Posted by @Chris_Lewis · 14h ago
Guppies are the classic first breeding project — livebearers that practically do it themselves. Here's the full arc.
Start with a trio: one male to two or three females reduces stress on any single female. Females can store sperm, so a female from the store is often already pregnant.
Spotting a pregnant female: a darkening "gravid spot" near the rear belly and a boxy, squared-off shape. Gestation runs roughly 28 days.
The birth: guppies drop live, free-swimming fry — no eggs to fuss over. The catch is that adult guppies (including mom) will happily eat the fry. To save them, give the tank dense cover — clumps of Java moss or floating plants like hornwort — so fry can hide, or move the female to a separate well-planted tank and return her after she drops.
Raising fry: feed small and often — finely crushed flake and, ideally, baby brine shrimp, which supercharges growth. Keep water clean with gentle (sponge-filtered) flow and small frequent changes. They grow fast.
Selecting: if you care about color/finnage, choose which males stay with the females; guppies will otherwise interbreed freely and colors drift over generations.
Check temperament and care specifics on the species database, and confirm your grow-out tank's bioload in the Tank Builder.
Your turn: share your trio and setup — we'll help you set up for the first drop and troubleshoot fry survival.