I see some baby tank guppies in my sometimes that look like they have thin long pointed tails instead of the usual round fan tail but it seems like they always get eaten by the adults. The adults seem content to let a good amount of "normal" looking guppies live. Anyone else know anything about this?

when baby guppies hold their tails in points like that its an illness called clamped tail. It is common in baby guppies. The ones with clamped tail won't survive because they're sick. They either get better or they die. The fish that have genes for upper and lower swords and things like that won't show those variations until after they're nearly adult sized. If you're seeing a lot of clamped tail you may want to medicate the tank or work on the water parameters, see if you've got enough filtration for your number of fish or if you're overfeeding or something.

Sure they're getting eaten, or are they just dying or getting sucked into your filter? If they just die, chances are you'll never see them on the bottom, unless you don't have gravel.

I lost most of a batch of fry to that 'pointed tail syndrome' some years ago, then never had a problem like that again. Hopefully it is an isolated incident for you.

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Niki

4 tanks, all planted:
20 gal tall
10 gal
2 - 5 gal tanks

anubias, java fern, java moss, water sprite, vesuvius, wisteria, red cryptocoryne wendtii
48 Watt T5HO on the 20

many happy guppies
one crabby betta