PineSong Posted November 11, 2021 Share Posted November 11, 2021 Great that the snakeskins have survived. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fish Folk Posted November 12, 2021 Author Share Posted November 12, 2021 I’m sharing my little “Mutt Guppy” breeding plan here. First, here’s a look at how I’m trying to “influence” the genetics… Here’s a look at the 20-gal long Mutt Guppy colony tank, now LOADED with fry, and a longer discussion of how I’m gently trying to nudge the genetic preferences here… And, finally, here’s a look at the “outcasts” — wild-type males (mostly) — that though pretty in their own right, are not what I’m aiming for… 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fish Folk Posted November 28, 2021 Author Share Posted November 28, 2021 Mutt Guppy tank gets new Cherry Shrimp neighbors. Just trying to disperse my shrimp around the fishroom to (moderately) friendly tanks… 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PineSong Posted November 30, 2021 Share Posted November 30, 2021 Smart to have some shrimp stashed everywhere just in case. And fun to watch the guppies color up and decide which ones to promote as breeders. I've got some fry who just hit the two month mark and their tails are starting to develop but colors are still pretty drab. Hopefully over the next two months they will start to shine. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fish Folk Posted November 30, 2021 Author Share Posted November 30, 2021 On 11/29/2021 at 9:31 PM, PineSong said: Smart to have some shrimp stashed everywhere just in case. And fun to watch the guppies color up and decide which ones to promote as breeders. I've got some fry who just hit the two month mark and their tails are starting to develop but colors are still pretty drab. Hopefully over the next two months they will start to shine. They breed so easily, it can feel like a long wait for them to mature. One thing I’m careful to do is feed them _variety_ 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PineSong Posted November 30, 2021 Share Posted November 30, 2021 On 11/29/2021 at 9:33 PM, Fish Folk said: They breed so easily, it can feel like a long wait for them to mature. One thing I’m careful to do is feed them _variety_ Me, too. It's a good thing I feed fish before my offspring is awake or I'm sure I'd get comments about how the fish eat better than we do. I feed two foods per meal and can go 4 or 5 days without repeating a food for the fish who aren't tiny fry. Meanwhile, my kid literally has PB&J packed for his school lunch every blessed day. 2 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fish Folk Posted November 30, 2021 Author Share Posted November 30, 2021 On 11/29/2021 at 9:41 PM, PineSong said: Me, too. It's a good thing I feed fish before my offspring is awake or I'm sure I'd get comments about how the fish eat better than we do. I feed two foods per meal and can go 4 or 5 days without repeating a food for the fish who aren't tiny fry. Meanwhile, my kid literally has PB&J packed for his school lunch every blessed day. roger that! Ditto 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Torrey Posted December 1, 2021 Share Posted December 1, 2021 On 11/29/2021 at 7:41 PM, PineSong said: It's a good thing I feed fish before my offspring is awake or I'm sure I'd get comments about how the fish eat better than we do I definitely got this comment! I took the kids to the fridge and pointed out all the vsriety. Then we went to the tank to look for opposable thumbs. I explained that I feed the fish a variety because they can't get what they need without opposable thumbs. Yup, all my kids and foster kids had opposable thumbs! Not too many complaints after that, because any complaint was immediately followed by a cooking lesson in least favorite foods😅 Whichever kid got the chores completed over the week *and* didn't complain over the course of the week, got to select a meal and have their own cooking lesson. Fabulous deterrent for whining, and great incentive for completing chores.😅 4 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fish Folk Posted December 1, 2021 Author Share Posted December 1, 2021 On 12/1/2021 at 6:14 AM, Torrey said: I definitely got this comment! I took the kids to the fridge and pointed out all the vsriety. Then we went to the tank to look for opposable thumbs. I explained that I feed the fish a variety because they can't get what they need without opposable thumbs. Yup, all my kids and foster kids had opposable thumbs! Not too many complaints after that, because any complaint was immediately followed by a cooking lesson in least favorite foods😅 Whichever kid got the chores completed over the week *and* didn't complain over the course of the week, got to select a meal and have their own cooking lesson. Fabulous deterrent for whining, and great incentive for completing chores.😅 ^This is awesome^ 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fish Folk Posted December 22, 2021 Author Share Posted December 22, 2021 Mutt Guppy update video (eating bbs)… 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fish Folk Posted December 22, 2021 Author Share Posted December 22, 2021 “Young bucks” from the Mutt Guppy tank… 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PineSong Posted December 23, 2021 Share Posted December 23, 2021 Very pretty! I especially like those blues. Why is it that you want to remove the wild-type genes from your mix? You don't want spots? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guppysnail Posted December 23, 2021 Share Posted December 23, 2021 Those are looking great. They look like some of my blue. And blue/orange. I think your project is officially no longer a low expectation. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fish Folk Posted December 23, 2021 Author Share Posted December 23, 2021 On 12/22/2021 at 9:34 PM, PineSong said: Very pretty! I especially like those blues. Why is it that you want to remove the wild-type genes from your mix? You don't want spots? I want to favor the blue-cast of the large dominant male, and I want yo get more than less long-finned fish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guppysnail Posted December 23, 2021 Share Posted December 23, 2021 Here’s what I was able to get using a blue guppy/endler that was guppy trait dominant with long fins. And blue tail female guppies. I used only that one male. I did not take it far enough for them to breed true so I get random but these were the best ones I keep. The top view they are a hair lighter shiny metallic blue. Of all the millions of pics I have I can’t find a real clear still. 🤣 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fish Folk Posted December 23, 2021 Author Share Posted December 23, 2021 @Guppysnail those look great! Nice “Evening-Blue” … or “Steel Blue”… 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minanora Posted December 27, 2021 Share Posted December 27, 2021 I love this thread. You have the most fun projects! I have mutts that after a single cross have spots. Not sure if it's because of my Lyretail or if they've gone more "wild" type. I'm not doing any more mutt project work until February; that way, when they're about 2 months old I can have outdoor tubs with minimal heat at night. Which will also be great for my garden and seed starts! Plants love those nitrates! I look forward to seeing your next update! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minanora Posted December 27, 2021 Share Posted December 27, 2021 So what do you do with your "cullings"? I'm having a hard time with this. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fish Folk Posted December 27, 2021 Author Share Posted December 27, 2021 On 12/26/2021 at 10:45 PM, Minanora said: So what do you do with your "cullings"? I'm having a hard time with this. I may give to my LFS to sell as “feeder guppies.” Or feed to my ravenous Acaras… 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minanora Posted December 27, 2021 Share Posted December 27, 2021 On 12/26/2021 at 7:55 PM, Fish Folk said: I may give to my LFS to sell as “feeder guppies.” Or feed to my ravenous Acaras… Ah. Ty. I've been thinking that giving them to my LFS will be my solution. When do you make the call? I'm at 10 weeks on my oldest fry, most are decently colored up, but there are a few that are lagging, a mix of females and males. The longer I wait, the better the ones with color look, but I see minimal change. I've started really diversifying their food, daily, and I see more change, so I'm not sure where I should say "Ok you're food, sorry bro/mam". I'm also a mom, and it kills me to knowingly sentence any child to death. I can smash gophers, mice, rats, oppsumes; tag deer, boar, turkey, quail. But give up on my little fishies.... nope. 🤣 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fish Folk Posted December 27, 2021 Author Share Posted December 27, 2021 On 12/26/2021 at 11:13 PM, Minanora said: Ah. Ty. I've been thinking that giving them to my LFS will be my solution. When do you make the call? I'm at 10 weeks on my oldest fry, most are decently colored up, but there are a few that are lagging, a mix of females and males. The longer I wait, the better the ones with color look, but I see minimal change. I've started really diversifying their food, daily, and I see more change, so I'm not sure where I should say "Ok you're food, sorry bro/mam". I'm also a mom, and it kills me to knowingly sentence any child to death. I can smash gophers, mice, rats, oppsumes; tag deer, boar, turkey, quail. But give up on my little fishies.... nope. 🤣 I totally understand how hard this sort of decision is. I’m a dad too. We’re blessed with three beautiful boys, and they’re so precious. Culling is a very personal decision. It’s easier when you’re culling for health or if you have a tank to let culls go wild. I separated out 20+ wild-gene guppies dropped in my mutt guppy tank, and gave them to a kid we know. He was thrilled! Others I toss over in a full tank and just let go wild till I need them for food, for LFS feeder stocking, etc. And sometimes I feed to large fish. Keeps big fish healthy, and it’s nature’s way. I pull out sick fish or unwanted males as soon as I can tell they’re not the colors I want. It takes at least 6x weeks for me to tell. I’ve also found that varying their diet does wonders for their colors and development. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guppysnail Posted December 27, 2021 Share Posted December 27, 2021 On 12/27/2021 at 6:34 AM, Fish Folk said: I’ve also found that varying their diet does wonders for their colors and development. I use a cheese grater for frozen bloodworms for the ones to little for the worm. I find when I do that they color up noticeably quicker. I also grind any frozen food and feed live bbs but the frozen bloodworms are what works for quick color in my kids. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fish Folk Posted December 27, 2021 Author Share Posted December 27, 2021 On 12/27/2021 at 6:39 AM, Guppysnail said: I use a cheese grater for frozen bloodworms for the ones to little for the worm. I find when I do that they color up noticeably quicker. I also grind any frozen food and feed live bbs but the frozen bloodworms are what works for quick color in my kids. Awesome tip! I’m so stealing this… 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minanora Posted December 27, 2021 Share Posted December 27, 2021 On 12/27/2021 at 3:39 AM, Guppysnail said: I use a cheese grater for frozen bloodworms for the ones to little for the worm. I find when I do that they color up noticeably quicker. I also grind any frozen food and feed live bbs but the frozen bloodworms are what works for quick color in my kids. This is genius. I'm also going to try this. I recently had a baby die because he choked on a bloodworm... I was shocked. Vacuumed out all the rest right after that. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minanora Posted December 27, 2021 Share Posted December 27, 2021 On 12/27/2021 at 3:34 AM, Fish Folk said: I totally understand how hard this sort of decision is. I’m a dad too. We’re blessed with three beautiful boys, and they’re so precious. Culling is a very personal decision. It’s easier when you’re culling for health or if you have a tank to let culls go wild. I separated out 20+ wild-gene guppies dropped in my mutt guppy tank, and gave them to a kid we know. He was thrilled! Others I toss over in a full tank and just let go wild till I need them for food, for LFS feeder stocking, etc. And sometimes I feed to large fish. Keeps big fish healthy, and it’s nature’s way. I pull out sick fish or unwanted males as soon as I can tell they’re not the colors I want. It takes at least 6x weeks for me to tell. I’ve also found that varying their diet does wonders for their colors and development. I dig it. I can hardly wait to have my outdoor tubs to help. I had one with a curved spine, tried to put her to sleep... I'm sure I just got her drunk instead. I had to put her back in the tank. Not sure if she made it after that, I haven't seen one with a curved spine since though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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