My friend gave me about 20 guppies two years ago and when I first got them they had new babies about every two weeks, but now since they about doubled in numbers they hardly ever have any more babies. Also I've noticed that sometimes they have babies with scoliosis well i just know that the spines are misshapen. Sometimes the spinal cords are twisted left to right, or sometimes up and down. I was wondering if this was a result from too much inbreeding and if so how can I preven them from inbreeding. I have two tanks. One twenty gallon with about fifteen fish in it, and one ten gallon with at least thirty fish in it. Also any ideas on how to breed them to get better colors?
2006-12-10 12:09:41 · 5 answers · asked by good advice 3 in Pets ➔ Fish
Yes, that is caused by inbreeding, but also poor water quality. Why do you have a 20 gallon with 15 fish and a 10 gallon with 30+ fish? They are both overstocked but the 10 gallon is WAY overstocked.
If you want to stop inbreeding, bring many of the healthy fish (without kinks) to your petstore and trade for some of their guppies. You have to put some new bloodlines to diversify the gene pool. Try to limit your numers. Keep your breeders in your 10 gallon tank and raise the fry in the 20 gallon. Keep the ones with the best colours and bring the rest to the petstore. That way you can keep getting new bloodlines. Also, rotate your breeding stock. Once your new babies have grown up, bring your old breeders have to your petstore.
If you want to breed for best colours, only breed the nicest adults together. If you have two with big red tails in their lineage, the babies will have even bigger, redder tails.
2006-12-10 12:32:58 · answer #1 · answered by Zoe 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
if you've got that many guppies the inbreeding may not be all that drastic, it only takes 2 generations to breed out, but rotating your breeders or swapping w/ a pet store wont hurt, also the misshapen spine can be from poor water quality or the female guppy being bullied or stressed during her pregnancy, also you said you dont notice many fry any more,, they are more than likely still being born, only being eaten by that larger fish in the tank.. also cut back on the # of fish in your smaller tank, I know u see it in the pet stores but that isnt healthy for your fish
2006-12-10 14:37:31 · answer #2 · answered by imalwaysright 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
cull the one with the bent spine... you have to... it's part of raising fish..
and the solution of inbreeding is quite simple. Separate the males and females....And then go to the pet store and buy new males and females with better colors to introduct new genes into your fish stock.
and the bent spine could be fish tuberculosis too. But if only babies are getting the bent spine, it's just inbreeding.
2006-12-10 12:35:22 · answer #3 · answered by professorminh 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Your tanks are way over crowded!!!
I would sell some of the guppies you have to a pet store then buy a few new males and females with different color patterns then you have now. I would also invest in a new aquarium!
2006-12-11 00:58:39 · answer #4 · answered by angelmwilson 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Ive heard this acually happens alot and proffesional fish breeders end up killing alot at birth because defects are so commen.
And your tanks are overstocked
2006-12-11 01:10:44 · answer #5 · answered by Skittles 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋