Thinking aobut setting up a guppy breeding tank

[Jarred Darque]

OK, I am contemplating setting up a 55 gallon breeding tank for guppies and also a possible growout for fish for my 75....I need that large a tank for breeding cause my 75 gallon is nothing but predators, they can go through 200 feeders a week...when I had half the fish and those where less than half full growth..get the idea?

So, since it will have alot of fry in it, should I do HOBs, or just alot o f sponge flters? should I get some of the little mat things for the bottom for fry to hide in or what?

I plan on feeding the tank boiled egg yolk for the younger folks and flake for the larger (feeding flake first to try and get some larger guys otu of the way)

Any tips, suggestions, etc.

 

[zenkatydid]

i have a HOB on my (17gal) guppy tank. you'll have to put a sponge or stocking over the inlet, though, to avoid fry being sucked up. i don't think egg yolk is necessary - mine have always been just fine on finely crushed up flake food. baby guppies are ridiculously easy to rear.

you'll need lots, and lots, and lots of plants or hiding places for the fry to survive. i have garden mesh suctioned onto the back of the tank with java moss growing on it, for the fry to hide in. otherwise the adults will just eat them all.

i'd also recommend getting a cleanup crew - i use cories and otos, but you could use almost anything in that size tank.

 

[Jarred Darque]

ok.

since this is NOT a display tank, i.e., i am the only person who will see it, can I go bare bottom tank, no substrate? I was thinkin of getting more o fthe plasitc plant matts, seems some fry could hide in there alright, but it might slow down anything like cories. (I may need an increased pond snail population soon though, and this tank could server for that as well)

I do not want to spend alot, if any money on lighting, would java moss be fine with either nothing but ambient lighitng or a single T5 strip light?