Livebearer Breeding Advice

[sean11]

Hi,
I have some advice on female guppies, if you are going to use a breeding net the best way to do so is to watch her and as soon as you see the 1st fry put her in the net. I did this last night and she was done within 1/2 an hour and back into the community. Its funny, because they can store sperm they are still having the babies of my 3 male guppies which died about a month ago. She had 27 babies. This method causes less stress because they are only in the breeder net for 1/2 an hour - a few hours.

GOOD LUCK if you do end up breeding livebearers, its very rewarding

Thank you for reading my post,

sean11

I love guppies

 

[Christian21]

Wow Congratulations I know you must be happy

 

[sean11]

Thanks, I am happy 27 new mouths to feed its going to be fun (that souds sarcastic, but its not). I already have 6, 2 and a 1/2 month old guppies and 12, 1 and a 1/2 months old guppies, just adding to my mini zoo of pets.

Sean11

 

[blitztidus]

I still prefer using a fry tank and put the female in there a week or less before.

 

[tank212]

I agree with blitz I've had problems with breeding nets in the past. But aside from that congrats on your new fry.

 

[Christian21]

I also agree with him a long time ago when i use to put them in breeding nets mine use to get stuck trying to escape and die.

 

[guppymonkey]

Breeding nets can be very dangerous sometimes for all the reasons previously listed, although this is the first I have heard of the fry injuring themselves trying to escape). I have heard of fish jumping inside the nets to have a snack or even sucking fry out through the net. I have also seen problems with stunting caused by keeping the fry in breeder nets too long. If you put too large of a fish or add a fish to a net breeder too early they can become so stressed that they give birth prematurely. The resulting fry generally don't survive. The premature birth can also cause deformity or death to the mother.

On the other hand breeder nets can be useful to save fry from becoming lunch. Sometimes having extra tanks just isn't realistic. Some people might not want to have a dozen tanks of babies (I know I was shocked myself when I found out that some people felt this way ). In cases like these its best to try to time things and move the pregnant female as close to her due date as possible to reduce stress related problems.

 

[blitztidus]

Moving a female near birth, continuing with what guppymonkey said, can make the female prolong or abort the rest of them, that is why I use a breeder tank and move her a week before. It causes as least amount of stress as possible on the female this way.

 

[Sp00ky]

i have a seprate birthing tank and nursery tank for my LB's. i move them at least 2 week before they are due. When shes finished birthing, i move her back to the community tank and leave the fry for a week, then move them to a bigger nursery tank. Then the next female gets shipped in to birth !