A Guppy's Life

Let me say right up front, I'll never understand guppies. At first, our six little fish were great to watch. Then after a while we realized they were sexing, birthing, eating their young machines. So we became adept at rescuing the live bait before breakfast, and now have a tank full of still sexing, birthing, and eating their young fish. What's up with that?

Last week I noticed the males not giving the females, regardless of size, a moments peace. If there there is such a thing as sexual violence in a fish tank, we were watching it. Seeing enough, I got out the nursery net, scooped up the females and offered them sanctuary. They didn't say, but they seemed to be delighted not to have to race the tank anymore. The next day, I released them back into the wilds. The males seemed calmer. But lately I've noticed they are up to their tricks again.

Making matters worse, three days ago, I found the matriarch of the tank swimming belly up, her coloring had darkened, and the oldest male chewing on her fins. Now what's up with that? Once again, it was back in the nursery net. If she was dying, she'd do it in peace, on her own terms.

We've kept watch. Then my eldest said, "I've heard if you put peas in the water a fish will start swimming correctly again." I said to try it. It couldn't hurt. And sure enough she is swimming right side up, her coloring has improved, but she is weak. The poor thing; before all this started she was the biggest guppy I had ever seen in my life. With a nice big round belly, fancy fins, and shiny scales.

What to do? Should I intervene in the tank? Do I really know what's best? It reminds me of Star Trek and the prime directive.