Bender Posted September 23, 2009 Report Share Posted September 23, 2009 I have a hord of little guppies here from Darenn, I have fallen in love with them, and so now I'm on a quest to find out how best to care for them. I know they will eat ANYTHING, and aren't fussy, but I would like to know the BEST diet for them. I have ample suply of grindal worms and vinegar eels, and they love them, but I am concerned that this will not provide a complete diet. De-capped bbs go down a treat, do these have an added benefit? I know they are not the cheapest food, but I have alot of them so happy to feed them every few feeds if it will make a difference. Anything else you would add in? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ninoid12 Posted September 23, 2009 Report Share Posted September 23, 2009 heya, i dont know much, but i have just gotten some guppies too. I have been giving them spectrum small fish food. I believe this is very good stuff. Ive been alternating it with frozen bloodworm as i feed that to the mollies in the tank. They eat the smaller bits and the mollies get the big worms Photos? Im planning on setting up a guppy display tank. They look so good en-mass :( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anasfire Posted September 23, 2009 Report Share Posted September 23, 2009 When I had guppies I just fed them the fry powder I sell lol. They seemed to love it and grew fast on it too. That's all I've ever fed them until they were big enough to eat bloodworm and flake with the adults Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terribletegs Posted September 23, 2009 Report Share Posted September 23, 2009 Microworms for the smallest, then whatever they will eat. Make sure they get some greens, they need greens in their diet. Spirulina flakes work well, as do mushed-up peas. Mine get just about everything, except I am not feeding them so much dried and live worms (grindals, blackworms, tubifex) at the moment because I need them for the picky baby bettas! Currently they get: Crushed flake (6 different kinds) Crushed/tiny pellets (5 different kinds) Peas Frozen bloodworm and daphnia Live daphnia and microworms, occasionally mozzie larvae They get microworms at least once a day and then I rotate everything else. I like variety. I feed on average 3 times a day. Remember: feed like crazy (as often as every two hours if you feel like it) and do frequent, huge waterchanges. This is the way to get fast growth and super healthy babies. If you don't want fast growth, you can do whatever you normally do for the adults - they'll still all be fine, just won't grow as fast. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ninoid12 Posted September 23, 2009 Report Share Posted September 23, 2009 good tips. I only have two females atm so no babies (yet!). But i will probably do the same :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terribletegs Posted September 23, 2009 Report Share Posted September 23, 2009 2 'virgin' females can quickly turn into hundreds of guppies, lol! Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hobbygodz Posted September 23, 2009 Report Share Posted September 23, 2009 Yep, it doesn't take long for guppies to multiply. In around 6 months my endler population has gone from seven to sixty or so. Cute little fellas but most will have to go soon before it gets out of control! -Brad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darennkj Posted September 23, 2009 Report Share Posted September 23, 2009 Hi Julia! Glad that you liked them. They are a very interesting bunch aren't they? And I see you've been spoiling them with live food! It's best to feed them a variety of different types of food. I use spectrum (Grow and TheraA) and flakes as a staple, dried blackworms and BBS once in a while, and live blackworms once in a blue moon The problem I find with feeding them live food all the time is that they will start to get picky. And since I'm not trying to breed show quality guppies, I don't pump them on protein. If you really want the fry to grow faster, feed them a high protein diet, around 5-6 times a day, and have the tank on 26C. Also, have a look at this site (you'll love it): GuppyWiki All your questions answered Regards, Daren. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bender Posted September 23, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 23, 2009 (edited) Thanks Daren, that looks like a great site! 5-6 times a day? I thought I was over doing it with 3! Nina, how do you like them? I like how chaotic they are, very different to betta. As mine are juvies they are not very colourful yet, but they are fun to watch. They aren't in a display tank as such, just a 2ft I had cycled for the betta fry that never eventuated. Excuse the crap on the floor! The cloudiness is because the water is jumping with the vinegar eels I just added. I think I may have overdone it, but will check in a few hours and do a water change if there are still to many left. Despite their youth, I'm pretty sure a few of the girls are pregnant. This girl for sure, she is the biggest of all the guppies. I think maybe this one too. Here are a couple of the more coloured boys. There are a few with a pretty white dorsal like the top fellow, and a few others like the one sculking at the bottom that sugest they have endler heritage. Hehe! Cassi the first thing I gave them was the powder I got from you, and they get a little of that through the day if I think to drop some in. I have so many grindal cultures at the moment it is really nice to be able to use them. Daphnia is a good idea Tegan. I have a rich green water culture that I was thinking I'll add some when the first fry are dropped. Brad, I think with the head start Daren gave me, I may be out of control already! :) Edited September 23, 2009 by Bender Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ninoid12 Posted September 23, 2009 Report Share Posted September 23, 2009 My two are small but have those dark patches at the back of their bellies. I am thinking they might be preg already, even as little bubs!!!???!!! They are so cute, yeah they will colour up well once grown up. As youngsters they look gorgeous though. Hope you get some nice colourful ones :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terribletegs Posted September 23, 2009 Report Share Posted September 23, 2009 Nina, the dark patches are always visible on some strains (not visible on others) - even when not pregnant. That's how you can sex babies at one a few weeks old. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter16 Posted September 24, 2009 Report Share Posted September 24, 2009 Hey terribletegs, is that the case with the mutts you gave me a while back? as they have just dropped their young and still show this patch. PS the BN's are doing really well. favourite fish in the tank! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darennkj Posted September 24, 2009 Report Share Posted September 24, 2009 Hey Julia, 5-6 times a day if you really want to pump them up. I only feed mine between 1-3 times a day. They don't grow as fast, but they do reach full size eventually though. That website explains the pros and cons of different guppy feeding regimes. Having a gravid spot definitely means it's a female, but does not necessarily mean they are pregnant. The gravid spot is lighter or darker depending on the strain of guppy of have. Some of the females I gave you are definitely pregnant. Daren. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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