Do female guppy lay eggs?

The female guppy does not lay eggs. They give birth to ready fries. Thus, they are classified as ovoviviparous fishes.

Animals’ reproductive systems can be divided into the internal reproductive organs and the external genitalia. In sexual reproduction, there must be some way of getting the sperm to the egg.

In internal fertilization, the eggs are fertilized within the reproductive tract of the female, and then are covered with eggshells and/or remain within the body of the female during their development.

However, females of species with internal fertilization must, at some point, expel the growing young. There are three general ways of doing this: Oviparous, Viviparous and Ovoviviparous organisms.

Guppy belongs to Ovoviviparous family : forming eggs which hatch as they are being laid, resulting in apparent birth of live young. Therefore, guppy is also termed as liver bearer. Moving a near term pregnant female right before her due date can stress her and trigger premature delivery. Sometimes you can see these half-hatched eggs. They have little chance of survival.

You may see the eyes of the eggs when you look at the female gravid spot. Photo shows some unhatched guppy eggs.
Photo credit : LA pic.

You can see some of the eggs are half-developed.
Photo credit : LA pic.

Ovoviviparous : (ovi, ovo = egg; vivi = alive, living; parous = giving birth, bearing)