It is so exciting to see your beautiful guppies give birth to a bunch of tiny guppy fries in your fish tank. Like all parents, you wanted to grow up fast and strong. So is there anyway that you can accelerate the process? To make guppy fry grow faster, try the following:
- Raise guppy fry in a separate tank.
- Do not raise them in breeding boxes.
- Do not keep fry with adults or in a community tank.
- Separate fry by size and gender (if possible).
- Give them enough space and water volume.
- Feed your fry regularly with quality and a variety of food.
- Do regular tank maintenance and weekly water changes.
- Gravel vacuuming and filter maintenance are a must.
- Keep an eye out for parasites and diseases.
- Treat diseases and parasites as quickly as possible.
- Use a water conditioner to remove chlorine and chloramine
- Keep the water temperature stable at 75-78 °F (24-26 °C).
- Keep the pH level stable: 6.8-7.8.
- Use a sponge filter to avoid strong water flow.
- Add live plants such as moss or guppy grass.
- Keep artificial lights on for 12-16 hours/day (guppies need sleep too).
Luckily, there are so many ways to make them grow fast. But what are the critical things you need to do to make sure they grow faster?
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How Do You Help Fry Grow Faster?
Here are 3 critical things you have to take note of if you want to help your fry grow faster.
Water Volume & Space
Too much space and water can prevent young guppies from finding food. The baby fry uses up a lot of energy in search of food, the energy that would otherwise be used to promote growth in a smaller tank.
On the other hand, a lack of space and water volume can also hinder the growth of your baby guppies. This is especially true if the tank is overcrowded.
For younger guppies, less than one-month-old, 0.5 gallons (2 liters) per fry is a good starting point. For one-month-old and up, 1 gallon (4 liters) per guppy fry is needed. Adult fish should be kept in at least 5 gallons (20 liters).
Water hardness is not very important for guppies, but try to keep it between 150-450 ppm. Also, for best results and growth rate keep the water pH between 6.8-7.8.
Water Changes
Fresh water is important during the early growth stages of your guppies. When you change the water in your aquarium you are getting rid of waste and toxins that, if left unremoved, can lead to various diseases and illnesses.
Changing the water 1-2 times a week, where you replace 15-20% of the water, is a good starting point. This will keep waste at a minimum and increase the growth of your guppy.
Although guppies can support a wide range of water parameters, they are sensitive to huge fluctuations. If you use tap water for weekly water changes, do not change it to a well or rainwater source. Make sure that the transition is smooth, so the fish can acclimate to the new water.
Food
Adult guppies live and flourish on dried food. While you don’t necessarily have to mix up their diets, it is important to do so for the fry. Feeding your baby guppies a variety of food gives them access to much-needed minerals and vitamins. A mixture of both live and dry food is recommended.
These are the top tips that will help you grow your guppy fry faster and healthier. With the above tips, your guppies can be ready for sale (if you sell). However, how about some guppy fry that refuses to grow no matter what you do? What is causing it?
Guppy Fry Not Growing
The following things can hinder the growth rate of your guppies:
- Lack of water volume or too much water volume.
- Lack of water changes and poor water quality.
- Lack of quality and variety of food.
How Long Does It Take For Baby Guppies To Grow?
Once all the things mentioned above are done properly, it will take around 6 months for the baby guppies to grow to adult size. Gradually reduce the water temperature a few degrees to slow down your guppies metabolism rate and keep them more comfortable as they age.
External resources:
- How to Make a Guppy Fry Grow Faster | Animals – mom.me
- How to Help Guppy Fry Grow: 10 Steps (with Pictures) – wikiHow
- How Long Does It Take For Baby Fish (fry) To Grow
- Guppy Fry Growth Stages – Guppy Aquarium