Crazyhermitcrab
Aquarium Advice Freak
This guide will teach you the basics of livebearer's!
Written by: Ingrid Schoonover Images by: Ingrid Schoonover
Guppies:
Poecilia sphenops
Minimum Tank size: 20 gallons
pH: 6.8-7.8
Temperature: 74 F
Food: Omnivore
Ratio: 1 male:2 females
Size: 2-2.5 inches
Lifespan: 1.5-3 years
Number Of Babies: 30
Other: Breeds with endlers and mollies.
Endler's:
Poecilia wingei
Minimum Tank size: 10 gallons
pH: 5.5-8
Temperature: 64-82 F
Food: Ominivore
Ratio: 1 male: 3 females
Size: 1 inch
Lifespan:n 1-2 years
Number Of Babies: 20
Other: Hardiest livebearer, readily breeds. Breeds with guppies and mollies.
Mollies:
Poecilia sphenops
Minimum Tank size: 30 gallons
pH: 7-8
Temperature: 75-80 F
Food: Omnivore
Ratio: 1 male: 3 females
Size: 2-6 inches
Lifespan: 3-5 years
Number Of Babies: 60
Other: Provide lots of hidey's. Molly's DO NOT NEED SALT! Only sailfin mollies require aquarium salt. Breeds with endler's and guppies.
Platy's:
Xiphophorus maculatus
Minimum Tank size: 10 gallons
pH: 7-8.2
Temperature: 77 F
Food: Omnivore
Ratio: 1 male:2 female
Size: 2 inches
Lifespan: 2-3 years
Number Of Babies: 30
Other: Can breed with swordtails.
Swordtails:
Poecilia wingei
Minimum Tank size: 30 gallons
pH: 7-8.3
Temperature: 7--82 F
Food: Omnivore
Ratio: 1 male: 2 females
Size: 5-7 inches
Lifespan: 3-5 years
Number Of Babies: 90
Other: Males will fight to the death in tanks smaller than 40 gallons. 1 male per 30 gallons is a good rule. Can breed with platy's.
Mosquito Fish:
Gambusia affinis
Minimum Tank size: 20 gallons
pH: 6.5-8.5
Temperature: 65-75 F
Food: Omnivore
Ratio: 1 male:2 female
Size: 3 inch
Lifespan: 1-1.5 years
Number Of Babies: 30
Other: Good in ponds for keeping mosquito population down. Beware they nip.
Now let's talk about breeding. You can breed livebearer's as soon as you can s-e-x them. This means your livebearer's will start breeding between 3-6 months old.
Preparing the tank:
To breed your fish you will need a large aquarium. There will be a lot of fry so get a big enough tank. I would recommend a 40 gallon for breeding.
Fish will only breed if they feel secure. Make sure your tank is heavily planted with large bushy plants. Adding floating plants such as hornwort seems to help. Add some caves and pieces of wood. Your pregnant fish will drop fry only if she feels safe.
Selecting the fish
Select trio's of fish that are identical and have the color and traits you are looking for.
Wait... Is my fish male or female?
Male: Male's have a pointed/rod fin below their anus. Guppies have large colorful tails, and swordtails males have swords.
My platy is demon starting.
Here is a endler-guppy hybrid
Male sword
Male calico molly
Male guppy
Written by: Ingrid Schoonover Images by: Ingrid Schoonover
Guppies:
Poecilia sphenops
Minimum Tank size: 20 gallons
pH: 6.8-7.8
Temperature: 74 F
Food: Omnivore
Ratio: 1 male:2 females
Size: 2-2.5 inches
Lifespan: 1.5-3 years
Number Of Babies: 30
Other: Breeds with endlers and mollies.
Endler's:
Poecilia wingei
Minimum Tank size: 10 gallons
pH: 5.5-8
Temperature: 64-82 F
Food: Ominivore
Ratio: 1 male: 3 females
Size: 1 inch
Lifespan:n 1-2 years
Number Of Babies: 20
Other: Hardiest livebearer, readily breeds. Breeds with guppies and mollies.
Mollies:
Poecilia sphenops
Minimum Tank size: 30 gallons
pH: 7-8
Temperature: 75-80 F
Food: Omnivore
Ratio: 1 male: 3 females
Size: 2-6 inches
Lifespan: 3-5 years
Number Of Babies: 60
Other: Provide lots of hidey's. Molly's DO NOT NEED SALT! Only sailfin mollies require aquarium salt. Breeds with endler's and guppies.
Platy's:
Xiphophorus maculatus
Minimum Tank size: 10 gallons
pH: 7-8.2
Temperature: 77 F
Food: Omnivore
Ratio: 1 male:2 female
Size: 2 inches
Lifespan: 2-3 years
Number Of Babies: 30
Other: Can breed with swordtails.
Swordtails:
Poecilia wingei
Minimum Tank size: 30 gallons
pH: 7-8.3
Temperature: 7--82 F
Food: Omnivore
Ratio: 1 male: 2 females
Size: 5-7 inches
Lifespan: 3-5 years
Number Of Babies: 90
Other: Males will fight to the death in tanks smaller than 40 gallons. 1 male per 30 gallons is a good rule. Can breed with platy's.
Mosquito Fish:
Gambusia affinis
Minimum Tank size: 20 gallons
pH: 6.5-8.5
Temperature: 65-75 F
Food: Omnivore
Ratio: 1 male:2 female
Size: 3 inch
Lifespan: 1-1.5 years
Number Of Babies: 30
Other: Good in ponds for keeping mosquito population down. Beware they nip.
Now let's talk about breeding. You can breed livebearer's as soon as you can s-e-x them. This means your livebearer's will start breeding between 3-6 months old.
Preparing the tank:
To breed your fish you will need a large aquarium. There will be a lot of fry so get a big enough tank. I would recommend a 40 gallon for breeding.
Fish will only breed if they feel secure. Make sure your tank is heavily planted with large bushy plants. Adding floating plants such as hornwort seems to help. Add some caves and pieces of wood. Your pregnant fish will drop fry only if she feels safe.
Selecting the fish
Select trio's of fish that are identical and have the color and traits you are looking for.
Wait... Is my fish male or female?
Male: Male's have a pointed/rod fin below their anus. Guppies have large colorful tails, and swordtails males have swords.
My platy is demon starting.
Here is a endler-guppy hybrid
Male sword
Male calico molly
Male guppy