Guppy Breeding tank set-up - Aquarium Advice

Jarred Darque · 07-21-2006, 01:53 AM

ok, I know it is small, at least, smaller than what I want for the number of fish I want to push out every week. BUT

10 gallon tank, bare bottom, canister filter. I have some of the plant mats in there covering the entire bottom for fry to get into to stay safe.

I will be setting up another 10 gallon for the fry I can scoop out and move over. Also in the 10 gallon will go the free-swimmin GBR fry when I get that set-up running.

How many guppies and to what ration can I keep in the 10 gallon and they shouldnt have any problem with breeding. I am thinking maybe 6 females and 3 males? or only 2 males? is that ok? can I put in more.

Should I have any other fake plants in the tank besides the mats, or should I put in gravel. I plan on removing fry with the partial water change, I will be lifting the plant mats to siphon under them after removing what fry I can find. I also siphon into a bucket so I can see if I have sucked up any fry, but should I put gravel in tehre? I figure that the bare bottom will keep it easier to clean and easier to catch and see fry?

Should I just put the mats on the bottom? or rig something up to suspend the mats above the bottom of the tank a few inches to give the fry safe free swimming room?

Any help would be great.

BTW, can any type of guppy breed together? or do they need to be the exact same species? (I dont care if they come out ugly, they are not for sale or for display tanks..i.e. they are food....)

If I where to add more filtration (I have 70gph right now) can I add more guppies?

thanks for the help

dskidmore · 07-23-2006, 01:46 PM

If you're not seperating out the pregnant mothers into breeding nets, and expect fry to survive in the parent's tank:

A) Need mild filtraiton, such as a corner air-driven unit that won't suck up fry.
B) Need lots of ground cover for the fry to hide in. (Gravel and larger plants not necesary, just something that acts like dense and low vegitation.)

I would get a few floating breeder boxes, and plop in mothers ready to give birth. Then after birth, transfer the whole boxful of fry to the fry tank. This way you have really minimal fry loss, and very little hassle in seperating Mom from fry.

If the point is breeding quantity, I'd go for the 2 males and 6 females. It doesn't take many males to fertilize all the females. That is a male guppy's primary occupation in life.

Given the way guppies breed, I think there are very few guppy owners that don't have overstocked tanks. Keep an eye on water quality and guppy behavior as you slowly increase the number of females.

Jarred Darque · 07-23-2006, 03:33 PM

ok thanks, and the entire bottom of the tank is a ground cover fake vegetation.

As for overstockig the tank, not worried aboutit, most of the fry will be used as dinner for my main tank.

right now I have 3 extremely healthy looking females, and 1 very healthy male, and one sickly lookin male I will prolly dispose of soon.

Can I breed differant types of guppies without problems?

dskidmore · 07-23-2006, 09:20 PM

Sure.

They'll even cross-breed with Ender's Livebearers, although the offspring are not supposed to be released back into the aquarium trade.

07-21-2006, 01:53 AM	#1
Jarred Darque Aquarium Advice FINatic Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 666	Guppy Breeding tank set-up ok, I know it is small, at least, smaller than what I want for the number of fish I want to push out every week. BUT 10 gallon tank, bare bottom, canister filter. I have some of the plant mats in there covering the entire bottom for fry to get into to stay safe. I will be setting up another 10 gallon for the fry I can scoop out and move over. Also in the 10 gallon will go the free-swimmin GBR fry when I get that set-up running. How many guppies and to what ration can I keep in the 10 gallon and they shouldnt have any problem with breeding. I am thinking maybe 6 females and 3 males? or only 2 males? is that ok? can I put in more. Should I have any other fake plants in the tank besides the mats, or should I put in gravel. I plan on removing fry with the partial water change, I will be lifting the plant mats to siphon under them after removing what fry I can find. I also siphon into a bucket so I can see if I have sucked up any fry, but should I put gravel in tehre? I figure that the bare bottom will keep it easier to clean and easier to catch and see fry? Should I just put the mats on the bottom? or rig something up to suspend the mats above the bottom of the tank a few inches to give the fry safe free swimming room? Any help would be great. BTW, can any type of guppy breed together? or do they need to be the exact same species? (I dont care if they come out ugly, they are not for sale or for display tanks..i.e. they are food....) If I where to add more filtration (I have 70gph right now) can I add more guppies? thanks for the help

07-23-2006, 01:46 PM	#2
dskidmore Aquarium Advice Addict Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Genesee Valley Posts: 2,290 Images: 1	If you're not seperating out the pregnant mothers into breeding nets, and expect fry to survive in the parent's tank: A) Need mild filtraiton, such as a corner air-driven unit that won't suck up fry. B) Need lots of ground cover for the fry to hide in. (Gravel and larger plants not necesary, just something that acts like dense and low vegitation.) I would get a few floating breeder boxes, and plop in mothers ready to give birth. Then after birth, transfer the whole boxful of fry to the fry tank. This way you have really minimal fry loss, and very little hassle in seperating Mom from fry. If the point is breeding quantity, I'd go for the 2 males and 6 females. It doesn't take many males to fertilize all the females. That is a male guppy's primary occupation in life. Given the way guppies breed, I think there are very few guppy owners that don't have overstocked tanks. Keep an eye on water quality and guppy behavior as you slowly increase the number of females. __________________ 75 gallon freshwater Baby shrimp sighted! 2.5 Gallon unpowered freshwater now with high light 0.25 gallon palmtop doomed to an unlit end?

07-23-2006, 09:20 PM	#4
dskidmore Aquarium Advice Addict Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Genesee Valley Posts: 2,290 Images: 1	Sure. They'll even cross-breed with Ender's Livebearers, although the offspring are not supposed to be released back into the aquarium trade. __________________ 75 gallon freshwater Baby shrimp sighted! 2.5 Gallon unpowered freshwater now with high light 0.25 gallon palmtop doomed to an unlit end?

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07-23-2006, 03:33 PM	#3
Jarred Darque Aquarium Advice FINatic Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 666	ok thanks, and the entire bottom of the tank is a ground cover fake vegetation. As for overstockig the tank, not worried aboutit, most of the fry will be used as dinner for my main tank. right now I have 3 extremely healthy looking females, and 1 very healthy male, and one sickly lookin male I will prolly dispose of soon. Can I breed differant types of guppies without problems?