How to Prepare For Pregnant Guppies

Guppies are a great small live-bearing fish that are easy to care for - even for the novice fish keeper. Guppies are a great first choice of fish because they are small, can be kept in smaller fish tanks, and do not need any special foods to thrive. One thing that many beginners enjoy about guppies is that they are quite simple to breed successfully. All that it takes for preparing for pregnant guppies is to remember these three easy tips.

1 - Feed pregnant guppies well. Each female guppy can have up to 60 tiny babies in her every month. She requires enough energy to properly care for the developing eggs and babies. Since they hold them for up to four weeks before giving birth then start a new cycle almost right away, it is important to feed these fish well. A good quality flake food should be given two or three times per day. Overfeeding will destroy the water quality while underfeeding will lead to unhealthy babies.

2 - Be ready for the babies before they are born. There are two basic artificial ways to help ensure a higher survival rate of guppy fry. One is a breeder trap, and the other is a breeder net. The trap has a small area for the mother with a slot that the fry slip through when born. Babies are kept safe from the adult. The net is just a way to keep a mother away from the community fish tank for the birth of the babies. The pregnant guppies can still eat the babies if not removed fast enough.

3 - Have lots of hiding places. When pregnant guppies are ready to "drop" the babies, they will try to seek cover in the tank. Providing caves and a bunch of plants will make them feel safe and also protect fry that can seek shelter. Good plants include java moss, java ferns, floating plants, and grasses. Driftwood and caves are also helpful in this regard.

Besides writing about guppies, John enjoys many aquatic topics. Most recently, he has started a website about custom fish tanks. Learn about why to buy wall mounted aquariums!

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