Guppy breeding - guppy fry and caring for them. Caring for guppy fry: feeding, water temperature, lighting What temperature do guppy fry need?

Guppy (lat. Poecilia reticulata) is an aquarium fish that is known even to people who are very far from aquarium hobby, let alone amateurs.

Perhaps every aquarist at least once in his life kept a couple of gupeshkas, and many started their journey with them, and even now keep luxurious, selected species.

To answer all the questions about them, you probably need to write a book, but we will try to consider the most popular ones.

The homeland of the guppy fish is the islands of Trinidad and Tobago, and in South America - in Venezuela, Guiana and Brazil.

As a rule, they live in clean, running water, but also like brackish coastal waters, but not salty sea waters.

They feed on worms, larvae, bloodworms and various small insects. Because of this feature, they even began to be massively populated in areas where there are a lot of malaria mosquitoes, since they eat its larvae.

Males in nature are much brighter than females, but still their color is far from the aquarium breeding forms.

She must protect them from predators, since the fish is small and defenseless.

The fish got their name from the name of the discoverer (Robert John Lechmere Guppy). Robert Guppy was the first to find and describe this fish on the island of Trinidad in 1866.

Description

A small fish, with males smaller than females, and usually reaching a length of about 5 cm.

A guppy lives for 2-3 years, as its small size and warm water speed up metabolism and shorten its lifespan.

As for appearance, it is almost impossible to describe. Guppies are crossed so often and so much that even dozens of breeding forms can be counted, and even more common ones.

Males and females are strikingly different from each other, but we will talk about this difference later.

Content complexity

A great fish for beginners and pros.

Small, active, beautiful, very easy to reproduce, undemanding in maintenance and feeding, it seems that the list can go on forever.

However, we would warn novice aquarists against purchasing bright, selective forms. How to understand that the form is selective? If all the fish in the aquarium are strictly the same color, and the males have long and uniform fins, then these are demanding species.

If the males are all different, like the females, the coloration is a riot of colors and colors, then these are the fish that the average aquarist needs.

The fact is that as a result of crossing, they become very beautiful, but also very capricious, losing their advantages.

Hybrid forms already have weak immunity and are very demanding in terms of maintenance. So if you just decide to try your hand at aquarium keeping, buy the simplest but colorful goops.

They will delight you no less than the selection forms, but they will live much longer and there will be fewer problems.

And for the pros there will be selection forms - they need to be carefully sorted, bred and cared for even more carefully.

Feeding

It is very easy to feed them, they eat a wide variety of foods - artificial, frozen, live, even dry.

They eat flakes, granules and other artificial foods with pleasure, but it is better to choose well-known brands, such as Tetra.

Among the living, the best food to eat are bloodworms, tubifex, brine shrimp, and coretra.

It is important to remember that guppies have a small mouth and stomach, the food should be small, and it is better to feed it two or three times a day, in portions that the fish will eat in 2-3 minutes.

Also, fish love food with a high content of plant substances, so that their gastrointestinal tract remains healthy and their immunity high, buy, in addition to regular flakes, also with herbal supplements and feed them twice a week.

Separately, I would like to say about dry food - this is not branded food, but dried daphnia, which is often sold at poultry markets. I strongly advise against feeding fish with this food, even guppies. It is poor in vitamins, nutrients and is essentially just a dried shell. It inflames the gastrointestinal tract of fish and they die.

Like all tropical fish, guppies love warm water (22-25°C), but can live in a wider range of 19.0 - 29.0°C.

As for water parameters, for ordinary forms this practically does not matter. They adapt to local conditions so quickly that moving to a new aquarium is tolerated without any problems at all.

It would be ideal if the aquarium has: 7.0 - 8.5, and hardness 12.0 - 18.0, but the parameters can be completely different, which will not interfere with living and reproducing.

The aquarium can be small; 20 liters is enough for 5 fish. But, the larger the volume, the more fish you can contain and the more beautiful it will look.

It is best to have a lot of plants in the aquarium, as this will resemble the natural habitat and will significantly increase the survival rate of the fry in the general aquarium. Lighting can be anything from bright to dim.

It is advisable to use a filter; for guppies, an internal one is quite enough, but if there is an external one, then great. It’s just better to cover the holes in it with an additional fine mesh, since a powerful filter is not only capable of sucking in fry, but even adult fish.

Guppies cannot be called a schooling fish, but keeping them in pairs makes little sense. It is very small in size and in small quantities is almost invisible in the aquarium.

Compatibility

A very peaceful fish that does not cause any trouble to its neighbors. But she can be offended, especially by large and predatory fish, which perceive the guppies only as food.

They get along best with peaceful and small fish: - , .

Sex differences

It is very, very easy to distinguish a female from a male. Males are smaller, slimmer, they have a large caudal fin, and the anal fin has turned into a gonopodium (roughly speaking, this is a tube with the help of which male viviparous fish fertilize the female).

Females are larger, have a large and noticeable belly and are usually quite pale in color.

Even juveniles can be distinguished quite early; as a rule, those of the fry that first began to color will be males.

Reproduction

One of the easiest fish to breed is ordinary guppies; they breed very easily in home aquariums.

The fact is that they are viviparous, that is, the female carries the eggs in her stomach, and a fully formed fry is born.

For the first hours he will lie down and hide, but very soon he will begin to swim and feed.

To breed these fish you need... a male and a female. Not even that, one young and active male is enough to court 3-5 females tirelessly.

That is, for successful breeding it is quite possible to keep one male for 3-5 females. More males are possible, since males do not fight with each other, but only compete. You will see how the male tirelessly pursues the female, but this is normal and you do not need to do anything about it.

The fact is that during such pursuits he impregnates the female and soon you will have fry.

Female with dark spot - coming soon!

What does it take for a couple to reproduce? Fresh and clean water, good and plentiful feeding and a couple of fish of different sexes.

As a rule, guppies reproduce quite successfully in a community aquarium without any participation from the owner. But they also eat their fry, and the neighbors will help if they are there. This means that it is better to place pregnant females in a separate aquarium.

How can you tell if you have a pregnant female? In a pregnant female, the spot near the anus begins to darken, this can already be seen by the eyes of the growing fry, and the darker it is, the sooner she will give birth.

Place the mother in a separate aquarium, with the same water and thickets of plants, where the fry can hide from her (yes, she can eat her children). When the due date comes (maybe up to a month, if you were in a hurry to put her away), she will give birth without any problems.

Immediately after giving birth, the female needs to be bred. Taking care of the fry is quite simple, just like taking care of the parents.

What to feed the fry? You can feed them finely ground branded flakes (which you feed the parents), but it is better to feed them dry egg or branded food for fry. Note that there is such a relic of the past as dry food.

This is dried daphnia and cyclops and can still be found commercially. So, it is strictly not recommended to feed fry this rubbish. The nutritional value there is slightly higher than zero; in fact, it is an analogue of battering ram. Will you grow a lot if you eat one ram? The same can be said for adult fish.

They need to be cleaned regularly so that any leftover food does not spoil the water. You can also add snails to this aquarium, for example or. They do not touch the fry, but will eat the leftover food.

How a fry is born:

It is important that the water is clean, but it is impossible to change a lot at once, since the fry are still weak and a large water change is dangerous for them. The easiest way is to change about 10% of the water every one or two days, or 25% once a week.

The water temperature for fry is very important, and you need to keep it at 24-26.5 C.

With proper care and feeding, the fry grow quickly and within a month or a month and a half begin to color.

Frequently asked questions about guppies

What fish can you keep with them?

Some types have already been listed above, but you can also look at the article - everything on this list is well suited for the content.

How do you know if a guppy is pregnant or about to give birth?

Typically, the female gives birth to fry once a month, but the timing may vary depending on the water temperature and conditions of detention. Note the time since the last time she gave birth and observe. In a female that is ready for another birth, the spot becomes darker; the eyes of the fry are visible.

How does a guppy breathe?

Like all fish - dissolved oxygen in the water, do not forget to include aeration and filtration.

How long do guppies live?

About two years, but it all depends on conditions and temperature. The higher the water temperature, the shorter their life. Some fish live up to 5 years.

How often should you feed your guppies?

Every day, in small portions two to three times a day. For example, morning and evening.

Once a week you can have a fasting day, but keep in mind that the fish will actively look for food and the first victims will be their own fry.

Why do guppies' tails break?

There could be many reasons, but the most common is old water that is rarely changed. Ammonia and nitrates accumulate in it, and they poison fish and destroy fins. Replace the water regularly with fresh water.

There may also be a sudden water change, injury or poor feeding when there are few vitamins.

If the fish's tail is missing, then this is an alarming sign - either someone is cutting it off, and you need to carefully examine the fish with which it is kept, or it has contracted an infectious disease, and you need to take an even closer look at the other fish.

Why does a guppy's tail stick together?

Again - either old and dirty water, or an infection, or poor feeding. Try changing 20% ​​of the water once a week and monitor the condition of other fish.

Why does a guppy have a crooked spine?

Such fish are found in almost any species; as a rule, this is a defect from birth. If this happens in an adult fish, it may be due to the fact that it is kept in too small an aquarium, with a large number of fish.

Most often, the spine also curves due to old age, and this is normal, but the most common cause is fish tuberculosis or mycobacteriosis.

The disease is complex, and its treatment is not easy and does not always bring results. To avoid the spread of infection, it is better to isolate such fish.

Why do guppies only give birth to females?

An exact answer to this question has not been found. Apparently, when there is an excess of males, the laws of nature come into play and the population compensates for the females in order to preserve itself.

Is it possible to keep only one guppy in an aquarium?

It’s possible, although it looks a little sad...

Still, this is a cheerful and lively fish that loves company. If you are looking for a fish that would be beautiful, unpretentious and would live wonderfully on its own, then look towards the betta.

Do guppies need oxygen and a filter?

Not required, but recommended. You can buy an inexpensive, internal filter with a sponge. It will perform its functions quite well and will not suck in fish.

Please note that if you bought a filter and it is placed higher (so that the surface of the water in the aquarium is in motion), then you have absolutely no need to buy additional aeration or, more simply, oxygen.

Does a guppy need soil and plants?

It's your choice. An empty aquarium is easier to clean, but it looks worse, the fry can’t survive in it, and the frogs themselves like to frolic among the plants. I am for an aquarium with soil and plants.

Does a guppy need light?

No, fish do not need light at all, other than what falls on the aquarium during the day. Plants need light to grow.

Do guppies spawn?

No, they are viviparous. That is, the fry is born completely ready for life and can immediately swim.

Sometimes he falls out in the egg, but it breaks and he swims. Sometimes it has a yolk sac, which it quickly digests.

Do guppies sleep?

Yes, but not like people. This is more of an active holiday, when at night the fish reduce their activity, but still swim.

And it’s better to turn off the lights at night, although some people don’t do this, but isn’t it dark in nature at night?

How many fry does a guppy give birth to?

Depends on the female, her age and size. Usually there are about 30-50 pieces, but sometimes there are 100.

How long does a baby guppy grow?

Very fast in good conditions. Males become sexually mature at two months, and females at three.

Can guppies be kept in sea water?

No, they tolerate lightly salted water well, but they die in sea water; these are freshwater fish.

Why do guppies swim on the surface?

They breathe oxygen dissolved in the water, and your aquarium does not have enough of it. Because of what? Perhaps it is too hot, perhaps you have not cleaned the aquarium or changed the water for a long time, perhaps it is too crowded.

Be sure to turn on aeration or filtration (place the filter closer to the surface of the water to enhance gas exchange) and replace some of the water with fresh water.

Why do guppies jump out of the aquarium?

They can do this either accidentally or because of bad water - for example, if it has not been changed for a long time and the soil in the aquarium has not been siphoned off.

The reason may also be a low amount of oxygen in the water, read about this above.

Why does a guppy's tail stick together or stick together?

Unfortunately, it is impossible to pinpoint the exact reason, even if the aquarium is near you. This may be improper feeding (monotonic, only dry food or plenty of it), the water parameters may be unsuitable (too much ammonia), or it may be illness.

The minimum that needs to be done is to change some of the water, siphon the soil and change the type of food.

What kind of catfish can you keep with guppies?

Any small ones. More or less large catfish, almost all predators. The only exception is that it can be kept with small fish.

Well, any corydoras will get along great with viviparous animals and will be very useful, eating up the remaining food from the bottom.

How to care for baby guppies?

The most unpretentious of the fry, they survive in the wild. But, if you regularly change the water, give enough food for them to eat in a couple of minutes and feed the fry two or three times a day, then they will grow quickly, color and delight you.

What to feed guppy fry?

There are no difficulties in feeding, they eat crushed flakes, but it is better to give brine shrimp nauplii or chopped tubifex.

Guppies are miniature and very beautiful fish, especially males, which, thanks to their unpretentiousness and easy breeding, have been able to win the hearts of thousands of aquarists. They are viviparous, which means that, unlike most fish, guppies do not lay eggs, but give birth to live fry, which almost immediately begin to swim in search of...

Guppy- these are miniature and very beautiful fish, especially males, which, thanks to their unpretentiousness and easy breeding, were able to win the hearts of thousands of aquarists. They are viviparous, which means that, unlike most fish, guppies do not lay eggs, but give birth to live fry, which almost immediately begin to swim in search of food.

Male guppies are immediately ready to breed after puberty. At the same time, they develop characteristic behavior. They swim behind the females, showing all the splendor of their colorful fins, and also perform movements of the gonopodium towards the female in order to fertilize her. Pregnancy of female guppies lasts from four to six weeks. The number of fry is determined by many factors, such as: the size and age of the female, water temperature, variety and quality of food. The optimal temperature for them during this period is 25 degrees. The water in the aquarium at this time should be well aerated and filtered.

When breeding guppies, feeding the pregnant female is a very important factor. Improper nutrition may result in few or no fry numbers.

What is the best food to feed guppies to encourage them to reproduce? Experts recommend feeding them black worms, frozen bloodworms, frozen brine shrimp, and/or a few good quality flakes formulated specifically for guppies. They can also be fed plankton, krill, spirulina flakes, liver flakes (sometimes), etc. Try to diversify your fish's diet rather than feeding them the same thing every day. This will make them grow faster and, in the long run, make them look better and healthier.

It should be remembered that it is better not to disturb fish intended for reproduction. It is especially necessary to avoid any disturbance of fertilized females, so as not to damage the embryos.

The number of future fry is determined by the age of the female guppy. It is widely known that young females, for whom this is the first or second birth, give birth to up to 10 fry. However, over time, the number of young animals born becomes more and more, and decreases only when the female becomes old.

Guppy birth last from several minutes to several hours. It depends on the number of fry. Sometimes the fish can be born one every few minutes, so the birth can last quite a long time. Immediately after birth, small fish are very active. At first they sink to the bottom, but after a few minutes they begin to swim slowly and gracefully. They swim to the surface of the water to fill their air bladder with air for the first time. After a few hours, when they run out of the yolk sac, from which they consume food in the first moments of life, the fry begin to look for other food.

The ideal food for guppy fry is Artemia nauplii.

Remember that cases of cannibalism are very common among guppies, so place the pregnant female in a separate container - a spawning tank (the spawning tank is located inside her native aquarium), or in a heavily planted aquarium - a spawning tank, where the fry can easily find shelter.

Reproduction of guppies in questions and answers.

1. What can be done to make males become interested in females?

You don't need to do absolutely anything. Guppies will become interested in the opposite sex without the intervention of the aquarist. If the aquarium is new to them, then naturally they must first get used to the pond.

If the situation is such that the male was already in the aquarium, and you acquired females, then he should “explore” new partners. After some time, that is, after about 2-3 days, the male will be able to begin to fertilize the females.

2. Difference between the sexes of guppies.

Males have large and colored tails. Their bodies are smaller and more graceful than those of females, and the anal fins are transformed into gonopodium with a thin and pointed end. The gonopodium of male guppies acts as a penis.

Female guppies are usually gray and look “uglier” than males. They have much larger bodies, as well as “round” and single-colored (most often gray, light blue) tails.

3. How can you tell if a female guppy is pregnant?

Initial stage:

• A small, dark spot in the anus area.
• Enlarged but still flat stomach.
• The fish makes sudden movements.
• Slightly rapid breathing.
• Biting the anus by a male.

Advanced stage:

• Large, dark spot on the rectum.
• Very big belly.
• Hides behind various objects, for example, in a coconut, behind a filter, etc.
• The males chase her and bite her.

Symptoms of childbirth:

• Rapid breathing.
• Drives away other fish.
• Hiding.
• Enlarged eyes.
• Floats closer to the bottom.
• Rubbing against stones, plants and other objects.

4. How to care for a pregnant guppy?

Firstly, she needs to be fed much more often than usual. Even up to 6 times a day.

Secondly, she should not be disturbed. Do not transplant it into another container without reason. If at the conception stage you did not transplant the female into a spawning tank, then a hatchery will be enough for her to give birth.

Thirdly, in the last stage of pregnancy, the female guppy should be caught in a spawning tank (preferably, but only if she does not live in a spawning tank specially prepared for childbirth). It cannot be transplanted into another container, since it does not know another aquarium and will feel awkward in it. The stress of the transplant may delay labor. In the aquarium, however, everything is usually different, since it is located inside an aquarium that is well known to her. The hatchery must be filled with plants so that after birth the fry can hide from the mother who wants to eat them.

5. What to do when fry appear swimming with the female in the fish tank?

In this case, the fry must be moved as soon as possible to another aquarium, the water in which should have the same parameters as in the aquarium in which they were born. The female should not be caught, as she may still give birth. If this is the first birth for a female, then most likely she will give birth to up to 15 fry. If she has already given birth, then you can expect over 20 small fish.

6. What and when should I start feeding the fry?

Guppy fry should be fed 2-3 days after birth. This is done when the red spot disappears from the belly of the young fish.

What to feed? You can buy special food for fry at the Pet Store. It's not expensive. They can also be given Artemia nauplii or well-crushed regular food (plankton).

How many times a day should I feed them? About 4 times a day.

7. How to care for fry?

If the female guppy gave birth in a separate spawning tank, then after giving birth, return her to the general aquarium, and leave the fry where they were born. If the female gave birth in a fish tank (a container placed inside the main aquarium), then follow the steps described below. As soon as you are sure that the female has given birth to all the fry, she must be caught from the hatchery, and the previously released fry (those that were caught during childbirth) must be transferred there. Of course, this depositor should not be solid, that is, made of a bottle or plastic. It is best if it is mesh, since fry do not develop well in a plastic fish tank. If your fish tank is plastic, then the young animals should be transplanted into another container, and the next day you should buy a mesh fish tank at the pet store. If you already have an appropriate nursery, fill it with plants. Young fish will feel safe in it. After that, leave them alone and don't make them nervous.

8. After what time can fry be released into a community aquarium?

You can release the fry into a common container when they reach about two centimeters, or when they become larger than the mouths of the largest fish living in the aquarium. But it's better to wait a little longer than to regret it later. Remember that adult fish are not the only threat to young fish. The fry may, for example, be drawn into the filter. But even if you wait a few more weeks, the aquarium should still have dense vegetation in case some fish decide to chase the young.

9. When can I start selling fry?

It depends only and exclusively on you. You can start selling them within a few days after birth or do it later, that is, after a few months. Experts believe that all the fry cannot be left behind. It is best to exchange some of them, for example, in a pet store, for other fry. If you keep them all, they will grow up and begin to mate with each other, which can lead to genetic defects, and new fry will be born sick.

Caring for baby guppies, like adults, is quite simple. The breeding process is also made easier by the fact that these fish are viviparous, so you don’t have to worry about preserving the eggs. However, babies will require special care and attention.

Childbirth

Shortly before the start of labor, the female begins to tremble and chooses the warmest place in the aquarium. Continuing to vibrate, it freezes for a second, and the first baby guppy is born, and then its relatives. The babies immediately begin to move actively. It is almost impossible to predict the number of offspring. The number of fry will depend on the size of the female, the number of previous births, etc. The first time an individual can give birth to 15 to 20 babies, in subsequent times this number can increase to 100.

Fish are born 3-4 mm long. A photo of the fry can give an approximate idea of ​​the relationship between the adult and the children.

How to save fry

It is recommended to keep guppy fry separately from adults, since their lives are in danger from the moment they appear - even during the birth process, they can be eaten by their own mother if the baby swims too close to her mouth.

You can, of course, leave the fry in a community aquarium, but then you need to place dense vegetation in it, in which you can hide. If you decide to keep the babies separately, then you need to remove the mother from the spawning tank in time. This is done immediately after the last baby is born.

If the birth has already begun in a community aquarium, you want to preserve the young, but there is no suitable shelter, then you can carefully catch the fry using a plastic cup and move them to a separate container. It will not be possible to save all the offspring, but some will definitely survive.

The young guppy will feel much better and safer in a special nursery, where it will not be threatened by its adult relatives. To create all the conditions for children, it is necessary:

• Choose a container with a volume of approximately 25-50 liters - depending on the number of fry. The larger the volume, the easier it will be to care for.
• We take water from the community aquarium where the fish were born. There is no need to place soil, plants and shelters in the nursery. You need to change 30-40% of the water daily. The replacement liquid is left to stand for 3 days.
• A compressor, filter and heater are installed in the container. The aquarium is lit with a fluorescent lamp, as it hardly heats the water. The first three days of life, the temperature in the aquarium should be 27 o C, then it is reduced first to 25, and by 4 months - to 24.
• The bottom siphons after changing the water. Filtration and aeration must be carried out constantly. The filter sponge is washed every week.
• The number of daylight hours should be gradually reduced. If in the first weeks of life the lamp should shine for 12 hours, then by 4 months this time is reduced to 8.

Feeding

In the first 5 days after birth, the baby guppy is especially vulnerable. At this time, it is recommended to feed babies with live food: “live dust”, rotifers, cyclops, etc.

If you believe personal experience and photos of other breeders, then healthy baby guppies should have round, slightly swollen bellies. At the same time, the appetite of the fry should always be good. If the fish refuse to eat, then there is something wrong with the water in the aquarium.

For the first week, babies are fed 5 times a day, in the second week - 4 times, and then they switch to three meals a day. Until the fry are 4 months old, food cannot be given out less frequently.

There will be no problems with choosing a diet - pet stores sell special mixtures for feeding fish depending on the species, age and size.

How long does it take to grow

The growth of guppy fry will depend on light intensity, water temperature and feeding. The optimal temperature conditions were described above, and round-the-clock lighting should be added to them in the first few days of life. If the temperature is lowered a little, the fish will grow more slowly, but will become larger. As the temperature rises, growth accelerates, but adult guppies will be smaller than their relatives raised in other conditions. From the photo you can choose what size you want the individual to be and adjust the temperature. However, this can affect the health and lifespan of the fish.

Sexual characteristics

Within two weeks after birth, it will become clear who the baby guppy is. In females at this age, a dark spot appears on the abdomen. However, this symptom does not always appear so early; sometimes it takes up to one and a half months. In the case of breeding silver guppies, the spot will be light.

Many beginners who have just opened their first aquarium in their life, on the advice of experienced aquarists, buy themselves a pair of guppies. This is a really good choice. On the one hand, the fish are surprisingly unpretentious: they can live even in a three-liter jar and be content with dry food. On the other hand, they are really beautiful, especially if you provide them with good care. Of course, novice aquarists are interested in how long guppies grow and what this period depends on.

How long does it take for guppies to grow?

They grow surprisingly quickly. It seems like they were born a week ago, and today they are already confidently swimming around the aquarium specially allocated for them. It would seem that only recently it became clear where the male is and where the female is, but now the latter is already bearing offspring.

On average, at the age of 2 weeks, you can safely put them in an aquarium with adults - even the largest guppies will not consider them as an addition to the diet. Although if others live here, for example, swordtails or mollies, then it is worth delaying the transplantation for up to a month - otherwise large and voracious individuals may well eat all the young without leaving a trace.

Guppies sometimes become sexually mature at the age of 1-1.5 months. But this does not mean that it is time to use them as producers. The fact is that an immature female may not be able to withstand the stress and die during childbirth. Even if everything goes smoothly, she could become seriously ill. And at such an early age they rarely bring more than 20-30 fry. Therefore, experienced aquarists, who know how long it takes guppy fry to grow, try to protect females from early mating. At 3 months they already bear a much larger litter and childbirth is much easier.

But still, it is almost impossible to name the exact timing of the development of juveniles. This is influenced by a number of important factors that you definitely need to know about.

What influences the pace of development

If you're interested, how long do fry grow guppy, it is important to learn about how factors can speed up or slow down this process. Therefore, every novice aquarist should remember them and practice them to achieve the desired result.

By far the most important factor affecting how many days it takes baby guppies to grow is the water temperature. Pisces are cold-blooded creatures. The speed of reactions occurring in their body depends on the ambient temperature. Therefore, try not to let the water cool down below 24 degrees Celsius. The optimal indicator is from 26 to 28 degrees.

Also, don't forget to change the water regularly. When removing fish scraps and waste from the aquarium, suck out some of the water through a hose - 10-20% daily. Top it up with tap water that has been sitting for a day or two in an enamel bucket to get rid of chlorine.

A proper eating schedule is also very important. Like any other newborn, baby guppies need to eat little but often. If it is enough to feed adult fish a couple of times a day, then babies need to be provided with 5-7 meals a day. Give a little food at a time so that they eat as much as possible.

Choosing the right food

Since we're talking about nutrition, it's worth talking about it in more detail. After all, it also affects how long the guppy fry grow. In the first days, it is recommended to use the yolk of a boiled egg, crushed and dissolved in water. It is small enough that tiny fry, a few centimeters long, can have a hearty meal.

As soon as they grow up, the diet needs to be varied. If you use only dry food (daphnia, gammarus, or even specialized food with vitamin supplements), then the rate of development will decrease. In addition, females in the future will produce fewer fry and will become sick more often. Try to provide them with better food - Artemia nauplii, bred at home, or chopped bloodworms, tubifex.

If you feed exclusively dry food, then the guppies will reach their maximum size only by 6-8 months, and among them there will be many sick and simply dull individuals. With adequate live nutrition, already at 4 months, guppies look like real beauties and beauties - fit, bright, healthy and active.

Boys to the left, girls to the right

Knowing how long guppies grow from fry, you can determine the moment of maturity. As mentioned above, this is approximately 4-5 weeks. It is from this time that they need to be seated. Otherwise, you will get several dozen immature mothers. Yes, they will be able to give birth, although the offspring will be weakened and few in number.

Juvenile guppies can be distinguished not so much by their color as by their anal fin. In females it remains a fin, while in males it is rolled up into a tube - the gonopodium. Carefully examine all females in the aquarium and promptly place males separately. It is enough to leave one for him to prematurely impregnate several dozen females, ruining all your plans.

Conclusion

Now you know how long do fry grow guppies, at what age they reach maturity, as well as something about the intricacies of care and feeding. Let's hope that you can put the knowledge you have gained into practice, making your aquarium even more beautiful.

Feeding. First sexual signs

Proper care is impossible without feeding. For the first 3 weeks of life, they can be fed live dust and brine shrimp with an incubation period of 6-8 hours. In the first month of life, you can add bloodworms, chopped tubifex, and cyclops to the diet. It is important that the feed is crushed. You can also feed hard-boiled and chopped chicken yolk, alternating it with other foods. It is recommended to provide branded food for guppy fry.

Look at the newly born guppy fry.

As the fry grow older, they need to be sorted. When it is possible to identify the sex, especially of mature guppies, prepare an aquarium with water, diluting it with water from the fish tank. Guppies can breed from the age of 2-4 weeks, so to avoid early pregnancy of females, sorting should be done.

The dominant feature of male guppies in the early stages is the elongation and folding of the lower fin, which is located near the anus. Over time, this fin will develop into a gonopodium. Once the gonopodium is formed, it will be easier to determine the sex in the early stages. Raising fry of different sexes is good for their health. When kept separately, it is easier to care for them, and they do not waste their energy chasing each other.

If the fry do not take food while feeding, it means that the water quality does not meet the standards. Healthy fry have a rounded abdomen and a strong appetite. Many problems with raising fry are due to the fact that they are not properly cared for. This applies to cleaning the aquarium (bottom siphon, water changes, filtration, aeration).

The first signs of coloring in baby fish do not appear immediately, depending on the species or breed. Sometimes a female guppy is able to give birth to offspring from different males, or once fertilized, a female may give birth every month. The number of fry in one brood is about 20. Therefore, it happens that fry from several broods grow in an aquarium. The first time after birth, the fry can remain motionless at the bottom.

If you do not properly care for the female during pregnancy, she may give birth to premature fry ahead of schedule, in which the yolk sac will be visible. Premature birth of a female occurs due to frequent water changes in the aquarium, or due to the introduction of guppies into a recently started aquarium. The mortality rate among premature fry is very high.

How to properly care for guppy fry:: Aquarium fish

Guppies are very popular fish that can be bought in special stores at a relatively low price. If desired, you can also breed them, but only on the condition that the fry are provided with proper care.

Basics of caring for guppy fry in a community aquarium

The most important rule that must be followed by people who decide to raise fry together with adults is that you need to carefully monitor the amount of food and never make your guppies go hungry. The fact is that these fish may well eat the fry if there is not enough food. Moreover, it is advisable that the fry have their own shelter, a special part of the aquarium where you will pour some of the food for them. This will ensure the relative safety of small fish.


Choose plants with long stems and small leaves for the fry. They will help create a protected place in the aquarium and provide comfortable housing for the kids next to the adults.

Artemia can be used as food for guppy fry in the first weeks of their life. 4-5 weeks after the fish are born, add tubifex and bloodworms to their diet. Remember to grind the food thoroughly so that the fish can eat it. Give them food at least 3 times a day. In this case, it is advisable to sprinkle a little more food than they can eat immediately, so that later the fry have the opportunity to refresh themselves. Place the food as close to the plants where the baby guppies live as possible so they don't have to swim out to the adults.

How to keep guppy fry in a separate aquarium

Constantly monitor the appearance of the fish. Baby guppies should have a large, round belly. It is also important that they eat a lot and do not refuse food. If your babies don't want to eat, they may be sick or you may not be housing them properly or providing the appropriate care.
For guppy fry, an aquarium with a volume of about 20-40 liters with high-quality aeration and many small plants is suitable. At the same time, it is advisable not to supplement the fish’s housing with soil, otherwise you will only complicate the process of caring for the babies.
When raising guppy fry in a separate aquarium, it is necessary to constantly monitor the temperature and quality of the water. Under no circumstances should you pour unsettled tap water into a container - you must leave it for 2-3 days and only then pour it.
It is recommended to replace 30-40% of the water in the aquarium daily to keep the guppy fry comfortable. As for the water temperature, in the first 3-4 weeks of the fry’s life it should not fall below 28°C. Then you can gradually, over the course of a week, reduce it to 26°C, and then to 24°C.

Fish diet

Setting up a guppy aquarium

Guppy breeding rules

Breeding guppies and caring for their fry is quite simple. Fish that have reached the reproductive cycle begin to reproduce on their own while in a community aquarium. Before giving birth, the female's abdomen swells greatly and becomes almost square in shape. As a rule, they give birth within a month, so the pregnancy of the fish is easy to notice.

Already a few days before birth, a separate tank for the fry should be ready, since breeding guppies is fraught with the risk of the fry being eaten by the parents. To increase the chances of survival of the fry, you can place dense bushes of living plants in the general aquarium, which will create shelter. You can prepare a separate tank for the female, which has holes for the fry. After the female has given birth to her fry (sometimes this can happen within 24 hours or more), she can be transferred to the community aquarium almost immediately. But it is better to place the female guppy in a tank with a separator a week before giving birth. If the situation changes abruptly, the female may have a miscarriage.

The immune system of fry is not as strong as that of adults. Fry need to be fed frequently - 3-4 times a day. Guppy fry should measure 2.5 cm in length on the day they are placed in a common aquarium with adult fish. Starter food – brine shrimp larvae, branded food for guppy fry.

How to raise guppies:: Guppy fry, how to distinguish between gender and color:: Aquarium fish

Fish guppy- ideal for a beginner aquarist. They are unpretentious, happily eat a wide variety of food and are not too picky about their living conditions. Male guppies are very beautiful - they are distinguished by bright and long tails, and their bodies are covered with multi-colored spots. The colors of these fish are very diverse. One of the interesting features of guppies is that they are viviparous fish. They do not lay eggs, but immediately give birth to fully formed fry.

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You will need

• - aquarium with a capacity of 3-4 liters;
• - separate smaller container for raising fry;
• - a pair of guppies;
• - gravel for creating soil;
• - several aquatic plants;
• - fish food, live or dry;
• - a net for transplanting fish.

Instructions

1. To keep a couple of fish, you will need a 3-4 liter container, since guppies do not require a high oxygen content in the water. You can use ordinary gravel as soil, but it is better to ensure that the soil is collected from an environmentally friendly place. Be sure to rinse the gravel thoroughly and boil it for 15-20 minutes to disinfect. If you want to complement the interior of the aquarium with driftwood and large stones, place them on the bottom before adding gravel. Plant the plants in the soil before filling the aquarium with water.

2. Place one or two opposite-sex pairs of fish in the aquarium. Female and male guppies are quite different from each other: the female is larger than the male, she has a more modest short tail and a greenish-gray color. You need to feed the fish once a day. They happily eat dry food, such as gammarus, or live food, such as bloodworms. Bloodworms should be given at the rate of 1-5 worms per fish, depending on the size of the fish.

3. Monitor the size of the abdomen of female guppies: as soon as it begins to increase, use a net to catch and place the fish in a separate container with water and plants. The water temperature in this vessel should be 1-2 degrees higher than in a general aquarium. Wait for the guppy to give birth. Depending on the age of the female, the number of her fry per litter ranges from 10 to 100 pieces. The older the fish, the more fry it can give birth to. Return the female to the community aquarium - the fry will not need her care. Let small guppies stay for 2-3 weeks separately from other fish, otherwise adults may mistake them for live food.

4. Baby guppies grow very quickly: within three months they will reach maturity. Males stop growing when they reach this age, but with each passing month they become brighter and more beautiful, and their fins and tails continue to form. The full flowering of the beauty of the male guppy occurs by the year. Females only grow in size. Until the fry reach the size of adult fish, it is better to feed them dry food, carefully rubbing it between your fingers or “live dust”.

5. If you do not plan to give away or sell young fish, take care of purchasing a larger aquarium so that the fish are not crowded. Under good conditions, guppies breed approximately once a month.

Video on the topic

Please note

Try not to overfeed your fish. If there is too much food, they risk overeating and getting sick.

Useful advice

To prevent dry and live food from spreading throughout the aquarium (which can lead to water spoilage), purchase special floating feeders;
Fish will feel much better in an aquarium equipped with a special lamp for illumination.