How to keep guppy population down

[Beling]

When you just want to have a few guppies, More is not Better. So I had to teach mine to, er, remove the newborns. I started giving them live food, very small mosquitoes and bloodworms. And I think it's worked. I still have the first nine fry, but I can find homes for those. I only have a 10-gal tank. If I need more fish, I'll separate the females for a bit, with a lot of greens for hiding fry.

 

[Ichthys]

If it’s a guppies-only tank they won’t overpopulate. They’ll reach the maximum sustainable bioload, then the population will stabilise.

 

[emeraldking]

They’ll reach the maximum sustainable bioload, then the population will stabilise.

Mother nature will take care of that...

 

[CaptainBarnicles]

Perhaps you should have considered a male only tank? Put males and females together and voilà...babies. And females can hold on to sperm for use at a later time so they could be popping out babies even if you do separate them...sigh, suppose you'll just have to get a bigger tank

 

[Beling]

"Mother Nature will take care of that." What do you mean? Die of pollution and disease, aggression, or some kind of suicide? (Like people?) Or do the females just get infertile? A gal at work said all her females died off, she didn't know why. I'd really like my fish to have extra room, not be stuffed to Mother Nature's limit.

 

[emeraldking]

"Mother Nature will take care of that." What do you mean? Die of pollution and disease, aggression, or some kind of suicide? (Like people?) Or do the females just get infertile? A gal at work said all her females died off, she didn't know why. I'd really like my fish to have extra room, not be stuffed to Mother Nature's limit.

Well yes, a number of them can die off untill a stable number is left. But also aggression can occur when it's too crowded.

 

[WhistlingBadger]

Well, you could just get a juvenile channel catfish and put it in there for about half an hour. Boom, problem solved!

 

[TwoTankAmin]

If you have them in a big tank, just put in several angels. If you have them get a bigger tank with Angels and move the guppies, or their fry, there.

Most fish, and some of the other things, in our tanks usually see fry as being on the menu. Some parent do not eat their own.

Or, get rid of the guppies and the problem goes away. When you replace them, do not choose another live bearer

Now I will tell the only fish joke I ever made up. What is the definition of a show guppy?

It is one you show to the Oscar before feeding it to him.

(Disclaimer: I have nothing against guppies or those who keep them. But it was funny.)

 

[Beling]

That's funny! It's also funny that while most fish lovers are fine with feeding fish, they just don't like the idea of fish eating their own kind. I think it's as natural. Guppies have survived because of their huge numbers, they are prey to all kinds of creatures. In the aquarium it's up to us to figure out the predator routine. (Unless there's some kind of birth control pill!) A few years ago a friend kept trying to get me to take some guppies because his kept multiplying and he had 3 50-gallon drums in his yard. All guppies.

 

[emeraldking]

What is the definition of a show guppy?

It is one you show to the Oscar before feeding it to him.

That's really funny...
I've never heard of that one before...

 

[TwoTankAmin]

I told you, I made that one up. At my fish club we had a guppy breeder and member of "the International Fancy Guppy Association's (commonly known as the IFGA)" speak and I also met another member at the Keystone Clash both laughed at that joke. They also said they would repeat it at their next club meeting. But I always preface telling the joke by saying I have nothing against the species nor the people who keep them.

No matter what specific species any of us in this hobby keep is not what matters. It is the effort we make to care properly for the fish we choose to keep that does.