first time breeding feeders

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
S

SomeStonedFish

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Jan 11, 2015
95
6
8
SW PA
I'm looking to breed some guppies in quite a small tank if it's at all possible. I have a 5 gallon tank setup, I don't have any other tanks to use and I'm not buying another tank for this project. So if a 5 won't work I won't bother.
That being said I have no idea where to start, is there a m/f ratio I need to stick to? increased temp? extra w/c? more frequent feedings? Do I need a seperate tank for fry? How many fry per batch are we talking?
I have a 9in JD and a 6in severum, they won't be getting feeders everyday, but I'd probably just split the batch between the tanks everytime the guppies spawn. I'd like to not have to grow them out, while at the same time I'd like them to be big/plentiful enough for this project to be worth it.
 
Last edited:
guppies are super small livebearers...the fry are damn near invisible for the first few weeks, not very good feeders if you don't want to grow them out or have a bigger tank.
 
That's what I assumed. I don't want to setup 2 more tanks for feeders when I only have 2 tanks. I don't have enough fish yet or room in my house to setup more tanks like that. I'll get to it one day. Thanks for the help.
 
SomeStonedFish said:
That's what I assumed. I don't want to setup 2 more tanks for feeders when I only have 2 tanks. I don't have enough fish yet or room in my house to setup more tanks like that. I'll get to it one day. Thanks for the help.
Click to expand...
no problem, ive been where you are, I thought guppies would be great treat feeders for my fish. not only do the fry seem to grow SUPER slow, its such a pain to try and separate them.

my mom has a fish tank FILLED with guppies haha, she doesn't even clean the tank or do wc's haha and she has more fish than I've ever been able to raise, so I sneak a few every now and then lol
 
  • Like
Reactions: convict360
Pretty much all you need to do for guppies is keep the tank reasonably warm and add some plants for the fry to hide in. Elodea or java moss would work great. 1:3 ratio male to female would work well. A decent water change schedule and some gentle filtering, and they should breed super fast.

If you want to breed them in any numbers, a ten or twenty would be better.

If you don't wanna buy another tank, a big ten to twenty gallon tupperware would also suit, since I don't figure you want to display them anyway.
 
Yep. I too would use the 5gal for red cherry shrimp. A 10g would be better, but a 5 would work. I put 8-10 of them in a planted 10g and wound-up with hundreds. I used to net them out and toss them in my other tanks or give them away.
 
What about those guppies you find in your local parks & streams? Quarantine them safe then toss them in a bin or plastic kiddy pool in your backyard. Throw in some aquatic plants for filtration and those guppies will do away with any mosquito. No heater needed...possible water garden. They'll multiply in no time.
 
Why not do both guppies and cherry shrimp in the same tank get a 40 breaded and let um over take the tank before you start feeding them to you fish. My datnoid loves um
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
MonsterFishKeepers.com
Top Bottom