# Mother guppies dying after birth???



## ralph50 (Oct 20, 2007)

My tank seems healthy. 

Parameters all check out OK..

Funny thing is that everytime I get fry the mother seems to die.

First time I thought it was a coincedence but now it's happened again.

I just found more fry last night with the yolk sac still attached.

I hope it doesn't happen a third time.

Does anyone have an idea as to what this could be???

I feed my fish once a day.

Could the stress of pregnancy on their bodies require more nutrition?

The fry all seem healthy.

Thanks


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## spypet (Sep 15, 2006)

adult males may be harassing the females too much while they are weak from giving birth.
I keep females with the fry, and displaying males in a seperate tank, and never lose a fish.


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## JennysPlanties (Sep 30, 2007)

spypet said:


> adult males may be harassing the females too much while they are weak from giving birth.


I agree. I unknowingly bought a pregnant female when I first set up my tank and I had only purchased 3 fems and 1 male. She had fry a few days later and was found dead and floating. Now that the ratio of f to m is closer to 4 to 1 I haven't had a re-occurrance.

Even still, I find that it's easier to keep the males separate from the obviously preggers females because they chase them even when they're ready to pop and that's got to be annoying for them!


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## ralph50 (Oct 20, 2007)

> adult males may be harassing the females too much while they are weak from giving birth.


I hadn't though about that. Thanks

I had a 1:1 ratio.

Now it is worse.

I need to buy a bunch females as they are horny little devils.


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## spypet (Sep 15, 2006)

get; Tank Dividers by Penn-Plax;
http://www.aquacave.com/detail.aspx?ID=1557
and separate the adults by gender.

there is no need to put the females
back with the males after birthing
because the sperm will stay viable
inside the female for several litters.


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## ralph50 (Oct 20, 2007)

> separate the adults by gender.



Is ther any other way to keep the guppy pop. healthy and slowly growing.

Its a 90 gallon tank in my living room and I really don't feel putting a divider in there.

Would getting some more females and three angel fish do the trick?

I heard angels keep fry pop. down.


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## crazie.eddie (May 31, 2004)

Yes, angels will keep the population down. Unfortunately, bigger angels are not as quick and usually give up the chase, so it's better to go with young angels.


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## Are-Jay (May 9, 2007)

I've noticed that store bought female guppies are likely to get ill or die after giving birth. It used to happen to me a lot, even with my water being perfect. It has a lot to do with the shipping, overcrowding, and poor water conditions they went through. The fry that are being born into your tank however will be much stronger than the parents, and when then they start to have fry themselves, you shouldn't face any of those problems anymore. I have quite a few generations of guppies in my tank, and they rarely, if ever, get sick. I'm no expert, just my experience =)


Are-Jay


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## JennysPlanties (Sep 30, 2007)

You def. need at least a 3 to 1 ratio of M to F, so yeah, pick up some more females.

An angel will keep the guppy population down, as will a lot of other types of fish. I've got rams in my tank to do the same thing because the guppies were getting OUT of control!


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## ralph50 (Oct 20, 2007)

I will pick up some more females.

How many angels for 90 galllons???

I was thinking three.

I don't like they idea of them being eaten but I love to fish and eat fish as well.


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## matt s (Jun 6, 2007)

Actaully I find problems when you keep angels in small groups they need to be either 1 or 5+


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## ralph50 (Oct 20, 2007)

> Actaully I find problems when you keep angels in small groups they need to be either 1 or 5+


What kind of problems?

Bullying??


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## CrimsonKeel (Jul 12, 2004)

IMO dont keep angels in a tank with guppies. they will nip at the fins on the guppies.
too keep more pregnant females alive you will need to separate them when they near giving birth. the males will chase the female around hoping she gives birth so they can eat teh young. some people have fed then blood worms to keep the males full when it is time but it just seems easier to separate the female.


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