Guppy Line Breeding Project Log

[cockroach]

I work at a small school as the science and English teacher. The upcoming semester we have decided to turn the science curriculum towards a project based theme.

My bosses agreed to this and to getting a guppy breeding rack to do Guppy Line Breeding. The work will be split between two classes. One is a mixed age of Grade 1-3 and another is a mixed class of Grade 7-8.

The older class will do the actual guppy care and breeding. The course will include animal husbandry, genetics, physics (water movement, volume and air pumps), chemistry (water pH, dosing meds) Math (working out volumes, foods ratios, etc) and DIY (making things we need for the tank).

The younger class will be growing and cultivating food. The course will include living and non living things (needs, reproductions and life cycles - BBS), caring for living things (daphnia, and microworms), physical science (water and water cycle), environmental science (keeping environments clean and healthy), eocsystems (water and land based) and animal husbandry (caring for food animals everyday.)

I am expecting a few big mishaps along the way but will try to prep for all eventualities.

These pics are where we are at today.

TLDR: starting school guppy line breeding in this setup.

The pile we starting sorting this morning.


The tanks getting a quick sweep out .


The tanks are each divided into two tanks that a drilled with a bottom drain for cleaning and an overflow for top ups and water changes. The tanks have a black background and we will be painting the bottom front half of the tanks black as well as I ahve read that this seems to settle the guppies a bit more than a clear bottom. Dirty tanks that will need a thorough cleaning and calcium build up removal soon.



The tanks will be filtered with undergravel filter with pea gravel as substrate in the back portion of the tank bottom. I will start looking for a pump of around 45L/min to run things.

The stand is a galvanized steel interlocking shelf that can take way more weight than we are currently using. It will be attched to the wall behind it to make it earthquake safe for obvious reasons.
This is the shelf part:


There are 18 tanks in total. 6 tanks by 3 shelves. The next pic gives an idea of the setup. It still needs water aging tank on top, air pump, PVC drainpipes and lights to be attached.

 

[Wailua Boy]

Sounds fun. What lines are you starting with?

 

[tlindsey]

A very great project indeed.

 

[cockroach]

Sounds fun. What lines are you starting with?

I think we will start with the Japanese Blue Grass, Albino blues or perhaps a swordtail variety.

 

[fishnatics]

Good way to get kids into fish keeping.

 

[convict360]

That's a sweet project, I wish my teachers had done something like this!

 

[Deadliestviper7]

Cool,are these gonna be planted at all?

 

[cockroach]

Good way to get kids into fish keeping.

I tested them with a 20 gallon this semester and they have kept it by themselves with almost no algal growth or deaths

That's a sweet project, I wish my teachers had done something like this!

thanks. Wish more science teachers would raise more animals worth classes.

Cool,are these gonna be planted at all?

I am thinking to add a single anubias nana or java fern on wood to each tank.

 

[joe jaskot]

Guppies eat their fry. If you want to raise the fry you will have to either provide lots of floating plants for cover or remove the fry as soon as the female drops them.

 

[cockroach]

Guppies eat their fry. If you want to raise the fry you will have to either provide lots of floating plants for cover or remove the fry as soon as the female drops them.

We will use birthing tanks that will be set up with removable cover for the fry as they are born. As soon as she is done, the female will be put back with the male in the breeding tank.