Guppy Breeding Ratios

[Jackie Nichole]

I know it’s recommended to keep your female to male ratio when breeding guppies at 2:1. But I ended up keeping five females with one male, thinking it wouldn’t be an issue, but now the male has now developed swimming issues which looks like swim bladder problems. Is it possible that he was stressed due to being kept with so many females? What has been your experience with this? Just trying to rule things out. The females seem perfect.

[Cory]

I doubt it's an issue, professional farms do 50 females to each male. 

[Terry Ellacott]

I've just started a guppy breeding project and have gone for a female to male ratio of 10 to zero. I've bought ten of the most colourful females I could find, I've got at least three different colours, they are all gravid and I'm expecting the first young in the next week or so. I like not knowing how the young males will look and if I get some really nice ones I can separate the young from each female next time she gives birth and keep a true line. In the shop the females were quite a bit cheaper than the males (who were in all male tanks so I couldn't match them with females from the same line anyway) so I have 10 pregnant females for the same price I would have paid for five females and two males. I'm looking forward to lots of babies in the next few weeks and hopefully some nice males in the next six months. 

[ccurtis]

When I was breeding guppies, I started out with a 6 to 1 ratios on females to males. It was not an issue. I ended up lots fry and ultimately an overpopulated tank full of skittles. I was the result I was looking for, but I did not think I would get there that fast. Be ready for lots of fry.  

I highly doubt the illness is related to your male to female ratio.