Guppy Breeding

Fancy guppies, with their attractive colors and variable fin shapes and sizes, make attractive fish species to breed in home aquariums. Guppies require a simple aquarium setup and will breed on their own without any environmental adjustments or special care. Female guppies give birth to live young every three to four weeks, making it easy to populate a large aquarium with only a few adult fancy guppies in a matter of months.

  1. Aquarium Setup

    • A simple 10-gallon aquarium with small gravel substrate makes an ideal breeding aquarium for guppies. Fill the aquarium with dechlorinated tap water, and install a simple corner filter to oxygenate and filter the water. Guppies are resilient fish and do not require the aquatic environment to go through chemical cycling. Introduce guppies directly to the aquarium once it is set up. Add live aquatic plants to help maintain the chemical levels in the aquarium, and provide small microhabitats for baby guppies to hide in.

    Biology and Care

    • Male and female guppies are easy to distinguish from one another. Males are smaller and often have elaborate colors and longer fins to attract females. Females have conspicuous bellies where baby guppies develop. Keep at least two females and three to four males to create an initial breeding population. Feed your guppies tropical fish flakes or brine shrimp once each day to maintain their health and breeding vigor in your aquarium.

    Female Care

    • Females will become much larger when gestating. Often, the eyes of developing fry will be visible through the transparent skin of the mother's belly. Watch females carefully when they are about to give birth. Females are slower than males, so it's important to ensure they receive enough food during feedings to support their increased energy demands.

    Baby Guppy Care

    • Mature male and female guppies will eat small fry as soon as they emerge from their mother, which is why it is crucial to have plants in the aquarium with plenty of small places for the fry to hide. You can also install a breeding net in the aquarium, which is composed of a fine mesh divider that allows small guppies to swim through, but not adults. Baby guppies will readily feed on crushed fish flakes and brine shrimp as soon as they are born and develop quickly with regular feeding.