Guppies are one of the most cutest, colorful and maintenance free fish. It would be great if you could breed your guppies and fill up your aquarium with these beautiful guppy fish. Therefore we have gathered a step by step information regarding breeding guppies from the basics. So that even a beginner can master the ability to breed guppies.
Step 1 : Selection of Guppies To Breed
Selection of guppies to breed in guppy fish breeding is one of the most important step. Your selection of parent guppies will decide the coloring, shape, size, tail patterns, skin patterns and fins of your newly born guppy fry. If you choose two similar shape, size and color guppies the guppy fry will posses same color. Whereas if you choose different color, size of guppies to mate, the guppy fry will be a hybrid version of two by gaining the best of both the worlds. We suggest you to choose guppies that don’t have any deformities and looks good.
Step 2 : How Many Guppies Should Be Used To Start Breeding
Generally a ratio of 1 male to 2 female, or 1 male to 3 female guppies is used for guppy breeding to make breeding stressful as the male’s attention gets split between two to three females instead of one. Otherwise the male guppy will become aggressive and chase down the female guppy affecting its gestation period.
Step 3 : Selection Of Guppy Breeding Box (Aquarium Tank)
Generally a breeding box or aquarium tank of 20 gallon water capacity is used for starting breeding of guppies for up to 5 fishes. Also increase the capacity if you wish to introduce more fishes in the same tank.
Step 4 : Setup The Guppy Breeding Tank
To setup the guppy breeding tank start with selecting a proper size heater that should be installed in order to maintain a tropical temperature of 20 to 26 Degree Celsius or 70 to 78 Degrees Fahrenheit. A gentle filter should be installed as a powerful filter might suck up the small baby guppies or guppy fry. Also a proper lighting fixtures should be installed to simulate day and night in the aquarium. Don’t use any substrate as they cover the bottom of tank. Use of a clear bare bottom is suggested in order to record how many fry are alive. Use low floating plants and java moss as guppy fry will require hiding places in the tank to save themselves from their cannibalistic parents.
Step 5 : Starting Breeding Process Of Guppies
Great, so after you have select your guppies and prepared your breeding box setup you are good to go for starting breeding process of your guppies. Start by gently putting your male and two female guppies in the tank so that things can move on. Guppies are known for quick breeding. Guppies will start breeding frequently once they get familiar with tank. Generally it takes around 24 hours for guppies to get settled in a tank. We suggest you to provide healthy and nutritious food for the guppies when the females and male are around each other, this behavior will definitely encourage breeding. Also maintain proper lighting and temperatures in the tank.
Step 6 : Signs Of Pregnancy On Guppies
One can easily identify whether the guppy is pregnant or not by simple looking at her gravid spot. After conceiving, this area will become darker as eggs will be clearly visible in this area. Generally it takes around 26 to 31 days for the development of eggs. During this time the gravid spot will become darker and gains a box type shape. You need to very patient during this period and also maintain proper diet for your guppies.
Step 7 : Signs Of Delivery By Guppies
One can easily identify the delivery time of female guppies as they become very weird during this period. They will start hiding, shivering and will become less active. They also prefer to be near heaters for keeping them warmer. They also avoid eating food or spit the foods. Guppies give birth to live babies instead of eggs. You have to monitor her for delivery in order to remove her from the tank as soon as the breeding is complete because guppies can turn cannibalistic and eat their own babies.
Step 8 : Caring For Newly Born Baby Guppies (Guppy Fry)
Congratulations, You have just got new baby guppies (Fry) in your tank. Generally Guppies can give birth to around 5 to 60 babies at a time. Although most of them dies early naturally and couldn’t make it up to maturity. After birth fry requires proper care and environment to increase their chances of surviving. All fry should be kept in a separate tank as other adults can eat them. Also maintain proper hygiene of the tank by changing 40% of its water on daily basis. Also remove any dirt, dust from the tank regularly. Also try to maintain proper temperature of the tank. Feed guppy fry with healthy and nutritious food. Also use a gentle filter to clean the water. Generally baby guppies take around a month and a half to gain a normal size. They can be kept with non-aggressive fish after completion of these period.
