Wild guppies

[Myrkk]

I found this quite interesting that guppies in the wild, if they're in a pond with no predators, will produce fewer but larger young as they don't have to worry about predation. However, guppies further down the stream in an area with predators will produce many smaller young in the hope that some will live to adulthood. Amazing, makes me wonder about the genetics behind our aquarium guppies

 

[kribensis12]

Can you reference a study that shows this? I would be curious to read it.

 

[connorlindeman]

Very cool!

 

[Sgooosh]

Can you reference a study that shows this? I would be curious to read it.

there's this show on Netflix called Alien Worlds. mentions that in places with predators, they will produce many small fry so that maybe some can survive. in places with little predators, they want the fry that are definietly going to survive to get a healthy start in life.

 

[Rocky998]

If thats true that is really amazing!

 

[Sgooosh]

If thats true that is really amazing!

i can KINDA confirm. in my tank, it's really peaceful and there's no threats whatsoever. the baby guppies are really big compared to wheni had a small tank where they could be eaten quickly

 

[Rocky998]

i can KINDA confirm. in my tank, it's really peaceful and there's no threats whatsoever. the baby guppies are really big compared to wheni had a small tank where they could be eaten quickly

Really cool observation!

 

[kribensis12]

Into a competitive world, guppies are born not just bigger, but more mature

When Brown University scientists took a deeper look into a classic example of parenting strategy in nature, they found that what really matters may be more than what meets the eye.

www.brown.edu

 

[emeraldking]

I found this quite interesting that guppies in the wild, if they're in a pond with no predators, will produce fewer but larger young as they don't have to worry about predation. However, guppies further down the stream in an area with predators will produce many smaller young in the hope that some will live to adulthood. Amazing, makes me wonder about the genetics behind our aquarium guppies

Can you reference a study that shows this? I would be curious to read it.

This is general known that it happens like this. It's a surviving tactic. This is to give the species a chance to survive. This happens with lots of living animals. And with more predation, color will also lack more on the guppy's body. There where no predation is present, wild guppies tend to show more coloration. But this happens also with other kinds of livebearers (not all) in the wild.

 

[Myrkk]

Can you reference a study that shows this? I would be curious to read it.

What Sgoosh said, I saw it on that series... it's a great series cross referencing our understanding of the earth with what life might look like on other planets that have the capability to support life but are not environmentally identical to the earth.