If you have just brought home a few baby guppy fish, there is a possibility that you are wondering how to keep them alive. It is actually not too difficult to care for these little guys, but there are a few things you need to do to ensure their survival. Guppy fish is a great addition to any tank, but when it comes to baby guppies, you need to take extra care to ensure they survive. So, how to keep baby guppy fish alive?
You can keep baby guppy fish alive by giving them a separate fry tank with adequate water parameters, diet, and tank maintenance. When you first get your baby guppies home, it is important to get a fry tank set up for them immediately. This will help ensure their survival and give them the best chance of thriving.
In this blog post, we will discuss the steps you need to take to keep your baby guppies alive and healthy. We will also answer some common questions about caring for these fish.
How Do You Keep The Baby Guppy Fish Alive?
The answer to this question is not as simple as it might seem. You need to consider many factors to ensure that your baby guppy fish have the best chance of surviving.
I will go over some of the most important factors you need to consider to keep your baby guppy fish alive.
Get A Cycled Guppy Fry Tank
A cycled guppy fry tank has been set up specifically for baby guppies and has all the necessary filter media to keep the water clean and free of ammonia and nitrites.
The tank size will depend on how many baby guppies you have. I recommend a minimum of 20 gallons for a small group of baby guppies.
The main reason you need a cycled guppy fry tank is that it will provide your baby guppy fish with the ideal water conditions they need to survive.
Another benefit of having a cycled guppy fry tank is that it will help to keep the water quality high, which is very important for the health of your baby guppy fish.
Separate Baby And Parents Immediately
You must separate the baby guppies from their parents as soon as possible. This is because the parents will often eat their own babies.
So, you must take the time to separate the baby and parents as soon as possible. You can take help from various tools like a net or fish trap to do this easily.
Maintain Adequate Water Parameters
Guppy fish are known for living in a wide range of water conditions, but it is important to maintain adequate water parameters when it comes to baby guppies.
Some things you need to keep in mind are the pH level, temperature, and hardness of the water. It is also important to make sure that there is enough dissolved oxygen in the water.
The water condition is another important factor to consider when keeping baby guppy fish alive. Maintaining the proper water parameters for the fry to survive is important.
Keep the water temperature between 72 to 82 degrees Fahrenheit and pH towards the neutral range.
Perform Water Change
Another important thing you need to do to keep baby guppy fish alive is to perform regular water changes. This will help remove any toxins or waste from the water that can harm the baby fish.
This means that you will need to do a water change every week and keep an eye on the tank’s ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate levels. You will also need to make sure that the pH levels are stable.
It is best to use a water conditioner when you do a water change to remove any chlorine or chloramine from the tap water. You can also use aquarium salt to help with the stress of the baby fish.
Make sure that you slowly add the new water to the tank so that the baby fish can adjust to the change in water temperature.
It would help if you also vacuumed the gravel to remove any uneaten food or waste. This will help to keep the water quality high and prevent algae growth.
Performing regular water changes is one of the most important things you can do to keep baby guppy fish alive and healthy.
Proper Feeding Schedule
One of the most important things you need to do when keeping baby guppy fish alive is provided them with a proper diet.
You need to feed these baby guppies small meals several times a day. Guppies are omnivorous, and so are their babies; remember this. It is best to use quality flake or pellet food designed for baby fish.
You can also give them live food such as brine shrimp or bloodworms. These are a great source of protein and will help the baby fish grow.
Ensure you remove any uneaten food from the tank so it does not decompose and pollute the water.
You should also avoid overfeeding the baby fish, which can lead to health problems. Establishing a proper feeding schedule when keeping baby guppy fish alive is important.
Avoid Tankmates
Another important thing to remember when keeping baby guppy fish alive is to avoid adding any tankmates. This is because the baby fish are very delicate and can get easily injured or killed by other fish. They are also more likely to be eaten by larger fish.
If you add any tankmates, ensure they are peaceful and will not harm the baby guppy fish. You should also avoid adding any larger fish than the baby guppy fish. Remember to avoid adding any tankmates when keeping baby guppy fish alive.
Things You Will Need To Keep Baby Guppy Fish Alive
You can keep baby guppy fish alive only when you have the proper tools to maintain the optimum fry tank conditions. Some of the things you need are:
Heater
It is one of the most important equipment you need to install as soon as you set your mind to tropical fish like a guppy.
And baby guppies are too fragile about the temperature than the adult ones. So, a heater is a must to keep the water temperature stable in their fry tank.
Filter
As you know, guppies are messy eaters, and they generate a lot of waste. So, you need to go for a filter to deal with the amount of waste your baby guppy fish produce daily.
Air Stone
An air stone is necessary to keep the fry tank water well-oxygenated. It also helps maintain the pH level and prevents algae growth.
Plants
You should have live plants in your baby guppy fry tank as they help provide hiding spots for the babies and act as a natural filter. Plants are also partially responsible for oxygen production in the water.
Hiding Spots
Since baby guppies are very small in size, they need hiding spots to protect themselves from getting eaten by their tank mates or predators. You can use live plants or artificial decorations like caves to provide hiding places for your fry.
Good Food
Lastly, you need to feed them a high-quality diet to keep them healthy and growing. Then, you can either go for live foods or commercially prepared fry food.
Live foods like brine shrimp and daphnia are highly nutritious, but you must be very careful while feeding them as they might contain parasites that can infect your baby guppy fish.
It is important to feed your baby guppy fish with good quality food to grow into healthy adults.
Is It Hard To Keep Baby Guppy Fish Alive?
No, it is not hard to keep baby guppy fish alive if you provide them with the proper care and conditions. You need a heater to maintain the water temperature, a filter to remove the waste, an air stone for oxygenation, plants for hiding spots, and good food.
You must also perform regular water changes and immediately separate the baby guppies from their parents.
If you do all these things, you should have no problem keeping your baby guppy fish alive and healthy.
Do Guppy Fish Eat Their Baby?
Yes, guppy fish will eat their babies if they are not separated from them. Therefore, you need to remove the baby guppies from their parents as soon as possible and put them in their own tank.
If you do not do this, the parents will likely eat the babies. Keeping baby guppy fish alive is not hard if you follow the proper steps.
You need a heater, filter, air stone, plants, hiding spots, and good food for them. You also need to perform regular water changes and maintain adequate water parameters.
But remember, the main villain in this story is their parents, that are most likely to nibble on their babies. So, the best way to keep baby guppy fish alive is by separating them from their parents.
How To Stop Guppies From Eating Their Babies?
Trust me, there are various ways, but the most important thing you can do is remove the baby guppies from their parents as soon as possible.
You can use a breeding trap or scoop them out with your hand and put them in their tank. If you have more than one female, it is a good idea to put them in separate tanks.
Or take help from the breeding box or a divider to separate the fry from the parents until they are big enough to fend for themselves.
How Long Should I Keep Baby Guppies Separated?
Ideally, you should keep baby guppies separated from their parents until they are two months old. But, if you want to be extra careful, you can keep them separated for three months.
The six to eight weeks timespan will give them enough time to grow and get big enough not to get eaten by their parents or other tankmates.
Why Is Baby Guppy Fish Dying?
It is common for babies to die, even if you take good care of them. This can happen for many reasons, such as diseases, bad water conditions, insufficient food, etc.
If you notice that your baby guppy fish are dying, then the first thing you should do is check the water parameters. Make sure that the temperature and pH levels are within the ideal range.
You should also check for any diseases and treat them accordingly. If you cannot figure out why then it is best to consult a veterinarian.
How Many Baby Guppies Will Survive?
It is difficult to say how many baby guppies will survive because so many factors can affect their survival rate.
However, if you take good care of them and provide them with the ideal conditions, the survival rate will be higher. On average, around 20% to 30% of baby guppies will survive adulthood.
Conclusion
Keeping baby guppy fish alive is not as difficult as it may seem. Following these simple tips ensures that your baby guppy fish will thrive and grow into healthy adults. Remember to separate the babies from their parents as soon as possible to avoid them getting eaten.
If you have any questions or concerns, then please consult a veterinarian. They will be able to help you figure out what is causing the problem and how to fix it. Thanks for reading! I hope this article was helpful.
If you have tips on keeping baby guppy fish alive, please share them in the comments below. Thanks again!
Good Luck!!
Happy Fishkeeping!!