Tips for Breeding Livebearers!

Nameless · Senior Member Joined: 04 Jun 2004 Posts: 958

Now that I have my guppy pair (male and female, but I am going to buy a new female tomorrow) and my sunset platy pair ( fe/male) and I am going to buy my silver molly pair, I think that I would like them to breed. Any tips?

Fish Addict · Posted: Mon Jun 06, 2005 12:34 am Post subject:

with livebearers allways keep a higher female to male ratio like 3to1 it takes the stress off of the female

Nameless · Senior Member Joined: 04 Jun 2004 Posts: 958

Alrightt. Any other advice.

grnlemonade · Super Senior Member Joined: 24 Mar 2004 Posts: 1027

hmmm, i belibve they need some salt in the water to help.....maybe a tablespoon of aquarium salt per every 10 gallons. im not 100% on that so you might want to do a little research. in general livebearers give birth easier with some salt in the water.

Nameless · Senior Member Joined: 04 Jun 2004 Posts: 958

I thought, you only do that to mollies. Anyways, I got my two female guppies and the male, so I am ready to breed them.

Nameless · Senior Member Joined: 04 Jun 2004 Posts: 958

If I don't have any plants in my tank but i Have a small open ended cave, a gian t shell and a open ended clay pot it that ok for hiding places for they young, cause once they are in the community tank I will move them to my 2 gallon bowl for some time.

Aqueous · Posted: Tue Jun 07, 2005 8:51 pm Post subject:

Nameless · Senior Member Joined: 04 Jun 2004 Posts: 958

A few people told me about that but I did not believe what they had to say at first but now I think it might be true now. Thanks.

Trickster · Member Joined: 05 Apr 2005 Posts: 309 Location: My Chair

IVe been down this path and i have learned alot. a important thing is that when the babies are dropped u wana do it in a graveless tank, then u can see which of them cant swim up and drag themselves arcross the bottom of the tank, if they are like that REMOVE THEM, and unfrotunately, destroy them Sad

. Aquarium Salt helps fight off infections and disease to the newborns so also add that to the graveless tank, i would recommend getting a seperate 10g as a drop tank. (with a box filter and no other fish in there) after the drop remove the mother because they tend to eat the babies.

I am currently myself trying to breed my swordtails (as my other pregnent one died). Most live bearers are pregnent for around 3-4 weeks, so in that period u wana move em into the drop tank. and slowly get the mother use to a bit of aquarium salt, so when u do the transfeer the change from pure freshwater to part salt water wont be shocking and stressfull. Consutl ur LFS on how much salt to add.

You probly wont be able to sell em for much because most sellers got their sources, but i would if i were u give the babys u aient gonna keep away to any good home. Its best to buy young fish for breeding because then they are more sexualy active. And definatly the female to male ratio.

And basicly do alot of research, alot of good sites out there.