Need lots of info - Want to have a quality tank of guppies

[chupchup]

Hi everyone!

I'm new to this. I've tried to find as much info as i can but do still need help. Firstly, what are the main requirements that guppies need. What equipment do i need to get? I do not wish to breed any guppies but wish to have high standard guppies. I do know that there is a need to maintain the ph level, temperatures etc etc. What can i do to maintain?

Please help me out. Really need lots of info. Thanks a whole lot!

[VSGenesis]

Hi there, what sort of guppies? The normal fancy ones? Albino red, moscow, blue grass etc?

The fancy ones are easy to keep and breed. Just leave them alone.

For the more pure strains, breeding them is a bit of a chore as they get weaker. So which one are you? I'm not an expert on those pure strains. Still learning. If you want this kind of pure strains get from breeder.


Equipment, hmm...definitely a tank and filter. Cycle. Temperature...shrugs. I don't have a chiller. Tank fluctuates between 26 to 29D. PH 7

For my own albino red, just pebbles, some small rocks, filters and an internal breeder tank with moss. Feed flakes once in 2 days. Feed them live worms once a week; wash before feeding. Oh always have a tank cover. Freaking guppy love jumping especially when your lights are on or off.


It's the breeding them that I'm learning. Maybe can get expert breeders to guide.


Method One
A strain of guppies is often separated into two or more sub-lines. Each sub-line is kept separate and bred within that line only. Some breeders will breed the lines with different characteristic emphasis such as different color shades, size, and finnage. This creates more genetic diversity. After 3 or more inbred generations the sub-lines are crossed with each other and then split into separate sub-lines again. Usually virgin females are exchange to implement this, but other combinations can be used to accomplish this. This method maintains the quality of the strain while revitalizing the lines by crossing within each other.


Method Two
Cross a line of guppies with a distant related line with the same or similar color characteristics. Often breeders with do this to improve the line with characteristic that their line does not have. First generation cross may produce vigorous large fish with the desired color or it can produce vigorous large fish with undesired color. For example sometimes a crossed between two lines with the same solid color will produce off colored or variegated fish. If the color result is not what is desired, a second generation sibling cross will result in some males with desired color. Careful selections of females with hues of the desired color need special attention for breeding. The first generation cross can also be crossed back to the original strain to bring back the desired color.

Some breeders will use guppies with the same color but different body color characteristics. Examples are Blue to Half-black Blue, Gold Red to Grey Red, Albino Red to Grey Red, and Solid Blue Snake to Blue female. A second generation brother to sister breeding is often required to bring out or to get rid of recessive traits.


Method Three
If there are no available lines with similar color as mentioned in method two, a breeder may resort to breeding to a completely different color type. This method will take extensive inbreeding, breeding back to the original line and careful selection of breeders to return back to the desired color. The benefits are improving the strain with traits not existent in the original line or a creation of a new color type. An exciting way to breed but very labor intensive.

[chupchup]

Thanks! I'm not looking to breed them though. I've taken a liking for the male ones.. especially those with large solid coloured tails. I do have a filter but have not gotten an air pump. Water temp seems to be stuck at 30 degree. I've totally no idea if there is enough oxygen. Bought a few guppies few days back. One died yesterday (possibly because it was sick when i bought it) and now another 2 are totally vertical in the water. One is floating and the other is at the bottom laying down (they are still struggling to survive though. It doesnt seem quite right. I'm not sure what i'm doing wrong. I did make sure to put anti-chlorine though. I've just one more left. Wish to improve my tank drastically. Am hoping that the last one won't die.

[VSGenesis]

Hi there.

Just asking as I don't have a full info of your setup. So here goes.
1) Did you cycle your tank? At least for 30 days? Checked parameters? No need to buy, ask a friend to share and use for a few days and return.
2) What filter is it? Internal, HOF? OHF? Cannister? (I use those cheap internal filters) More surface agitation, the better oxygen.
3) Not a good sign is when they lay there at the bottom for long hours. Also bad if they keep staying at the surface. They should be swimming freely, top, mid and bottom.
4) Did you dump them straight from the bag or did you acclimatise them first?
5) What sort of guppies are they? Describe colours.
6) Online always say temperature to be within 24-26D. I use a fan so max it goes is 29D. Heck care. The fish has a tolerance level. As long not above 30D should be fine. At 32D my planted tank starts turning brown.
7) Ah so you're just keeping the males. Well, guppies are known to live between 1 to 3 years.

[chupchup]

1) unfortunately did not cycle my tank. it was originally in just regular tap water and a plastic tank. therefore bought a new one and wanted to put them into a better environment. probably wasnt the best way to do.
2) it's a waterfall kinda filter.. hook on the side.
3) yes they seem to be rather sick. i'm guessing might be virus passed from the one that died last night. Those 2 already look quite weak.
4) i put them into a pail first then moved them to the tank. so did not acclimatise i guess..
5) the two that are sick now are regular ones that are sold for just $1, $2.. the one that is currently fine seems to be a black moscow (all black with a big fan-like tail). not quite sure but definitely looks like it.
6) temp doesnt seem to go above 30D
7) thanks for the info! males definitely look way nicer!

Thanks for all the help. greatly appreciated

[VSGenesis]

1) Should cycle the tank first bro/sis. Easiest way is to add 2 feeder fish or you can put fish food everyday (just a pinch) for two weeks. WC each week but not much. 20% percent will do. Wait for 1 month. Check parameters. Ammonia, Nitrite and Nitrate. Very very important to cycle tank first. We all been there. We want to buy everything in one day. Sadly, it doesnt work that way. If LFS keeper say can add fish on first day, tell them find another job.
2) That is Hang On Filter you got there. HOF for short. Does the flow / wave goes all the way to the front? I think just add one or two air stones to help with the aeration.
3) It can also be the ammonia, nitrite or the nitrate level bro/sis. Do a 50% water change. Pray it will help them. They may get through the cycling period. Maybe do 10-15 percent WC everyday? Use the water for plants.
4) Place the bag of fish in the tank and let it float there for 30 minutes or so. This is to allow the water temperature in the bag to match the tank temperature.
5) Hmm black moscow are really nice. Check out Aquastar from time to time. They have this strains but unsure when new stocks arrives. Y618 have them too but the single bag kind are expensive. A Grade cost $5 while AA Grade cost $15. Good breeders can sell them between $10 to $40
6) It should be fine. Maybe get a fan. Cost is less than $10. It'll help. But of course evaporation will be higher.
7) Definitely. =)

No problem.

[chupchup]

What are some types of feeder fish? Do they need special care? Totally agree.. shouldn't have bought everything immediately. I bought 3 of my guppies from Y618. Black moscow was from there too. From the price range probably an A grade. The one that died seemed to already be sick when i bought it. Unfortunately only realized when i saw it swimming strangely. Tail probably had fungus infection and was having a bloated stomach too. Will most likely get a fan. How do you check for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate?

[VSGenesis]

Oh feeder fish are those in bags. Lots of them. Like $2 for loads of them. People buy them to feed their bigger fish like Oscars and Aros. If you want to go fishless cycling, check out the sticky. It will tell you how.


Uneaten food, waste from fish = ammonia. Beneficial Bacteria converts them to nitrite and then another BB turns it into nitrate. There is a tolerable level for fish. Ammonia and Nitrite level should be kept at 0. Nitrate, anything below 20 is acceptable. How to test them? Use test kit. One time purchase to last like forever. Some experience folks don't bother checking.

On the 30th day they put in the fish cause they already know their parameters are within acceptable levels and they aren't keeping super duper expensive CRS or fish.


Start from Monday (No fish inside. Only your decoration, gravel, filter etc)
7th day - Test PH, Ammonia, Nitrite and Nitrate. Record it.
14th day - Test again. You will see Nitrite and Nitrate levels are up. (If you have fish, this is where they might die)
21st day - Test again. You will see Nitrite slightly down and Nitrate levels about same. (If you have fish, this is where they might die)
28th day - Test again. Ammonia and Nitrite should be at zero. Nitrate might be at 0, 10 or 20. As long 20 below should be fine. Best to have Nitrate below 10.


Note by the 4th week and you still getting Nitrite level and/or your Ammonia level is dark green, don't add fish. You will need to wait. There's not enough BB growing in the tank.

Personally for me I tested on day 7th and on the 30th day. (To experts. Do correct me if I am wrong. This is just what I observe when I did mine all the time when it comes to cycling)

Oh something that I realise, when testing my tap water, the ammonia reading is 0.25 and the PH level is either 7.8 or above. Just in case you are wondering, I'm using Prime for the water conditioner.

As said earlier, to find out more, go to the Sticky and look for Fishless Cycling or you can search for this AQ member by the name of Wongce, check out his blog. If I remember correctly, he talks about cycling as well.