Guppy Full Care Guide for Beginners Food and Breeding Tips

The Guppies are among the most popular freshwater fish bread among fish lovers. These are also known as the rainbow fish. Guppies originally found in northeast South America, but due to their popularity now these colorful fishes can be found around the world in fish lovers houses.

Guppy Care Guide For Beginners

Due to their ability to adapt to various environmental conditions, these are widely chosen to be a pet fish in America as well as other parts of the world. Guppies are peaceful creatures and are commonly seen in the group. Guppies are active swimmers, during pregnancy, guppies tend to be shy and sometimes aggressive too. In this time they hide from other fished and avoid any interaction.

Male guppies are smaller than the females and have ornamental caudal which makes them the charm of any domestic fish tank. Generally, females are grey and males are found in different colors and patterns. Guppies are found in different shapes and patterns.

Food Guide For Guppy

Guppies are omnivores which means they can eat both live food and vegetables. Fish flakes are ideal food for the guppies. Most fish flakes in the market are full of fillers if you give these to your guppies they will suffer from health problems and also fade their natural bright color. It will also make the fish tank more dirty than usual.

To avoid these situations real ingredients content on package.

Live food like mosquito larva, bloodworm, and shrimps are good for guppies growth and to enhance there color overall. While you feed food like bloodworm and shrimps make sure to crush them to the size which guppies can easily eat and digest.

Adult guppies can eat twice a day only feed the quantity of food which guppies can eat within 2 minutes. It will reduce waste in the tank and also prevent guppies from overeating. To the fry, you should provide food from 4 to 5 times a day in small quantities. They will do just fine with the adult food like fish flakes, live food, vegetables, and frozen food just remember to crush it for the size of fry like adults put small quantities for better results.

Bonus: guppies are not a fussy eater so they are fine will any food you give to them from the above mentioned. The only concern is with the fish flaked many of them have bones in them which causes bad health in guppies. So before buying any fish flakes read the reviews given by other buyers.

Also don't feed only flakes to your guppies because flakes don't have all essential nutrients for the guppies growth so try to feed one meat of vegetable or live food to them. It will keep them healthy for a long period of time.

Disease Guide For Guppy

Although guppies are very stiff fishes they hardly catch any disease.

It doesn't make them invincible so now we will discuss some most common diseases found in guppies with their cure.

1. Ich

This disease is also known as white spot disease that also the damage it does it forms white spots on the body of fish. These spots are caused by the parasite which lives and expands on the guppies body. You can identify this disease if guppy has formed white spots, try to rub its body to other objects, and don't eat food properly.

Cure: Since the parasite arises due to the poor condition of water. First off all fill the tank with new water and increase tank temperature with slight difference also add some additional sea salt to prevent further formation of the parasite.

2. Fin rot/tail rot

This disease doesn't attack healthy fishes as depressed and fishes living in bad conditions are its common victims. This disease rots the fins and tail making them opaque and due to loss of blood. The disease is caused by the extreme fin nipping and bacteria which are formed in poor water conditions.

Cure: Prevent the water quality of the tank. If any fish is infected keep him away from the other fishes in a separate tank. Prevention of guppies from going into crowded fishes. Don't put guppies with aggressive fish bread.

3. Fungus

In this, a white woolen like substance is formed on the fins and body of fish. It commonly formed due to poor water conditions and extreme fin nipping. It commonly attacks weak and sick fishes. One can identify this disease fish is having white woolen like substance on the body.

Cure: Treat the water properly and use products that prevent fungus in the water. Separate the sick fishes in an isolated tank to prevent further contamination.

Bonus: Most diseases in fishes are caused by water quality or food quality. About food, we have already talked about it. Now we will further discuss how to keep water quality healthy for fishes.

Tank Maintenance Guide For Guppy

As the natural habitat of guppies is South America, warm water temperature is best for them. As a fish keeper, the most important thing is to maintain fishes good health.

For that tank maintenance guide is a must. Guppies are small fishes 10-gallon water tanks are the best size to be their home.

Quality Of Water 

It should be your top priority if the fish tank's water quality is good then it can benefit guppies in many ways like it will prevent many diseases that we have discussed earlier.

Regular water change is where you can start.
Then you should also look for the ph level of your water. Guppies can bear a wide range from 5.5 to 8.5 but the ideal levels are from 7.0 to 7.2 to be exact.

Temperature Of Tank

As we discussed earlier warm is best suitable for guppies. If your tank's temperature is not between 75 to 82°F then invest in a good quality heater for the tank to keep the temperature constantly favorable.

Decor Ideas For Guppy Tank

Now it's time to show your efforts to your friends and family members by filling your tank full of colorful guppies and beautiful items like plants, rocks, and different sands.

Best Tankmates Of Guppy

Tankmates are like neighborhoods if it is good then you can peacefully live in your house and if not you will be circled are unnecessary problems.

Fishes which are compatible with guppies

1. Platy Fish
They are mates made for each other. Both fishes share the same water conditions and diets. So they are best if you want to set up your first community tank.

2. Molly Fish
These are another great freshwater fish bread compatible with guppies as they also share the same water conditions and food.

3. Swordtail Fish
This fish bread is also fully compatible with guppies as they are also peaceful in nature and prefer the same habitat as guppies do. They also live in groups as do guppies.

4. Cory Catfish
These friendly fish rather than being a good companion also work as a cleaner. These fishes most of the time swim near the bottom and eat leftover food by other fishes. These fishes have a delicate body so I don't recommend habitat them in gravel base tanks tank rather tanks with sand base work perfectly with them.

Breeding Guide For Guppy

Guppies multiplies like crazy they don't have any control over them. So to prevent this situation to maintain female to male ration which is 2:1 the ideal one.

Signs of pregnant guppy

1. Not Swimming
It is a condition when guppy looks to swim but they really aren't. They keep willing their tail in the water while staying at the same spot for a long period.

2. Hiding
During pregnancy, guppies tend to hide from other fishes and their owner to. In this situation, they hide in plants and tend to move to darker areas of the tank.

3. Aggressive
It is one of the traits found in guppies during pregnancy. While guppies are peaceful fish bread they show aggression toward other fishes during this time.

Feeding During Pregnancy 

Food is the ultimate necessity but it becomes more than that during the pregnancy. In this period guppy can't eat in large quantities as before because now they have her many babies in her belly. Feed 4 to 5 times a day each time a small quantity which she can finish in one go. It will prevent the tank from getting dirty.

Delivery Of Fry

Manage to arrange two separate tanks one for mother and other for fry. Separate mother from other fishes when you know that she is pregnant. After the she gave birth separate mother from fry so that they didn't get eaten by their own mother. It will also give the mother guppy to take some rest after pregnancy before going to the community tank.

Good and healthy food is also important for baby guppies. Providing them food for three to four times a day is considered a healthy count by many experts. During their first four weeks,  they grow the mast and good food plays an important rule in this.

Pro tip: Keep 2 guppies per gallon of water.

Summary
Guppies are peaceful fish bread easy to take care of and suitable for beginners who are just starting with fish keeping. Guppies prefer to eat 2 to 3 times a day. Good quality fish flakes are ideal guppy meals with the rotation of live food like mosquito larva etc. They like fresh warm water as their habitat. These fishes are crazy for sex not multiplies quickly so birth control is essential. Keep guppy fry away from the reach of other fishes until they are grown.