Breeding Livebearers

Breeding Guppies:  Guppies are live bearing killifish (tooth carp mosquito fish) and very easy to breed.  In fact, guppies are known (legendary) for their frequent and huge brood sizes, equally as much for their diversity in color and finnage.  Brood sizes are contingent upon the size and age of the female, genetic disposition of the strain, growing space, and food availability.  

    To save fry, either isolate the female prior to birthing or have plenty of plants, including floating plants to provide fry a place to hide.  Parents and other fish enjoy baby guppies as a food source.  Baby guppies do well on any food, however, live foods such as newly hatched brine shrimp nauplii give them a much better start.

Breeding Mollies: Belong to the same genus as guppies, but reproductively isolated from them. Although they are harder to breed than Swordtails and Guppies their breeding is still prolific.  Have plenty of hiding places for fry.  

    Babies will feed on vegetable flake food. Since they come from brackish waters, salt in the water will help with breeding, increase growth rates, and add more color.  Fry fish do well on any food, however, live foods such as newly hatched brine shrimp nauplii give them a much better start.

Breeding Platy : Floating plants will help with the survival of the baby Platys, as the parents may turn carnivorous. Breeding comes naturally to livebearers, so virtually no effort is needed to breed them.

    The babies should be removed to ensure their survival.  Platy fry do well on any food, however, live foods such as newly hatched brine shrimp nauplii give them a much better start.  Mature in about 4 months.

Breeding Swordtails:  Easy to breed.  As with guppies, platys & mollies, have plenty of hiding spaces for fry, or separate from parents and raise alone for about 2-3 weeks, before trying to reintroduce to the community.

    Swordtail fry do well on any food, however, live foods such as newly hatched brine shrimp nauplii give them a much better start.