Q: guppy gravid spot

[Charles Gillen]

Since I had an empty tank, at my LFS I "rescued" some feeder guppies (only
10 cents each, and I'd never tried guppies before and so started on the
cheap). A week later I noticed a few fry in the tank but fear for their
survival despite the clumps of homemade breeding grass I had installed.

So, wanting to get a bit more scientific, I read up on guppies and
purchased a floating "maternity ward" in which I installed the fattest and
most gravid guppy. Now hoping she'll deliver safely.

Meantime, I've some questions about the gravid spot. Some sources claim
the female guppies ALWAYS show a gravid spot, even the virgin ones, and the
spot helps in sexing. Checking my other probably pregnant guppies, I found
none which had lost her gravid spot and might have been my first mother of
the few fry I saw.

After birth, does the gravid spot shrink or go away? Can it be used as a
reliable indicator of pregnancy and imminent birth?

Remember, these are only cheap feeders... but I'd like to treat them right.

--
Anti-Spam address: my last name at his dot com
Charles Gillen -- Reston, Virginia, USA

[T]

In my exoierance the gravid spot does go away after birth, but only for a
day or two. Yes they seem to be dark quite often but the area by the anal
appears to me to go squarish after they are pregnant and they definantly get
bigger.. I use Hikari's FD blood worms for two or three feedings to assit
with the gup's getting pregnant..

Timmer..


"Charles Gillen" > wrote in message
...
> Since I had an empty tank, at my LFS I "rescued" some feeder guppies (only
> 10 cents each, and I'd never tried guppies before and so started on the
> cheap). A week later I noticed a few fry in the tank but fear for their
> survival despite the clumps of homemade breeding grass I had installed.
>
> So, wanting to get a bit more scientific, I read up on guppies and
> purchased a floating "maternity ward" in which I installed the fattest and
> most gravid guppy. Now hoping she'll deliver safely.
>
> Meantime, I've some questions about the gravid spot. Some sources claim
> the female guppies ALWAYS show a gravid spot, even the virgin ones, and
the
> spot helps in sexing. Checking my other probably pregnant guppies, I
found
> none which had lost her gravid spot and might have been my first mother of
> the few fry I saw.
>
> After birth, does the gravid spot shrink or go away? Can it be used as a
> reliable indicator of pregnancy and imminent birth?
>
> Remember, these are only cheap feeders... but I'd like to treat them
right.
>
> --
> Anti-Spam address: my last name at his dot com
> Charles Gillen -- Reston, Virginia, USA

[Marcus Fox]

"T" > wrote in message
ink.net...
> In my exoierance the gravid spot does go away after birth, but only for a
> day or two. Yes they seem to be dark quite often but the area by the anal
> appears to me to go squarish after they are pregnant and they definantly
get
> bigger.. I use Hikari's FD blood worms for two or three feedings to assit
> with the gup's getting pregnant..

Er... Isn't the gravid spot the eyes of the fry?

Marcus