breeding guppies

[zshopa]

i currently breed angel fish and i remove the gravel since the small fry would get trapped in it and die. if i wanted to breed guppies would i need to remove the gravel as well?

 

[tstenback]

No the guppies will be free swimming and the gravel wont be an issue as far as that goes. However for ease of cleaning no gravel in the grow out tanks would be a good idea. HTH

 

[Fishkeeper2004]

You would not need to remove the gravel, in fact it is encouraged to add some more gravel especially big peices, as they can hide underneath.

If you don't have varied size gravel and stones along with vegitation then they will not survive long if kept with fully grown fish, who will eat the young.

 

[Tempestuousfury]

They burrow into the gravel for protection. You should actually add decorations, caves, and plants. Good luck!

 

[swammy]

that's a good question, because I just recently moved my 2 guppies into my 10 gallon tank to breed them. No other fish are in there with them, and I keep it completely empty save for a ship anchor decoration. I have not heard of guppies eating their fry...is this something that happens?? I do not really want to put gravel in the tank, because I'm also going to use it as a hospital tank if needed, and an isolation tank....i've heard rocks aren't good to have for those types of tanks. Any guru out there got the right answers? thanks in advance!

 

[snowyangel]

I have not heard of guppies eating their fry...is this something that happens?? ....i've heard rocks aren't good to have for those types of tanks. Any guru out there got the right answers?

I find the majority of guppies will very willingly eat their fry, including many other fish. Fry is a delicacy to most fish and will be consumed from even fish as a small as neons(seen it happen ), so dont doubt it. Thats why most breeder traps include a divider b/c of this reason.
As for the stones, I find it doesn't much matter just as long as the fry have somewhere to run to for shelter. I've raised newborns in bottomless tanks and also in gravel filled tanks, no difference besides that food builds up quicker if there's gravel. But I find live moss is a must for fry. It creates the perfect spaces for hiding and also it provides live vegitation for the fry to eat off of.