Detailed Explanation of Guppy Breeding Methods and Technical Points
Guppies are beloved by many breeding experts and hobbyists for their brilliantly colorful body colors, making them a true ornamental fish. Those who know the market are well aware that guppies are a fish that is not particularly easy to keep, with relatively high requirements for water quality and other environmental conditions. Let's take a look at the breeding methods for guppies below!
Living Habits of Guppies
Guppies are a tropical fish species, so their requirements for water quality and temperature are not very high, and guppies also have very strong adaptability. Generally, they can survive well when the water temperature is above 18°C. It is just that this fish does not like to swim around much. When changing water, the temperature of the new water and the old water should best be kept consistent. Guppies are gentle in temperament and also very small in body size, so they should generally not be mixed with other fish to avoid fights.
Breeding Methods of Guppies
Guppies have strong reproductive capacity, but a certain breeding temperature must be maintained. The most suitable water temperature is generally 24°C, with a hardness of around 8. The gonadal development maturation period of guppies is from April to May, and the number of fry produced is generally between 5 and 150. Guppies can produce fry once every month, and their lifespan is generally 2-3 years.
When guppies are breeding, they should be placed in a birthing tank for delivery. Some aquatic plants or moss can be placed at the bottom of the tank to ensure that the fry have places to hide. In addition, after the guppy fry are born, they should be scooped out immediately to prevent them from being eaten.
Guppy Breeding Methods
1. Water temperature: The water temperature should generally be controlled between 18°C and 34°C. If it is below 18°C, guppies will show symptoms such as loss of appetite and listlessness. They are also very susceptible to diseases such as water mold. As a feng shui fish, it is generally fine. But if raised as a food fish, it needs to be kept according to the situation.
2. pH value: The most suitable pH value for guppies is generally between pH 6.5 and pH 7.5. This pH value has a very large impact on guppies. Even slightly above or below this pH may cause guppies to die.
3. Hardness: As for hardness, the requirement for guppies is generally around 10-15 degrees. Although experts say so, in real life there are also completely different examples, just like Germany and Japan, where the water quality in one place is hard water and the other is soft water. Yet guppies can survive in both places just the same.
4. Nitrite concentration: Nitrite concentration also affects guppies. If the concentration is too high, it is still harmful to guppies.
5. Feed: Guppy feed issues can be divided into three types: flake feed, pellet feed, and frozen feed. Of course, there are also feeds specially developed for them.
① Artificial feed: There are already quite a lot of types of artificial feed sold on the market, roughly divided into three types: flake feed, pellet feed, and frozen feed. These feeds are the easiest to obtain and the easiest to feed. In addition, there is also feed specially developed for guppies, which should also be the choice of most guppy owners as a staple food, and its nutritional composition is also quite complete.
② Feeding live bait: The use of live bait has always received mixed reviews, because the nutritional value of live bait is of course far superior to artificially processed feed, but what comes with it is a safety issue. We must be cautious, otherwise the aftereffects will make you feel that it would have been better to just feed feed!
6. Tank cleaning and water changing
① Full tank cleaning: Fill a rearing box with water, scoop all guppies into the rearing box, and remember to cover it to prevent the guppies from jumping out. Then stir the bottom sand, clean the filter tank, and siphon out all the water, then move it out of the tank, repeatedly clean the bottom sand, and soak the worm cup, bottom wave plate, and filter base in hot water. Then pour 60°C hot water around the tank, install the equipment into the tank in order, then inject rearing water, and add nitrifying bacteria and water stabilizer, and adjust the water temperature. After about half an hour, the fish can be released.
② Siphoning the bottom and changing water: Use a siphon hose to clean the bottom sand, brush the tank walls, siphon out about 2/3 of the water, then inject water from the storage tank, and add digestive bacteria. This is generally used when there are a large number of tanks.