Guppy Features

Perhaps the most popular pets among those people who are just starting to populate their first aquariums are guppy fish. They are elegant, bright and immediately attract attention. Such underwater creatures are nice to watch. Let's talk about how to properly keep guppies so that they please you as long as possible.

Since the guppy fish themselves are small, they should choose the appropriate aquarium. As a rule, these are containers with a volume of 25 or 50 liters. If it is not planned to share some larger neighbors, then this will be quite enough for the guppies. However, it is worth considering the fact that if the tank is populated by too many fish, then they will experience discomfort, and maybe even injure each other. therefore to replenish your collection, you need to ensure that everyone has enough space and, if necessary, relocate the guppies.

The aquarium must certainly have an integrated filtration system. This is a reliable way to keep the water clean and the fish healthy. The state of the filter must be monitored on an ongoing basis. As soon as it begins to darken, it is worth replacing it without delay. In this case, you need to act gradually. If you replace the entire filter at once, then the ammonia that appears in the water due to the fact that fish waste is floating there will poison the water. therefore the sponge is usually cut in half and replaced in turn. If activated carbon is used instead of sponges, then simply replace it with a new portion.

Do not forget about the change of water.This should be done on a regular basis, at least once every 2 weeks. Ideally, every week it’s enough to simply replace a quarter of the total volume of water with fresh water. Another important detail is the air pump. It saturates water with oxygen, which is also important for the normal existence of fish. You can also place live plants at the bottom of the aquarium. They are also known to emit oxygen.

In nature, guppies live in a warm climate, near the islands of Trinidad and Tobago. The water there is clean and warm. Therefore, it is advisable to install a heater in the aquarium so that the temperature of the water does not change sharply, and the fish feel "at ease". The best option is a temperature of 23 to 26 degrees.

The scenery is also a very important detail. Of course, their main task is to decorate the underwater world. In addition, they can also serve as a refuge for fish. Sometimes they need to hide somewhere or take cover from what they perceive as danger.

To prevent the guppies from getting hurt, the bottom should be lined with polished gravel or sand. Fish can dig there. It will also be convenient to place decorative structures on it and plant underwater plants. To make the fish more interesting in the aquarium, you can additionally install decorative caves, clay pots or even mini-grottoes in it. The number of decorations depends on the size of the aquarium. They should not prevent fish from swimming freely.

Having dealt with the basic needs of the fish, you should pay attention to other points, that will help guppies come to terms with their new home.

• Neighbor Compatibility. Guppies are pretty peaceful fish that get along well with almost everyone. But because of the size, it is worth considering that larger and more predatory neighbors can easily start hunting for guppies. Therefore, you should carefully select those who will live in the same aquarium with them. The best option is a neighborhood with the same small fish. For example, neons, cockroaches and others.
• Create couples. Those who plan to continue breeding guppies should initially buy fish in pairs. Determining which floor the underwater creature belongs to is not so difficult. Males are usually slimmer and slightly smaller in size. But the tail fin they have more. Females differ not only in their size, but also in a paler color. Even among the fry, males can be immediately recognized - they are the first to acquire a bright color.

Another important issue that worries many is how to feed the fish, and how often to do it. The most important point that you should not forget about is that guppy fish are very small. And that means their stomach is very small. therefore feed should consist of small grains. At the same time, it is desirable to make the diet of pets as diverse as possible. You can pick up dry food, and frozen, and even lively.

When buying feed in the store, it is worth giving preference to proven brands. They are still easier to trust. It is not worth taking cheap feeds, especially if they are dry. The guppy stomach is very sensitive, so poor food can harm these creatures. If we talk about "live" feed, then for guppies, such options as bloodworms or corpetra are quite suitable. Fish will take such food with pleasure.

To improve digestion, fish can also be given special flakes. They contain a lot of plant matter. Regarding the frequency of feeding, we can say that Guppy fish can eat no more than 2 times a day.Moreover, the portions should be small all the time.

Guppy fish must be looked after from a very young age. At the same time, you still do not have to spend a huge amount of time on this. In most cases, the fish manifest themselves as independent creatures. They themselves will find a mate and take care of the offspring. As a rule, couples form immediately after guppies reach reproductive age. At this time, it is simple enough that potential partners are in the same aquarium with them.

Determining that the fish is pregnant is quite simple. Her abdomen swells, and the fish becomes even larger. Pregnancy lasts for 1 month. Having noticed such changes, you need to start preparing for an important event. Ideally, you should have a ready-made tank for fry on hand. This is necessary so that newly-made parents do not eat eggs. This is quite a common occurrence in the animal world. In order to survive as many fry as possible, it is worth placing live plants in a separate tank in a dense row. There should also be openings for fry.

Keeping a guppy female in a separate tank costs about a day. After that, it can be planted in a common aquarium. Then you have to deal only with fry. It is worth noting that they have weaker immunity than adults. Therefore, you can feed them more often so that they soon grow and get stronger. You need to give food in small quantities, 3 or 4 times a day. You can use Artemia larvae or special food. It’s worth keeping fry in the hider until they grow up, and their size will be at least 2.5 cm in length. Water in a separate tank should also be changed more often.

Guppies usually do not cause any problems to their owners. But, if a person involved in aquaristics, a beginner, he still may encounter certain difficulties. First warning for beginner breeders - do not buy expensive breeding fish. At the beginning of your journey, pick up simple guppies. Then it will be easy to take care of them.

Bright and rare fish, on the contrary, require specific care. Therefore, even though they may look prettier and immediately attract the attention of buyers, it is better to approach an aquarium with simpler fish. After all, such colorful creatures appear as a result of crossing. And this, as in the case with other representatives of the animal world, makes them weaker and more prone to disease.

However, all guppies are susceptible to diseases as such. The main sign that something is wrong with the fish’s health is the state of the scales. If she falls off in places or the guppy is constantly trying to scratch on pebbles or driftwood, then something is definitely wrong with her. In this case, you can try to solve the problem by making the water more salty. All that is needed is to add one small spoonful of salt per 10 liters of water. If such a home remedy does not help, it is worth using special tools purchased at a pet store.

Another sign that something went wrong - guppies become lethargic and lethargic. As a rule, they also lose their appetite in this case.

Also, fish can have problems with fins. There are several possible options.

• Chopped fin. This indicates that the fish is injured. The addition of iodine to water in a proportion of 0.1 ml per 10 liters of water will help.
• Shabby tail. This manifests itself in the case of proximity to predatory fish or when the aquarium is overpopulated. In this case, the fish needs to be relocated for a while. The fin tip can be gently trimmed with a razor. The main thing in this case is to apply cotton wool moistened in water to the gills of the fish. This must be done quickly and accurately.
• Fin rot is quite common. The abdomen in this case becomes dull blue, and the body may become covered with ulcers. Traces of this disease can also appear on the tail and fins - red bands appear. The proximity to aggressive fish or replanting of plants from untreated reservoirs leads to such a disease. They are often carriers of various diseases. A preventive measure in this case is not to plant suspicious plants in the aquarium and buy them in trusted stores.

Besides, you need to watch how the fish get along in a group. Especially if someone else lives in the aquarium except guppies. Some pets are aggressive towards their relatives. They certainly need to be resettled so that nothing else threatens everyone else. Knowing these simple points, you can protect the fish and make their life in the aquarium calm and peaceful. The overall vibrant Caribbean guppy fish - This is a great choice for someone who does not know where to start populating your aquarium.

Interesting facts about guppies are provided in the next video.