3, 2007
521
0
0
90 degrees north
#15
Slight highjack.

But is not one of the reasons sites like this exist, is to counter the disinformation that shops give out?

Actually, to my knowledge, no major farm in the US is breeding guppies on a large scale.
They are all imported from Asia.
And when they are imported, they are shipped in bags of about 200 fish, dosed up on tranquilizers.
What most folks do no know is that less than 1/4 of guppies that are shipped in, make it into home aquaria.
Most die from the tranquilizers.

It is POSSIBLE, that they are steril from the tranquilizers.
However, I have already stated what I think the probable cause is eariler in this thread.

Drake, this is not an attack on you or where you got the guppies.

Dino
 

Fuzz16

Superstar Fish
Oct 20, 2006
1,918
3
0
Wellsville, KS
#16
hmm, cant think that sterilizers would affect thier ability to breed though. if they do its probably because of overdoses maybe? i didnt know that Dino

and give it time little Drake man....once they start they wont stop
 

Oct 18, 2006
741
2
0
Oceanside California
#18
If you have a male and female guppy in the same tank it is safe to assume the female is pregnant. Look for black "gravid spot" in back. You will see nothing of the mating, just a black spot appears. The temp should be a little on warmer side to enduce birth if it is the right time. Just watch as the gravid gets square in shape she should start giving birth, it can be days to months before they birth. The female can continue having babies for six months after the male has been removed from tank. They can hold the fry inside for months as well waiting for the right time to give birth.