Reproduction of guppy fish at home

You’re in for an exciting journey if you’re fascinated by the vibrant world of guppy fish and want to try breeding them at home. Guppies are common in home aquariums due to their vivid colors and energetic personalities. In addition, they are comparatively simple to breed, which makes them an excellent option for novice and seasoned fish hobbyists alike.

Gaining knowledge about guppy reproduction will improve your aquarium experience. Rather than laying eggs, these fish are livebearers, meaning they give birth to fry that can swim freely. You can enjoy watching new guppies grow and thrive in your tank with the correct setup, but it does require some preparation and observation.

We’ll go over all the fundamentals of guppy reproduction in this guide, including how to set up a breeding tank and take care of the fry. This article will assist you in reaching your ultimate goal of having a vibrant, healthy aquarium, whether you want to increase the number of guppy species in your collection or just enjoy the excitement of breeding.

Necessary conditions

Fish kept in aquariums can survive without human involvement in their genus. Sometimes the natural flow of events is totally hidden from prying eyes. On the other hand, a lot of aquarists are passionate about breeding, and raising guppies at home excites them. Though they are not showy, guppies require specific care and environmental conditions to thrive.

  1. Maturity of fish. To begin breeding, guppies must grow up and reach four months of age. By this time, the females will be quite ready to bear and give birth to offspring.
  2. Water quality. Hardness should be no more than 15 units, acidity pH from 6.0 to 8.5, without sharp fluctuations. If tap water meets these parameters, there is no need to specially prepare it. You can improve the quality of acidic water with coral chips or a special branded product.
  3. Water temperature. To speed up sexual maturation and stimulate the instinct of procreation in fish, you need to keep them in warm water – at least 25ºC. When the temperature rises to 30ºC, guppies are more active in approaching each other.
  4. Eating live food. Bloodworms, tubifex, insects contain proteins necessary for the sexual activity of fish.

Lighting should not be overlooked as it provides an extra incentive for replication. Males’ colors become more intense in the light, making them more alluring to females.

How guppies mate

Since guppy fish cannot swim very quickly, it is simple to identify when the mating season has arrived because of the increase in movement speed. Tiny males start to approach females and attempt to push against them from the side. The tube-shaped anal fin known as the gonopodium is used in guppi mating behavior. Fertilization takes place when the seed fluid enters the female’s abdominal cavity directly because of the penis’s movable structure.

The requirement that there be two or more female guppy hybrids in the aquarium for every male guppy is one of the most crucial for propagation. A larger male population has the potential to exhaust and even kill the female. In order to prevent the buzzers from mating, it is ideal that there are no hostile neighbors in the vicinity. ideal with the male and female in different containers.

This is fascinating! Guppy can mate once, become pregnant, and give birth multiple times in a row.

The period of pregnancy

For four to six weeks, embryos grow inside the female’s abdomen. The "mother’s" age and the aquarium’s water temperature affect how long the gestation period lasts. Next, we’ll discuss the subtleties of getting ready for delivery and explain how to tell if a female guppy is pregnant based on her appearance and behavior.

Determining pregnancy in guppies

A female guppy’s pregnancy cannot be detected in the early stages, and it is challenging to determine whether fertilization has taken place. However, the woman’s back bends and her belly expands daily. The guppy gets more hungry. She frequently sinks to the bottom and licks off the silt sediment as she tries to hide deep within the thicket of plants. This kind of dietary supplement provides fry with trace elements that are needed.

At the conclusion of the gestation period, the guppy’s abdomen becomes noticeably larger and takes on a rectangular form. A pregnancy that is developing normally is indicated by the appearance of a distinct difference between the head and the belly, known as the "step." The lower abdomen has a dark patch, and the anus gets bigger.

Do I need to separate the female for childbirth

A pregnant fish finds a move to be stressful. In separated fish, there have been instances of delayed labor. You can leave the female in her normal surroundings and take no action if you wish to avoid interfering with the natural process. If you want to breed guppies, though, you should move the female to a separator while she is giving birth. The fry in a home aquarium are enclosed, whereas those in the wild are carried off as soon as they are born. Small fish are considered food by waterfowl, and even parents have been known to consume their young.

Take note! The situation can be saved by placing a separator tray inside the aquarium. Additionally, the babies will be safe and the pregnant fish will be able to feel at home. It is simpler to catch the baby fry with a glass later than to separate the female in time.

Behavior before labor and labor

Sensing the impending labor, the woman tries to move less and ultimately freezes. Stays near the heater in search of warmth. consumes little food and frequently burps it. The guppy freezes at the start of spawning and its tail quivers a little. One by one, fry emerge; some break through the shell right away and start swimming, while others just lie there. This is typical; eventually, they will become more powerful. After giving birth, a tired mother should be put back into the main aquarium right away to avoid having fry for lunch.

How many fry can be born

Because they are constantly moving, it is very challenging to determine the exact number of fry that were born. The female’s health determines how many fish she produces:

  • her age;
  • size;
  • experience of giving birth.

There won’t be more than 20 fry born to a young, first-time pregnant female guppy. During its prime, the fish gives birth to 50–100 young.

Caring for the fry

You cannot help but shield the young fish from their mother. The most important things are to feed the fry frequently and keep an eye on the water’s quality. The babies should ideally reside inside the aquarium in a mesh or plastic hatchery. A common aerator will provide oxygen enrichment, so you won’t need to frequently change the water that the young swim in.

First weeks

It will become clear during the first week of life whether the baby guppies can survive. The fish require more nourishment during this critical time. It is advised to feed the crumbs "live dust," or crushed food, six times a day because they are actively growing. Next, you can progress to a more substantial diet:

  • Infusoria;
  • Microworms;
  • Crayfish;
  • Rotifers.

For guppies to grow, a paste-like starter food with a balanced composition is ideal. The paste is simple to use and has all the essential vitamins and microelements. Aquarists cultivate their own live food and create phytoplankton by putting aquarium water in a jar and sunlight. Once photosynthesis begins, tiny, edible algae start to appear in a matter of days.

As you gradually increase to three meals a day, avoid overindulging. After two months, you can assume that the fish are safe from further harm, their strength has increased, and nothing can harm them.

Remember not to turn off the lamp above the aquarium during the first month. The fry benefit from the constant light: they grow more quickly.

Determination of sex

It can be very challenging for novice aquarists to tell a female guppie from a male. If sorting is necessary, consider the following indicators that make individual identification simpler:

  • in young females closer to a month, a spot forms near the anus;
  • males stop growing by the time of sexual maturity and look smaller against the background of females.

Why guppies do not reproduce

The prolific guppy fish found in aquariums give birth to young every one to two months. However, sometimes children don’t turn out to be successful.

  1. The simplest thing is that all your fish are of the same sex.
  2. It is possible that the female has become pregnant, but it is not visible on her.
  3. Your guppies reproduce, but without the owner"s supervision, the fry that are born are quickly eaten.
  4. There is also a possibility that the aquarium is overcrowded and the fish are under constant stress.
  5. They may not have enough food, so the body does not have time to prepare for fertilization.
  6. The water has not been changed for a long time. A sharp change in water and a rise in temperature stimulates the fish to want to reproduce.
  7. One of the reasons for guppy infertility is obesity of internal organs associated with overfeeding. Even starvation does not affect the ability to reproduce as much as overfeeding.

Take note! Since this is the only method to select a successful pair for reproduction, it is crucial for the owner to be able to tell a male from a female.

Aspect Description
Breeding Conditions Keep guppies in a well-maintained tank with stable temperature and clean water. Provide hiding spots and maintain proper filtration.
Sex Ratio Maintain a ratio of about 1 male to 2-3 females to reduce stress and prevent overbreeding.
Pregnancy Duration Female guppies carry fry for about 21-30 days before giving birth.
Signs of Pregnancy Look for a swollen belly and a dark gravid spot near the anal fin.
After Birth Care Remove the pregnant female after birth to prevent her from eating the fry. Provide ample hiding places for newborns to avoid predation.
Fry Care Feed newborn guppies with fine powdered food or liquid fry food and keep the water clean.

For aquarium enthusiasts, successfully breeding guppy fish at home can be a fulfilling experience. Your guppies will live longer and reproduce more successfully if you provide an environment that meets their needs. Keeping the water clean, offering a variety of food, and making hiding places for the fry are important. A good breeding setup will also involve routinely checking the health of your fish and the conditions of the tank.

It’s critical to be ready for guppies’ quick rate of reproduction. They can produce multiple batches of live fry quickly, so it’s important to have a plan in place for handling and taking care of the baby fish. To keep adult fish from eating the fry, think about putting up a separate nursery tank or using breeding traps.

You will be prepared to experience the utmost joy of watching your guppies develop and procreate by learning about the ins and outs of guppy care and breeding. In your home aquarium, you can establish a flourishing community of guppies with a little perseverance and attention to detail.

If you’re interested in learning more about guppy fish reproduction at home, you’ll discover that it’s both fascinating and doable with the right advice. This article will go over all the necessary procedures for raising guppies, including understanding their mating habits, creating the perfect environment, and taking care of the fry. You can successfully breed these colorful fish and enjoy seeing the next generation flourish in your aquarium with the correct setup and knowledge.

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Elena Grishina

Ecologist and aquarist with a special interest in creating balanced ecosystems in aquariums. Main focus — ecosystems that require minimal human intervention. I support a natural approach to aquarium care, where each element plays its role, helping to maintain harmony in a closed ecosystem. I promote sustainable aquarium keeping and respect for nature.

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