Population explosion

I’m not quite sure how the guppy reproductive system operates beyond my understanding of a couple of odd guppy factoids. I do know that female guppies can turn up pregnant several months after their last contact with a male. They save up for a needy day, I guess. But I have a male and a female at the moment. And my female guppy sure as heck isn’t saving up for a needy day. She’s been giving me a whole swarm of itty bitty guppies. Every day, the babies grow in number. The female looks as pregnant today as she did a week ago. Maybe she’s going to be one of those perpetually pregnant guppies who just pops out a baby or two every day. I hadn’t anticipated quite this many babies. It’s getting a little crowded in that fish bowl and their mama is still obviously not finished. I haven’t hit on a good plan yet for fishing out 20 or more baby guppies.

I had taken the approach that whatever happens in there, happens. If they don’t all survive, well, that’s life. But those baby guppies are so darned cute. And nature isn’t taking its course—neither parent is the least interested in fish fries for lunch. I’m beginning to envision a nursery being added on to the family homestead. That wasn’t supposed to happen.