Need advice on Guppy breeding tank setup

[Darkfalcon]

So just yesterday I bought 2 guppy females, they're quite big already so I guess they're ready to be bred. Sadly I haven't setup the breeding tank (nor do I know how to set it up), so I put those 2 there with 1 male, just to make them start "knowing" each other. Tho my male is clinging onto 1 female only, sometimes go for the other one, but mostly onto the one who has bigger belly.

I've searched around google and youtube and so I've seen 2 types of breeding tanks, the planted tank one and almost-nothing tank. From these two, which do you prefer/use, and can you post a pic of your guppy breeding tank here so that I can see the actual example??

I know that the ratio was supposed to be 1:3 but I've searched the lfs and I only found these 2 females (they usually only sell males). I'll look for another female next week when I got my tank setup and ready to go.

 

[Delapool]

I've used both. One with lots of hiding spots is handy in a community tank.

I've also used a bare tank where there is only the mother.

Occasionally I have used the breeding traps all the way through but I tend to use these to catch the fry and put them somewhere safe after birth.

 

[Darkfalcon]

I've also used a bare tank where there is only the mother.

So how do you know if the mother has been fertilized? In order to separate the mother from the male?

Occasionally I have used the breeding traps all the way through but I tend to use these to catch the fry and put them somewhere safe after birth.

Can you explain what exactly did you do here??

Oh and what kind of filter did you use for the fry tank?? Can you post some pics of the filter????

 

[Delapool]

In my case the female was showing a rounded belly and was well advanced. I'm not sure how long a male and female would need together for the first lot of fry. I've read the female can store sperm for up to 10 months although mostly I read enough stored for several batches of fry.

Using this filter in the small tanks. Mainly I wanted it to be adjustable on flow and self-priming. I've also used air powered internal and hob filters.

Mainly I think as long as you can adjust the flow rate.

http://www.theaquariumshop.com.au/shopexd.asp?id=4641&name=Marina Slim S10 Power Filter


In the larger tank it's all canister filters and large internal filters but there must be enough holes and quiet spots for them to hide in.


With the breeding traps I've tried the ones where the fry are meant to drop through to another chamber but sometimes the fry aren't that clever and they are a bit small for the female.

So I will either keep the female in the main tank and just catch any fry I find before the other fish do and then put them in a breeding container in the main tank (just anything that keeps the fry in and let's water through).

Or put the female in a separate small tank and put female back after birth / put her in a decent sized breeding net for a couple of days to let her recover before going back.

I should add I don't breed them for money or any lines, etc; just for fun every so often.

 

[Fishguy1111]

When my platys were breeding (accidentally lol) I found it helpful to have plants and rocks and decorations, in order for the fry to hide (helpful enough for me too have 10 a month after buying 3)...


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[Darkfalcon]

In my case the female was showing a rounded belly and was well advanced. I'm not sure how long a male and female would need together for the first lot of fry. I've read the female can store sperm for up to 10 months although mostly I read enough stored for several batches of fry.

Using this filter in the small tanks. Mainly I wanted it to be adjustable on flow and self-priming. I've also used air powered internal and hob filters.

Mainly I think as long as you can adjust the flow rate.

Marina Slim S10 Power Filter - The Aquarium Shop Australia


In the larger tank it's all canister filters and large internal filters but there must be enough holes and quiet spots for them to hide in.


With the breeding traps I've tried the ones where the fry are meant to drop through to another chamber but sometimes the fry aren't that clever and they are a bit small for the female.

So I will either keep the female in the main tank and just catch any fry I find before the other fish do and then put them in a breeding container in the main tank (just anything that keeps the fry in and let's water through).

Or put the female in a separate small tank and put female back after birth / put her in a decent sized breeding net for a couple of days to let her recover before going back.

I should add I don't breed them for money or any lines, etc; just for fun every so often.

Yeah, I want to test guppy breeding first (to get the experience first). As for a mass breeding to sell.... Well I might do it in the not so distant future. But for now I don't have the space nor the budget for that xD

As for that filter, how strong is the GPH? I can't find it anywhere :/

 

[Darkfalcon]

When my platys were breeding (accidentally lol) I found it helpful to have plants and rocks and decorations, in order for the fry to hide (helpful enough for me too have 10 a month after buying 3)...


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Plants and rocks? Can you tell me what kind of plant did you use?? I'll look for them

As for the aquarium floor, what did you do to it?? I heard some people planted some flame moss/hair grass/whatever to cover the substrate and to make a suitable hiding place at the bottom of the tank for the newly born frys.

 

[Darkfalcon]

Oh and one more thing (for now), does shrimps eat fish frys? Because I have 5 shrimps inside the breeding tank atm :/

 

[Delapool]

Yeah, I want to test guppy breeding first (to get the experience first). As for a mass breeding to sell.... Well I might do it in the not so distant future. But for now I don't have the space nor the budget for that xD



As for that filter, how strong is the GPH? I can't find it anywhere :/

I had a look and unfortunately can't find anything. It's not very strong. I usually run it flat out and the fish don't mind.

The self-priming and sponge around the intake were attractive but the slim design does mean less media.

 

[Darkfalcon]

So if you cover the intake (pipe) with sponge, the frys should be fine?? But what about cleaning the sponge, won't it bother the fishes?? I heard some fishes might get stressed over this but dunno about guppies

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[Delapool]

So if you cover the intake (pipe) with sponge, the frys should be fine?? But what about cleaning the sponge, won't it bother the fishes?? I heard some fishes might get stressed over this but dunno about guppies

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Ime the fish aren't really bothered.

The sponge just slots off the intake. A heathy fish won't be sucked into the intake anyways but I've found fry can be somewhat adventurous.

A good Ma and Pa lfs will be able to suggest filter options to suit. Just do some checks before you buy to make sure totally suitable for your tank.

Imo guppies would breed in an old shoe by the side of the road. The trick is dealing with the fry Just in case I find that 1 male to 3 females is a good ratio.

 

[Darkfalcon]

Hmm if the pipe is long enough I might put some substrate then put the pipe through the substrate so that it will be covered by the substrate to prevent the frys to be sucked inside but I think the pipe is not that long.

I did another search and after a long time spending my time surfing the search result I found out that your filter is around 80 GPH? Well that's not that big.

Yeah other sites also say 1:3 but my female just keep dying when I buy them, what might be the cause? If the cause is the water parameters, why only 1 dies? I also put shrimps in there because shrimps tend to die if the water parameter change is too drastic but since all of them still alive, I guess the water parameter wasn't the problem.

Or maybe the temperature? I didn't put heater in there since I live in tropical country and so it won't be that cold (even the night is hot here).

 

[Delapool]

I have added media to the filter but even still I would say only 20 gallon / hour. I use it in 5 to 10 gallon tanks.

The display tank has canister filters and still get fry swimming around happily (although avoiding the larger fish).

Would the fish shop and yourself be using the same water? Perhaps a longer acclimatisation may be needed ?

I think for Indonesia you could be fine. If they are moving around and mating I suspect they are OK would be my thought.

 

[Darkfalcon]

I have added media to the filter but even still I would say only 20 gallon / hour. I use it in 5 to 10 gallon tanks.

The display tank has canister filters and still get fry swimming around happily (although avoiding the larger fish).

Would the fish shop and yourself be using the same water? Perhaps a longer acclimatisation may be needed ?

I think for Indonesia you could be fine. If they are moving around and mating I suspect they are OK would be my thought.

Yeah, but these days the weather is kind of extreme. Suddenly its raining hard then suddenly sunny and very hot. Very unstable. That's why lots of fishes dies and lfs fish stock is low and lack variety.

I usually use clean water but probably due to me not using filters yet for my breeding aquariums, thats why when too many amonia my fishes might die or maybe trying to adapt with the water. Yeah probably its due to the water temp and amonia levels

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[Keely84]

I once had guppy fry (completely unintentional) so wasn't prepared. They worked fine in our 'then' tank setup. We kept everyone in the communal tank and used a trap to put the fry in and all was fine.

Good luck with whatever you decide to do


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[Darkfalcon]

I once had guppy fry (completely unintentional) so wasn't prepared. They worked fine in our 'then' tank setup. We kept everyone in the communal tank and used a trap to put the fry in and all was fine.

Good luck with whatever you decide to do


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I'll need to make a DIY trap in a community tank since no one sells them :'(

And thx for your support.

My platy also had 1 baby (unintentionally). Tho now I found out that platys can grow up to around 10 cm. I think I should wait until they fully mature like that before I breed them xD (that baby is still alive now so I seperated him and feeding him every (twice a day)

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[Delapool]

Yeah, but these days the weather is kind of extreme. Suddenly its raining hard then suddenly sunny and very hot. Very unstable. That's why lots of fishes dies and lfs fish stock is low and lack variety.

I usually use clean water but probably due to me not using filters yet for my breeding aquariums, thats why when too many amonia my fishes might die or maybe trying to adapt with the water. Yeah probably its due to the water temp and amonia levels

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That does make it hard. Unfortunately you may be going through stock just to find hardy breeders.

I'd just try to keep the tank as stable as you can would be my other thought. Small water changes each week (or as needed) may be less stress than really large water changes.

Somewhat of a working theory is that fish may be ok with one point of stress eg temp or ammonia but combinations can get too much eg temp and ammonia. So under stocking and tank stability on what you can control could be worth looking at.

The display tank I have is pretty stable. It heats up but slowly. Small tanks in the office I've found keeping the blinds shut to keep sun off tank, small water changes rather than 75%, under stocking, some plants, good food and keeping the office door open to let air circulate has helped.

 

[Darkfalcon]

That does make it hard. Unfortunately you may be going through stock just to find hardy breeders.

I'd just try to keep the tank as stable as you can would be my other thought. Small water changes each week (or as needed) may be less stress than really large water changes.

Somewhat of a working theory is that fish may be ok with one point of stress eg temp or ammonia but combinations can get too much eg temp and ammonia. So under stocking and tank stability on what you can control could be worth looking at.

The display tank I have is pretty stable. It heats up but slowly. Small tanks in the office I've found keeping the blinds shut to keep sun off tank, small water changes rather than 75%, under stocking, some plants, good food and keeping the office door open to let air circulate has helped.

Actualy the fish already died before I even do water changes. The temp is not stable since I haven't bought heater and I put the tank outside but covered with trees and walls nearby so it won't have a direct sunlight.

As for the amonia problem, I just bought new filter and so far so good now

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[Delapool]

Would a heater help though? Just wondering what temperature swings you get out of interest.

 

[Darkfalcon]

Would a heater help though? Just wondering what temperature swings you get out of interest.

I don't have any heater but I do have a thermometer, let me check the temp.

And the male (which is one of the oldest guppy in the house) just died :'( . Only 2 females left. His tail's color pattern (which is black with 2 white dots, and these dots were not white spots :v ) was broken. The white dots got blured towards his body (just like that of a paint falling from the heigh of your walls to the floor, this one is from their previous place towards the body). And his tail was split into 2 (like a perfect clean cut at his tail, near the center).

Too bad I forgot to pick his picture before I bury him :/