Should I Breed Guppies?

[PlasticGalaxy]

A tank of little baby guppies is sounding rather adorable to me right now. Since I'm very new to fishkeeping I've never bred fish before, but it seems easy enough for guppies.
What sort of tank should I use if I plan on breeding them? Right now I've got a 54L/14 US gallon 2ft wide, 1ft high tank sitting around in my room collecting dust, would this be an appropriate tank for breeding?

And do you need the tank you're breeding them in to be well planted/decorated? My current male guppies never really pay the bogwood or caves much mind at all, so is much decoration necessary aside from a couple of plants?

(one of my first males, ended up dying when we did the first water change ?)

 

[Slaphppy7]

As long as the tank is cycled, it doesn't really matter what deco or plants are in the tank, guppies breed like mad, and continually.

You may find yourself overwhelmed by their sheer numbers sooner, rather than later...

 

[PlasticGalaxy]

As long as the tank is cycled, it doesn't really matter what deco or plants are in the tank, guppies breed like mad, and continually.

You may find yourself overwhelmed by their sheer numbers sooner, rather than later...

I'll keep that in mind. I don't suppose there's a big market for guppies, is there?
Thank you for the help!

 

[Slaphppy7]

I'll keep that in mind. I don't suppose there's a big market for guppies, is there?
Thank you for the help!

More than welcome, I have no idea about the market for guppies in the UK, but here in the states, unless they are specially bred, not so much...I donated dozens to my LFS long ago, when I too thought it would be fun to breed livebearers, lol...

 

[FishGuest5123]

Everybody breeds guppies, it seems. A Lfs may take them off your hands for free just so you don’t get overwhelmed with them.

 

[Slaphppy7]

Everybody breeds guppies, it seems. A Lfs may take them off your hands for free just so you don’t get overwhelmed with them.

If you HAVE guppies, you're gonna breed them, whether you want to or not, lol

Same for platys, mollies, and swordtails...

 

[emeraldking]

Tank is big enough for breeding purposes. Depends on where you live if the market is big enough to sell them.
You could find out by just trying if a well planted tank is needed or not. For there are guppies that will eat the fry but also guppies that will leave fry completely alone.

 

[PlasticGalaxy]

More than welcome, I have no idea about the market for guppies in the UK, but here in the states, unless they are specially bred, not so much...I donated dozens to my LFS long ago, when I too thought it would be fun to breed livebearers, lol...

What stops it from being fun?

 

[PlasticGalaxy]

Everybody breeds guppies, it seems. A Lfs may take them off your hands for free just so you don’t get overwhelmed with them.

Thanks for the idea, I'll check with a few when I start trying to breed them.

 

[Slaphppy7]

When there are so many in the tank, and the bioload becomes so large, it taxes the water params, w/out constant water changes...

Especially in smaller tanks

 

[PlasticGalaxy]

Tank is big enough for breeding purposes. Depends on where you live if the market is big enough to sell them.
You could find out by just trying if a well planted tank is needed or not. For there are guppies that will eat the fry but also guppies that will leave fry completely alone.

I'm planning on getting a spawning net so they won't eat the fry, kind of a grim thought honestly lol.
But I'll keep that all in mind. Thank you!

 

[PlasticGalaxy]

When there are so many in the tank, and the bioload becomes so large, it taxes the water params, w/out constant water changes...

Especially in smaller tanks

Ooh alright, I'll definitely watch out for that

 

[Slaphppy7]

"The largest single delivery of fry by a Guppy, as far as we know, was recorded by Paul Hahnel, the well-known Guppy breeder. Mr. Hahnel reports a brood of 170 young from one female, although only 120 of them lived to maturity. Dr. Myron Gordon found 168 embryos in a large wild-caught Platy fish. Swordfish mature at six to eight months of age while Guppies are recorded as delivering their first brood when only 90 days old! Records kept of a female Mollie show that she gave birth to 570 young, through multiple births, in one year."

Find out What Happens Before a Female Live-Bearer Gives Birth

Learn more about the live-bearer development period. Find out what happens before a female live-bearer gives birth.

www.thesprucepets.com

 

[FishGuest5123]

I bred platies a couple of times just for the fun. Kept a couple and then gave the rest if the fry and my females to the lfs. You may try that just for the fun if breeding.

 

[PlasticGalaxy]

"The largest single delivery of fry by a Guppy, as far as we know, was recorded by Paul Hahnel, the well-known Guppy breeder. Mr. Hahnel reports a brood of 170 young from one female, although only 120 of them lived to maturity. Dr. Myron Gordon found 168 embryos in a large wild-caught Platy fish. Swordfish mature at six to eight months of age while Guppies are recorded as delivering their first brood when only 90 days old! Records kept of a female Mollie show that she gave birth to 570 young, through multiple births, in one year."

Find out What Happens Before a Female Live-Bearer Gives Birth

Learn more about the live-bearer development period. Find out what happens before a female live-bearer gives birth.

www.thesprucepets.com

It seems I've got a record to beat!