How to Cross a Feeder Guppy With a Fancy Guppy
There are a variety of guppies available to the tropical fish hobbyist. Delta guppies with a triangular-shaped tail fin, fan guppies with a tail fin shaped like a fan and spade guppies with a tail fin shaped like a spade are just some of the different types of this fish. Breeding these fish to make more guppies is fairly easy. Those who are interested can create a style, color or size of guppy they desire by cross breeding different varieties.
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Things You'll Need
- fish tank
- aquarium heater
- aquatic plants or decoration
- powered fry food or fresh-hatched brine shrimp
Instructions
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Instructions
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1
Select the two guppies you wish to breed. This can be a fancy guppy with a feeder guppy, or any other pair you choose.
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2
Ensure your fish tank is at a desirable temperature for breeding. It should be between 74 and 82 degrees.
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3
Let the magic happen. The guppies will breed on their own without much more assistance from you other than their regular feeding schedule and a tank at the right temperature. Once a female guppy is fertilized, her gestation period is about 28 days, but can range from 21 up to 40 days depending on the amount of fry she's carrying. A pregnant guppy will develop a round belly and a dark patch on her underside from the fry inside her, according to Breeding Guppies' website.
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4
Create a stress-free environment for the guppy when it's time to give birth. Make sure the tank is in a low-traffic part of the house. Also, be careful not to make loud noises near the aquarium. If the fish gets stressed, she might give birth prematurely or not at all.
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5
Watch for the mother guppy to give birth. You can expect to see anywhere from 20 to 200 guppy fry in one gestation. Ensure there is plenty of shelter for the fry to take cover under so that they're not eaten by their mother or father, or stressed. A plant such as java moss or hornwort, or an aquarium decoration can provide great cover for the little fish.
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6
Feed your new guppies right away. They will be hungry and happy to chow down on freshly hatched brine shrimp or powered fry food. Just make sure not to overfeed them because this can pollute the tank.
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Tips & Warnings
According to Breeding Guppies' website, a male guppy will approach the female from below when breeding. The female can store his sperm inside of her for up to three month. This means she can spawn up to three times from just one fertilization.
