CornAndCrawlers guppy breeding journal

[CornAndCrawlers]

I want to learn to breed fish and so I figured I'd start with the basics, the easy guppy. 

Today I purchased 4 guppies from Petco, 1 male and 3 female. I placed them into a 6 gallon tank that currently houses 10 cherry shrimp, if they breed as well that will also be logged.

The male has the orange tail and is on the right, two females are center and center left. 

 

I noticed right away that three of these four fish were swimming happily about while one looked as if it was struggling. Upon further inspection I noticed a white bump on its upper lip. I have never quarantined a fish before, but I figured now was the time, I placed this female in a 2 gallon critter carrier with a small sponge filter, 2 tablespoons of epsom salt, and half of a tetra lifeguard tablet. I split the tablet because it said it was good for 5 gallons.

I will keep this fish in here for a week and re-evaluate the fish based on its appearance.

FOOD

Currently, it is Fluval Bug Bites Flakes (Color enhancing formula) a small pinch x2 a day

 

TEMPERATURE

76 Degrees Fahrenheit  

 

WATER PERAMETERS (looked at from Top Fin 5-1 test strip)

PH: 7.6

KH (alkalinit)y: 180-300ppm (hard to read strip)

GH (hardness): 300-1000 (hard to read strip)

Nitrite: .25ppm, did a 30% water change and now its lower

Nitrate: 0

Ammonia: 0

 

 

Edited April 25, 2022 by CornAndCrawlers

[Fish Folk]

Great start! I’m curious where you found the moss at in your tank?

Bear in mind: a female guppy will hold onto milt from any male who has spawned with her for a long, long time. Generally speaking, the first few batches will put out colors unlike the male you’ve chosen. After awhile, his genes begin to take over.

I love those Bug Bites flakes! I use them quite often. Other food servings can balance out their diet too. I like Omega One Kelp flakes. Not an absolute favorite in the fishroom, but a very balanced food choice.

Edited April 24, 2022 by Fish Folk

[CornAndCrawlers]

The moss is actually terrestrial moss that I found near a local river. I thought it looked nice and tossed it in, I've heard terrestrial moss may die after a while submerged though.

Balancing the diet with something more vegetative is a great idea. Next time im at the pet store ill look for something complimentary to mix in with their feeding. 

[CornAndCrawlers]

Sick Guppy update day 2: 

I did not see the guppy eat any of the Fluval Bug Bites flakes that I dropped into its quarantine tank so today I added some live baby brine shrimp. I believe I saw it snap at a few, but it moves pretty slow so I can not be sure. I then checked the temperature of the quarantine tank and realized its sluggishness might be my fault, the water in the tank is only at 66 degree Fahrenheit. I do not own any additional tank heaters so I placed a heat lamp nearby. 

 

 

Edited April 25, 2022 by CornAndCrawlers

[CornAndCrawlers]

Sick guppy update day 3: Unfortunately the sick guppy died shortly after I performed a water change. I thought cleaner water would help but instead I think I stressed out an already weak fish... I will not make that same mistake in the future. 

Stocking update day 3: I added one more female to the tank to help divvy up some of the aggro/chasing that the 1 male inflicts on the females. 

New guppy female addition

 

[CornAndCrawlers]

All of my guppies have been moved to a 37 gallon aquarium, seemed like the better long-term housing for a group that would multiply than the 6 gallon that they were sharing with shrimps. Unfortunately, one guppy female died shortly after the move. Her death put me at 3 males and 8 females. 

Two deaths in this guppy experiment was a bummer, but then I noticed a few little fry swimming about.

+4 guppy fry!

The 37 gallon tank was scaped only with Anubias (not the best hiding spot) so I netted up these lil guys and plopped em back in the original 6 gallon that their parents started in. I will do this with anymore fry I discover. This tank has lots of java moss in it and less predators. After I moved the fry I turned on my baby brine shrimp hatchery, so tomorrow morning I should be able to give them a delicious nutritious meal.

 

Edited April 30, 2022 by CornAndCrawlers

[CornAndCrawlers]

Failure

All but one female guppy have died. I believe the culprit was wasting disease because the already skinny males kept getting skinnier and skinner despite daily feedings. Admittedly I did not quarantine. 
 

The lone surviving female was place in an outdoor 40gallon tub pond that I stocked with 12 white cloud minnows (golden variety). If she survives and makes a bunch of babies I’ll build a tank and give guppies another shot.