How to start a guppy breeding ? How to make a success of your guppy breeding ? How to breed guppies? Guppies, real allies of all passionate aquarists. It is a species of fish very easy to live with, ideal for beginners, it is also very exciting to discover. The breeding of guppies is something to be taken seriously, but is quite easy to achieve if you are patient and calm. Tips for a successful aquarium and guppy-rearing.
Guppy fish : presentation
Guppies are very popular aquarium fish among aquarists. These aquatic animals are particularly recommended to start a first aquarium because they are relatively easy to raise. They are easy to live with and therefore ideal for individuals with little experience in aquarium keeping. Discover the characteristics of the guppy fish. Here is a sheet on guppies.
The guppy is also called the Poecilia Reticulata, from its scientific name. It is a species of fish native to South America. It is a very common fish in western aquariums. It is a species that develops many exceptional colors. The guppy is a very calm fish in aquariums, so it adapts perfectly to the life in community even if it is advisable to dedicate only one aquarium for this species. The guppy is a fish very recommended for beginners, because it is a robust fish. It is also a species that does not cost very much to buy, which makes it a good launching pad for this passion. Guppys have an average life expectancy of 2 years.
Aquarium for guppy
Which aquarium to choose for guppies? Which aquarium to buy to breed guppies ? The living environment of the guppy fish will directly impact its well-being and reproduction. To ensure the success of its guppy breeding, it is advisable to set up an aquarium adapted to the guppy and the number of fish that will be introduced.
Ideal aquarium for guppy
The guppy is a fish that loves plants in aquariums, it serves as a hiding place but also as a place where it can reproduce safely. The guppy needs bright lighting in the aquarium, you must also provide a filter, if possible installed in the tank. Be careful to adjust its intensity so as not to disturb your fishes during their movements.
Maintenance of the aquarium with guppies
The maintenance of the aquarium dedicated to guppies is quite simple, it includes a change of water every two weeks, it is advisable to change about a quarter of the total volume of the aquarium. You should also plan to clean the filter once a month. It is also advisable to heat the water in your aquarium to a temperature between 24 and 26°. For more information on the temperature of the water in an aquarium see our article: The Ideal Temperature in the Aquarium.
Advice on the cohabitation of guppies
The guppy is a fish that lives in a community, and as we discussed previously, it is advisable to dedicate a single aquarium for this species. Several reasons for this, guppies are very bad swimmers, they can very easily become the prey of other species, so think to avoid aggressive species.
As far as cohabitation with individuals of the same species is concerned, this does not pose any particular problem as long as you respect a certain proportion of male and female guppy individuals. It is advised for example, for an aquarium of 60 liters to make cohabit 10 females for 5 males.
Food for guppies
Guppies are very easy to feed. They adapt easily to the food you give them, they are all-eaters. They can eat dry food, which you can find in the form of flakes or pellets. Or you can feed your guppies with frozen or live food, in the form of mosquito larvae very often.
Reproduction of the guppy
How to make guppies reproduce? How to make your guppies reproduce? The guppy is a viviparous species, meaning that the females directly expel already formed fry, their first reflex being to swim to immediately find food. Guppies reproduce very easily, because they are very active and require little care. If you wish to obtain guppys with various colors and a good general physical condition, it is important to make a selection of individuals to select these different genes. It is also advisable to take care of a good balance of the population in order to favor a reproduction of your guppies. We advise you to have one male for every two females.
Water quality also plays a very important role in the reproduction of guppies. Ideally you should be able to offer your fish a slightly hard water with a slightly alkaline pH. It is also important to know that the gestation time will depend on the temperature of the water in your aquarium. The cooler the water is, the slower the gestation will be, on the contrary the warmer the water will be, the faster the gestation of your guppies will be.
We do not recommend the purchase of egg-laying space that you have to hang on the edge of the aquarium, this is a source of intense stress for your females. It is much more judicious to isolate your female guppies in an aquarium with food in quantity, which will prevent her from eating her young. It is therefore necessary to be particularly careful not to have an overpopulation of guppies because of an excessive reproduction of these aquarium fish.
