breeding guppies is easy

[Vdubjunkie]

Hello all,
I've spent most of my edumacation time on reef sites until finally finding a good FW forum. (that would be this one...)

We started off last Christmas with a 20 gallon community tank for my daughter and I was determined to "do it right." I keep a good eye on nitrite, ammonia, etc. and do the regular partial water changes, 79 deg, overkill on filtration. I even only ever replace my filter media on one waterfall at a time. (ive got 2. im hoping this helps me to keep my bene bacteria level high).

I just found out the hard way that a nigerian senegalus bicher is not a guppie's friend, and he is going back to the LFS later today. I'm now giving more serious thought to bringing some guppie fry into the world, but must be missing something. Last time I bought a female and two males and nothing ever happened. I don't yet have any live plants and wonder if I should avoid anything in particular I find at the LFS.

I have been quite happy with my ammonia, nitrite and even nitrate levels staying 0,0 and very reasonable (respectively). However, my water comes out quite high in Ph, so I use "ph down" to drop it and the other day I realized that it hasn't been staying low very well lately. I was trying to keep it at about 8, but it was over 9.

Anybody have some good advice and/or good links to assist me in this venture?

 

[EddieW]

With guppies you should have more females than males otherwise the males will stress out the females with constant attention.

If you go for somehwere between 3 females per male to 6 females per male (have seen both suggested) then you should find they will start producing young very quickly.

You will probably find that the females are likely to be pregnant when you buy them as female guppies store the male's sperm and can produce three or more broods from one mating.

Guppies are apparently the most voracious sexual predators in the entire animal world.....

Bear in mind that the adult guppies will eat the fry if they get a chance, so you need to think about moving the females to a materity tank or breeding net just before she gives birth. Or add a good amount of floating plants and java moss so that the fry have a chance to hide away - you will still lose some but the fastest ones will survive.

HTH, Eddie

 

[Vdubjunkie]

Eddie,

Thanks a lot. I can't wait to try it out. BTW, do you know if these plants require more substantial light than my likely el cheapo lighting? I only ask because I'm not yet prepared to do what is necessary to go to that extent yet.

Increase the female to male ratio = one very happy dude!!

 

[EddieW]

Some plants do need high light levels but if you pick carefully you can get ones which will be OK in your tank. The following info is from www.tropica.com - worth a visit for loads of plant info.

Ceratophyllum demersum
Light requirements: very low-very high
Temperature: 10-28 °C
Hardness tolerance: soft-very hard
pH tolerance: 6-9
Growth: fast
Demands: easy
Ceratophyllum demersum is a genuine cosmopolitan found all over the globe. It has no true roots but can be planted in the bottom. In the wild it is often found rooted, with the lower leaves forming anchors. As a floating plant it provides a good hiding-place for young fish. C. demersum can be useful in combating algae because it consumes nutrients in the water and secretes substances that counteract algae. Some varieties are difficult to transport.

Hydrocotyle leucocephala
Light requirements: low-very high
Temperature: 15-28 °C
Hardness tolerance: very soft-very hard
pH tolerance: 5-9
Growth: fast
Demands: easy
A plant that grows fast and adapts easily, thriving in relatively hard water. Immediately after planting Hydrocotyle leucocephala will grow towards the light and the surface, where it will spread. It does not need to be rooted, but can be used as a floating plant which provides a hiding-place for young fish. Used as a herb in the tropics.
(I have this in my tank where I have guppies and it provides great hiding places. Once established it will grow like mad.)

Riccia fluitans
Light requirements: low-very high
Temperature: 10-28 °C
Hardness tolerance: very soft-hard
pH tolerance: 5-8
Growth: medium
Demands: easy
Japanese Takashi Amano has inspired many aquarium owners to keep Riccia fluitans submerged. It can be kept down by tying it to a stone with a piece of fishing line, but new shoots always grow towards the surface, so it may be necessary to prune it with scissors. Under water R. fluitans thrives best with added CO2 and in good growing conditions small oxygen bubbles form on the leaf tips. As a traditional floating plant offers good protection for young fish.

Vesicularia dubyana
Light requirements: very low-very high
Temperature: 15-28 °C
Hardness tolerance: very soft-very hard
pH tolerance: 5-9
Growth: slow
Demands: very easy
''Java moss'' is the popular name for Vesicularia dubyana. It is hardy and makes few demands on the water and light. Java moss attaches itself easily to all surfaces, making it suitable for decorating stone and tree roots or hiding aquarium installations. Keep in position with a piece of fishing line until it has attached itself. If growth is too vigorous prune with scissors. Java moss provides a wonderful hiding place for young fish. V. dubyana can also be used in terrariums if the air humidity is high.

Other plants to look at on the tropica site which are suitable for very low of low lighting conditions are:
Anubias barteri ''coffeefolia''
Anubias barteri var. angustifolia (''afzelii'')
Anubias barteri var. barteri
Anubias barteri var. caladiifolia ''1705''
Anubias barteri var. nana
Crinum natans
Cryptocoryne beckettii
Cryptocoryne beckettii ''petchii''
Cryptocoryne crispatula var. balansae
Cryptocoryne pontederiifolia
Cryptocoryne undulata
Cryptocoryne undulata ''broad leaves''
Cryptocoryne wendtii ''brown''
Cryptocoryne wendtii ''green''
Cryptocoryne wendtii 'Mi Oya'
Cryptocoryne wendtii 'Tropica'
Cryptocoryne x willisii
Echinodorus 'Ozelot'
Echinodorus 'Ozelot' green
Echinodorus bleheri
Echinodorus ''peruensis''
Hygrophila corymbosa ''Siamensis''
Hygrophila corymbosa ''Siamensis 53B''
Hygrophila polysperma
Hygrophila polysperma 'big leaf''
Microsorum pt. "Philippine"
Microsorum pteropus
Microsorum pteropus 'Tropica'
Microsorum pteropus 'Windeløv'
Monosolenium tenerum ("Pellia")
Riccia species "Dwarf"
Sagittaria platyphylla
Sagittaria subulata
Vallisneria americana (gigantea)
Vallisneria americana (natans)
Vallisneria spiralis ''Tiger''

I agree with the happy dude comment - shame it doesn't apply to humans as well

Cheers, Eddie

 

[ramesses]

Some thing I would like to add to what our british friend wrote,go to your local fish store,if you don't see any nice plants go to another untill you find one with nice plants,and ask someone who knows.Different plants have different needs.Some need a lot of light others specific ph,some won't tolerate this or that and so on.As an advise try going into one of these web sites that sell plants.E-mail them with questions about the plant you like and see if it suits you and your tank.Or go to
Aquabid.com,they have a section with all types of aquatic plants.You would also be able to see the plant you might be getting;Most are not too expensive and people will advise on what to get.

Another thing I wanted to tell you about the ph.Remember,only feed your fish small portions.Never feed'em so after more than three minutes they still eating,most of it go to the buttom and goes to waste creating great levels of ph and other toxins.Do you have a cat fish?corys are perfect and very cheap as well.Also,there are some quimicals you can buy to keep your fish healthy and free of toxins without having to make a water change for about six months,check tetra-fish.com.

Like EddieW said,guppies are among the most sexualy active animal when healthy,try to have two females for every male and you would see pretty soon you would have enough fry that you would not know what to do with them.

Good luck and let's know how it went.

 

[Vdubjunkie]

I agree with the happy dude comment - shame it doesn't apply to humans as well

Well, if all that information came from tropica.com, I will be bookmarking that one just a soon as I can.. ... uh, there it went. BM'd!!

go to your local fish store,if you don't see any nice plants go to another untill you find one with nice plants

This is one of those good advice that should be obvious, yet often overlooked. Thanks for the additional help. This is a good active forum I've found. As far as feeding goes I think I am good. It is possible I give just a tad more food than the swimmers get in the first several minutes, but I have quite an assortment of bottom feeders and since my first cycle I have yet to see ANY ammonia/nitrite to speak of (knock on wood). I was determined to make sure I knew what I was doing with this tank and I've been pleased so far.
Of course, this forum is helping me continue forward in the hobby.
Thanks again everybody.