View Full Version : Agressive Male Guppies
rainbowprizimz
10-23-2003, 5:48 PM
Hi and thanks for taking the time to read this. I guess I should start by explaining my situation.
I have a female guppy that just gave birth to a brood of approximatly 20 fry. After releasing the female from the breeding net, back into the tank, the males seemed to be more agressive toward her than usual. This behavior included fin nipping, and what looked like drilling her into the sides of the tank. After having a hard labor, and enduring the males agression, she seemed to be very stressed.Is this behavior normal of male guppies toward females who have just given birth? I know that I might need to isloate the female, but have no second tank to transfer her to. Any advice will do. Thanks again.
Depends on how many Guppies you have altogether... Is it two males and one female? Or what?
rainbowprizimz
10-23-2003, 6:04 PM
sorry, forgot to mention that. I have 4 fems and 3 males, was suppose to be 2 males 5 fems, but the fish store mistook a male for a fem. One fem is in isolation in a seperate breeding net, thought she had ick, turned out to be fungal. So 3 fems and 3 males right now.
tricksterpup
10-23-2003, 6:06 PM
Here is one thing to know about most livebeares, they will actually store the sperm for future pregancies but there is a catch to this, if they are pregnated by another male after birthing, then the female will use that sperm instead of the sperm from the previous male. So the males try to mate with females that usually have given birth, its their way of passing on their genetic material. So what is the best way of handling this?
1. The female may have been stressed in the net in the first place. These things cause fish to abort their fry, not a pretty site. Plus it stresses out the females. If the net doesn't stress them out, then placing them back in the main tank does. Guppies are social fish and do much better allowed to mingle in a group.
2. Get more females, always go with a trio or 2 to 1 method, 2 females with every male. This way, there are other females for the males to try to mate with.
3. Give your fish plenty of cover ( such as plants), this will give them plenty of places to hide if she is being pestered by an amorous male and it will give any born fry a place to hide also.
The only time I ever had to worry about guppies eating fry. Whe I was breeding Yellow guppies, they fry stood out and were chased down. I have endlers and i have tons of fry, and they are not being eaten or chased down.
I hope this helped. I would also pick up a book on guppies and live bearers. If you want to learn more via the web (I still prefer books) try www.showguppies.com
jim
rainbowprizimz
10-23-2003, 6:12 PM
thank you very much jim. I do have a lot of plant cover, and in the future I will consider letting the fry fend for themselves. as far as the female goes, she will be ok if i just leave her be in the tank with the males? I didn't think they would "kill" her but I didn't need another injured fish either. So I will continue to monitor the males behavior, and since they are beautiful males :) hopefully they will get a chance to mate with her or one of the other fems. thanks again.
tricksterpup
10-23-2003, 6:19 PM
No problem, you can still use your net, if you are worried about your fry. I keep a 55 gallon molly tank and keep a net inside the tank to store fry in before placing them in a spare tank. I just wait until i spy the fry swimming around and toss them in. In my Gambusia tank, i just toss them in a huge jar with a corner filter. But for my endlers, guppies, merry widows and dwarf livebearers i usually will keep the fry in the tank with the adults.
jim