Gupies - Aquarium Advice

Sitchy · 01-17-2007, 03:41 PM

I'm thinking about breading guppies and I was wondering if guppies eat there own fry? And what is a good size aquarium to breed guppies in?

hsherman1986 · 01-17-2007, 04:09 PM

I have 2 10g and 1 2.5 g for breeding guppies. 1 10g holds the parents the 2.5 hold the newborns, and the other 10g holds the guppies that got too big (i breed them for feeders for my cichlids).

Guppies will eat their own fry, so If you want the babies to survive, I would move them to another tank. For the first few minute after giving birth, they will be fine, but once the mother recovers, her babies will become dinner.

I have had the best sucess using breeders boxes (with the two sperate compartments, one for the mother, one for the fry). I will put the female in about a week for so before she gives birth. I have used the nets before, but the only reason (i'm sure) that she didn't eat the fry is because I was there when she went into labor, and was able to pull out the babies as they were being born.

Newborn babies will eat finely crushed flake food and BBS for the first few months of their lives, after about 2-4 weeks, they can also eat frozen or live daphnia.

HTH, if you have any other questions, i can probably help.

Sitchy · 01-17-2007, 04:15 PM

Thank you very much, and i wont hesitate to ask if i need more help

hsherman1986 · 01-17-2007, 04:24 PM

np man. Good luck!!

Out of curiosity, are you breeding for feeders, or trade in value at your lfs?

Sitchy · 01-17-2007, 04:28 PM

I love fish and I have a friend who has just started to breed mollies. If I'm over run by fry I will use some to feed my Salvini, but mainly I just think it would be fun to do.

Haven't thought about lfs value really are they worth anything?

hsherman1986 · 01-17-2007, 04:37 PM

less that $1 ea at my lfs. I originally was breeding for value, but in talking to hubby about it, eventually they will probably no longer take them (with how fast they breed). SO we decided to start feeding the fry to our cichlids. Strangly enough, if we only put 4-5 in the tank, the austrailian rainbows eat them before the cichlids even have time to think about it.

You will quickly become overrun if you keep all of the babies. YOu will be less likely to be over run if you let the mother give birth in the tank with the rest of the fish. I had actually considered keeping a male and female in the tank with my cichlids and just let her give birth in that tank, but I would worry to much about the wellbeing of the guppies with the cichlids, so they got their own tank.

You will have fun with it, hopefully you can actually witness her giving birth. That is something on its own. Most of the babies will immediatly start swimming around right after coming out of the mother. Its cool to watch.

Sitchy · 01-18-2007, 01:36 PM

I'll ask my lfs when i next go never thought about selling them. sounds like a lot of fun. I cant waite to get it all set up.

Seeing as your experienced with this can you give me a quick tip on how to quickly sex a guppy? My lfs doesn't separate them as far as i know, or they just don't have females stocked.

hsherman1986 · 01-18-2007, 07:53 PM

Note the differences in the fins (both dorsal and anal), and the pointy thing in the anal fins of the male. Also, body size, and shape varies (females are generally larger, and much rounder in the bellies). Females will most likely have a gravid spot (dark spot right by the anal fins. It is literally the eyes of the fry. The darker the spot, the farther along she is). If you purchase a female from the lfs, most likely, she will already be pregnant.

Female

Male

*pictures were taken off animal-world.com*

Sitchy · 01-24-2007, 03:05 PM

I have got my tank, it is a 13 gallon so plenty of room. I'm just waiting a bit now before i get my guppies. Just wanted to say thank you for your help and I'll post when I'm succesful

hsherman1986 · 01-24-2007, 03:16 PM

np man, I will be looking for your post...they're guppies, after all. You will most likely be successful.

01-17-2007, 03:41 PM	#1
Sitchy Aquarium Advice Apprentice Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Northampton, England Posts: 27 Images: 2	Gupies I'm thinking about breading guppies and I was wondering if guppies eat there own fry? And what is a good size aquarium to breed guppies in?

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01-17-2007, 04:09 PM	#2
hsherman1986 Aquarium Advice FINatic Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 719	I have 2 10g and 1 2.5 g for breeding guppies. 1 10g holds the parents the 2.5 hold the newborns, and the other 10g holds the guppies that got too big (i breed them for feeders for my cichlids). Guppies will eat their own fry, so If you want the babies to survive, I would move them to another tank. For the first few minute after giving birth, they will be fine, but once the mother recovers, her babies will become dinner. I have had the best sucess using breeders boxes (with the two sperate compartments, one for the mother, one for the fry). I will put the female in about a week for so before she gives birth. I have used the nets before, but the only reason (i'm sure) that she didn't eat the fry is because I was there when she went into labor, and was able to pull out the babies as they were being born. Newborn babies will eat finely crushed flake food and BBS for the first few months of their lives, after about 2-4 weeks, they can also eat frozen or live daphnia. HTH, if you have any other questions, i can probably help.

01-17-2007, 04:15 PM	#3
Sitchy Aquarium Advice Apprentice Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Northampton, England Posts: 27 Images: 2	Thank you very much, and i wont hesitate to ask if i need more help

01-17-2007, 04:24 PM	#4
hsherman1986 Aquarium Advice FINatic Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 719	np man. Good luck!! Out of curiosity, are you breeding for feeders, or trade in value at your lfs?

01-17-2007, 04:28 PM	#5
Sitchy Aquarium Advice Apprentice Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Northampton, England Posts: 27 Images: 2	I love fish and I have a friend who has just started to breed mollies. If I'm over run by fry I will use some to feed my Salvini, but mainly I just think it would be fun to do. Haven't thought about lfs value really are they worth anything?

01-17-2007, 04:37 PM	#6
hsherman1986 Aquarium Advice FINatic Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 719	less that $1 ea at my lfs. I originally was breeding for value, but in talking to hubby about it, eventually they will probably no longer take them (with how fast they breed). SO we decided to start feeding the fry to our cichlids. Strangly enough, if we only put 4-5 in the tank, the austrailian rainbows eat them before the cichlids even have time to think about it. You will quickly become overrun if you keep all of the babies. YOu will be less likely to be over run if you let the mother give birth in the tank with the rest of the fish. I had actually considered keeping a male and female in the tank with my cichlids and just let her give birth in that tank, but I would worry to much about the wellbeing of the guppies with the cichlids, so they got their own tank. You will have fun with it, hopefully you can actually witness her giving birth. That is something on its own. Most of the babies will immediatly start swimming around right after coming out of the mother. Its cool to watch.

01-18-2007, 01:36 PM	#7
Sitchy Aquarium Advice Apprentice Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Northampton, England Posts: 27 Images: 2	I'll ask my lfs when i next go never thought about selling them. sounds like a lot of fun. I cant waite to get it all set up. Seeing as your experienced with this can you give me a quick tip on how to quickly sex a guppy? My lfs doesn't separate them as far as i know, or they just don't have females stocked.

01-18-2007, 07:53 PM	#8
hsherman1986 Aquarium Advice FINatic Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 719	Note the differences in the fins (both dorsal and anal), and the pointy thing in the anal fins of the male. Also, body size, and shape varies (females are generally larger, and much rounder in the bellies). Females will most likely have a gravid spot (dark spot right by the anal fins. It is literally the eyes of the fry. The darker the spot, the farther along she is). If you purchase a female from the lfs, most likely, she will already be pregnant. Female Male pictures were taken off animal-world.com

01-24-2007, 03:05 PM	#9
Sitchy Aquarium Advice Apprentice Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Northampton, England Posts: 27 Images: 2	I have got my tank, it is a 13 gallon so plenty of room. I'm just waiting a bit now before i get my guppies. Just wanted to say thank you for your help and I'll post when I'm succesful

01-24-2007, 03:16 PM	#10
hsherman1986 Aquarium Advice FINatic Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 719	np man, I will be looking for your post...they're guppies, after all. You will most likely be successful.