Setting Up A Breeding Tank

[tailormadefish]

Hi Guys/Girls

I've recently invested in a 2nd tank for breeding my guppys as I wanted to save them. The 2nd tank's spec is around about 20 Litres with a Filte, Heater (Around 75F) with gravel and one ornament (No Light? do I need one?). Few plants at the bottom aswell. I've let the tank cycle for a few weeks and done regular water changes so all should be ok.

Now here's my question and maybe a problem not sure. I've placed my 2 female guppys in the breed tank ready to give birth. They have been in there for about a week no but no signs of fry in the tank. One of them has gone really big and am not sure why I can't see any fry unless she's eaten them?
My question is, is it safe to leave the other female in the same tank as I've got a feeling that shes probably eaten the new fry. Not sure?

Hope someone can give me advise about setting up a new breeding tank as am just a begineer.

Thanks

 

[TropicalLad21]

Either female will eat the fry, so even if you left the 1 female in she would still probably eat her fry...

If you want fry to survive you will need to heavily plant your tank to slim the chances of the fry being eating.

If your tank has real plants, then yes you need a light if not then it don't really matter.

And concerning you tank being cycled - it doesn't sound like it is at all. have a read of the fishless cycling in the beginners resource centre.

 

[snazy]

You do need light for the proper development of the fry. And I would only put one female at a time when possible, otherwise the chances of the fry getting eaten is doubled
The fry do hide in the gravel and sometimes if you are not looking properly you won't see them. They obviously won't swim around when there are adults in the same tank.

 

[tailormadefish]

Either female will eat the fry, so even if you left the 1 female in she would still probably eat her fry...

If you want fry to survive you will need to heavily plant your tank to slim the chances of the fry being eating.

If your tank has real plants, then yes you need a light if not then it don't really matter.

And concerning you tank being cycled - it doesn't sound like it is at all. have a read of the fishless cycling in the beginners resource centre.

Thanks for your reply

I've got some plastic plants I can put in the tank for now. Shall we spread them over the top of the water?

Regarding the cycling. I've done various water changes and supplied 50% of the orginal tank's water into the breeding tank. I've read somewhere thats wise to do as it contains the right levels of bacteria etc..

You do need light for the proper development of the fry. And I would only put one female at a time when possible, otherwise the chances of the fry getting eaten is doubled
The fry do hide in the gravel and sometimes if you are not looking properly you won't see them. They obviously won't swim around when there are adults in the same tank.

Thanks for that info. I'll remove one of the females and put her back in the main tank.

 

[snazy]

Just to add, that if your breeding tank is not cycled and there is toxic ammonia and nitrite in the water, the fish can abort from the stress or at least delay the birth. How do you know they were ready to drop?
If you have a cycled tank, get some of the matured filter sponges from it and put in the filter of the breeder tank, depending on the sponges/media of course.
Another think is, if the filter intake in the breeder tank is not covered, it can suck the fry into it. What type of filter do you have in it?

 

[tailormadefish]

One of the Guppy's has gone very Large and still is tobe honest. I'll need to a Tester Kit and test what the ammonia and nitrite is in the water. Unfortnately The filter in the main tank and the the breeding tank are very different. I have a Fluva (Can't remember the model number)and have a Ehiem one in the breeding tank. I'll have to put some plastic plants around the filter as I can see your point.

 

[snazy]

You still may be able to squeeze a bit of junk, or take a piece of the filter media and move it(in other words transfer some bacteria) from the mature filter to the breeding tank.
Chances are your breeding tank is during a cycle and you can kill your pregnant female, so keep up with water changes until you are able to test. If there was no fish and you did not do a fishless cycle with ammonia in the tank when you let it run previosly for a couple of weeks, then there was no ammonia, therefore cycle only started after you added the pregnant guppies.
If the female guppy is due, she would have her anal area kind of squared off, like it's ready to open. If she was pregnant when you put her a week ago, considering some of mine take 3 weeks between births, she shouldn't be that long. I think the longest I have waited is 4 weeks for a guppy.
Some folks here suggest a sponge over the intake tube of a filter in a breeding net. A plant might not help too much if the filter is strong.

Whatever you do, good luck with it. It's a great feeling raising guppy fry and watching their colours change

 

[tailormadefish]

Morning Guys,

I've taken your advise and removed the another female back in to the main tank. I've also squeezed junk from the old filter into the breed tank. The pregnant guppy looks settled. She was trying to jump out at points but shes fine now. The black dot seems have faded slight or it may just be the lighting.I've also layed some pastic planting floating onto of the water. Trying to save the fry and lowered the power setting on the filter as it was on full.

I've attached some Pictures. Please correct me if am wrong with my setup.

 

[snazy]

The tank looks good to me. Make sure there is light when the fry are born, the more and longer, the better.

She was trying to jump out at points but shes fine now.

They do that if they are stressed from bad water conditions, so don't forget this tank is still cycling.

 

[tailormadefish]

Good news then.

I'll get a Light sorted for the tank. Thanks again.

 

[micko]

No need for a light at all.
is that tank on or beside a window ledge? I only ask as it seems to have daylight showing behind it?
I've raised livebearer fry and betta fry with no light, just sitting beside the window and have the tank heavily planted too.

 

[tailormadefish]

Its very close to a window ledge. So i see your point about the light. I'll give i a miss for now then. Thanks for that info.

Just a waiting game now until the mother drops her fry...