How to Breed Guppies for Beginners

Guppies are small, freshwater fish that easily kept and easily bred. They produce live young, and the breeding process is a straightforward one, which is ideal for a new aquarium hobbyist. You may choose to breed guppies for size or for color, but choose parents that are least one month old and that look healthy. Culling the fry is also important, as each female guppy produces between 30 and 50 fry per brood.

Things You'll Need

  • 10-gallon tank
  • Dechlorinated water
  • Tank heater
  • Aquarium thermometer
  • Floating plastic tank
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Instructions

    • 1

      Fill a 10-gallon tank with dechlorinated water. Remove between 2 and 3 cups of the water every day and replace it with more dechlorinated water to keep the water quality high.

    • 2

      Install a tank heater to the side of the tank and set it to between 74 and 78 degrees. This is slightly higher than the normal temperature for guppies.

    • 3

      Attach an aquarium thermometer to the side of the tank. A thermometer allows you to monitor the temperatures in the tank.

    • 4

      Place several floating plastic plants in the water. The plastic plants give the fry a place to hide, as their mother will eat them after they are born.

    • 5

      Place a male and female guppy in the breeding tank.

    • 6

      Keep the male and female in the breeding tank for a week, feeding them as you would normally.

    • 7

      Remove the male guppy from the tank.

    • 8

      Watch for the female guppy to spawn. The female spawns 30 days after a successful breeding.