Breeding Guppies – A Palette Of Possibilities
Guppies, among the most common aquarium fish are also among the most prolific breeders – put a couple together, and they will breed, giving birth to anything upto 200 fry every 28 days or so. Moreover, female guppies have the ability to store sperm for upto 3 months, so the females can give birth about 3 times, after only once breeding with a male, and after giving birth, the female is ready for conception again within only a few hours.
What makes breeding guppies even more fascinating, is the variety of colors and shapes that guppies are available in, and hence the possibilities when it comes to the offspring – for all you know, you could create your own strain (of course, that would also need a lot more research).
To begin breeding, ensure that you have high quality fish to start with. While a small tank works, it would be better to have a tank of at least 10 gallons. One tablespoon of aquarium salt should be added for each ten-gallons of water. Guppies do much better in water that has a little salt added to it. For breeding, a temperature to 74-78 degrees F (23-25 degrees F) works very well.
The best way to condition your fish for breeding would be to feed them a varied diet of live food and flakes. Make sure the water is cycled to avoid any ammonia or nitrite spikes.
While breeding, the male will approach the female from below and extend his gonopodium, (the front rays of the anal fin of male livebearers, modified to serve as a reproductive organ) and intends to impregnate the female. Once the female is pregnant, she develops a large round belly and will also have a dark patch on her belly which is the fry, and which is called the gravid spot.
Now is the time that you should ideally separate the female into another tank till she gives birth. You should remember that guppy fry are considered a delicacy among all other species of fish, and hence you would need to take extra care. Be sure to remove the female as well once she gives birth. If, on the other hand, you are continuing with them in the same 
tank, ensure there is plenty of cover – java moss helps here since it is quite thick and dense making it hard for bigger fish to enter providing a safe shelter for the guppy fry to grow.
The fry will be ready to eat pretty much anything you can give them a few hours after being born they will be eating anything they can, you can feed the guppy fry freshly hatched brine shrimp and liquid or powered fry food. Make sure not to over feed them as the uneaten food will pollute the tank and will kill your guppy fry. Do regular water changes to keep the water quality ok and in turn will promote growth.
It will usually take between 1-2 months until you can determine the sex of the guppy fry. As they develop, look for males on a daily basis and quickly move them to a male holding tank. This serves a dual purpose. First it gives you control over the breeding population. Second, it speeds up growth because females tend to grow faster if there aren’t any males around.
Here’s a video of a guppies being born:
Must reads:
Guppy – The Many Coloured Millionsfish
Sex Is The Weapon For Guppies In Mexico
