Feeder Guppies

Overview

• Scientific Name: Poecilia reticulata
• Common Names: Feeder Guppies, Common Guppies
• Type: A small, hardy livebearer fish, often used as live food for predatory fish but also kept in home aquariums due to their adaptability and rapid breeding.

Appearance

• Body Color: Feeder guppies typically have more muted colors compared to fancy guppies. They are often greyish or silver with occasional splotches of dull color. Males may exhibit some brighter coloration, such as orange, yellow, or blue, but it’s less pronounced than in ornamental strains.
• Size:
  • Males typically grow to about 1.5 inches (3.8 cm).
  • Females are slightly larger, growing to about 2 inches (5 cm).
• Fins: Males usually have a longer and more pointed dorsal fin, with a slight extension of the tail fin compared to females.
• Lifespan: Usually live for 1-2 years in captivity but can be shorter if kept in less optimal conditions (like feeder tanks).

Habitat and Tank Requirements

• Aquarium Size:

  • A minimum of 10 gallons is recommended for small groups. For larger breeding colonies or multiple guppies, a 20-gallon tank or larger is ideal.

• Water Parameters:

  • Temperature: 72-82°F (22-28°C).
  • pH: 7.0-8.0.
  • Hardness: 8-12 dGH.
  • Filtration: Feeder guppies are adaptable but benefit from good filtration to keep the water clean, especially in heavily stocked tanks.
  • Substrate: They aren’t picky about the substrate, but fine gravel or sand works well.

Diet and Feeding

• Diet Type: Omnivorous.
• Feeding Schedule: Feed 2-3 times daily, providing small portions that they can consume within a few minutes.
• Food Options:
  • High-quality flakes or micro-pellets.
  • Live or frozen foods like brine shrimp, daphnia, and bloodworms.
  • Vegetable-based foods such as spirulina flakes or blanched vegetables can be included occasionally.

Behavior and Temperament

• Social Nature: Guppies are peaceful and social fish. They are happiest when kept in groups of 5 or more, especially since they thrive in social environments.
• Compatibility: They can be kept with other small, peaceful fish such as tetras, rasboras, and corydoras. In mixed tanks, avoid large or aggressive species that might see guppies as food.
• Activity Level: They are active swimmers, often exploring all areas of the tank, but they prefer the middle and upper regions.
• Temperament: Feeder guppies are generally peaceful and non-aggressive, though males may chase females during breeding.

Breeding

• Breeding Type: Feeder guppies are livebearers, meaning they give birth to free-swimming fry rather than laying eggs.
• Breeding Behavior: Males will constantly court females, often resulting in continuous breeding if both sexes are kept together.
• Fry Care: Guppy fry are small and often seen as food by adult fish, even by their parents. To ensure survival, you can:
  • Provide plenty of hiding spots using plants or breeding grass.
  • Use a breeding box or separate the fry into a separate tank until they grow larger.
  • Fry can be fed crushed flakes, baby brine shrimp, or liquid fry food.

Health and Care

• Regular Maintenance:

  • Weekly water changes of 25-30% are recommended to maintain water quality, especially in heavily stocked tanks.
  • Monitor ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate levels to ensure good water conditions.

• Common Diseases:

  • Ich (White Spot Disease): Can be treated by raising the temperature and using medications.
  • Fin Rot: Caused by poor water quality; treat with antibacterial medication and improve water conditions.
  • Velvet Disease: Appears as a fine golden dust on the fish and is treatable with copper-based medications or specific anti-parasitic treatments.

Feeder Use

• Purpose: Feeder guppies are often bred and kept in large numbers to serve as food for predatory fish, reptiles, and amphibians like arowanas, cichlids, turtles, and frogs.
• Care: Even though they are often used as feeders, it’s important to keep them in clean, well-maintained environments to avoid passing diseases to the predators that consume them.