# What to do with extra guppies



## stewardwildcat (Feb 24, 2010)

How do you all get rid of extra guppies? I have some from a friend who let them overbreed and I will certainly be getting more. I am not allowed to use them as food (for now) or kill them myself(unless its an accident). I contacted Petco but they will not buy from a local grower. I do not like the two lfs (they do not take care of their animals or pets) so I am not sure what to do with the population I have. I can run an ad on craigslist or the paper but I don't want to send fish to a bad home. Ideas? I can teach them the phrase just keep swimming, acclimate them to high chlorine and put them in the pool... (not really).


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## Gatekeeper (Feb 20, 2007)

First off, separate the males and females. STOP them from multiplying anymore.

Local fish stores are usually the best option, but your against that since you don't like them. How about someone in your plant club?


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## OverStocked (May 26, 2007)

Give them to petco... Or accidentally feed them to your fish. ANd then take the males out of his tank.

Breeding fish with no plan is irresponsible.


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## Clemsons2k (May 31, 2009)

Yep best thing to do is either give them away or feed them to larger fish.


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## hamsterman (Jan 17, 2007)

I have the best solution...get more tanks!  That way you can ensure that they're in good hands.


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## Eden Marel (Jan 28, 2010)

Petco will take them, if you give it to them for free so they can make a profit from your freebies... Cuz I adopted my guppies from Petco for $1 each lol.


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## Aquarist_Fist (Jul 22, 2008)

over_stocked said:


> Breeding fish with no plan is irresponsible.


One of the truest sentences ever said on this board. 

Definitely separate males and females. The females can and will continue giving birth for quite a while. Lowering the water temperature can decrease productivity (somewhat), and removing hiding spaces will result in lower survival rates for the fry.


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## outofstock (May 8, 2009)

Petco might take them if they have an open tank. The one I work at we normally dont take them because petcos sell them and that they just take up room having to bring up baby guppies. We had a tank full of them someone allowed us to take and constantly people asked to buy them as feeders lol


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## jreich (Feb 11, 2009)

find a friend with a pet turtle. that way its the turtle killing them and not you!


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## born2lovefish (Dec 29, 2006)

Removing the males will not stop breeding right away. I have head that female guppies have the ability to produce a few batches of fry just from breeding once with a male.


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## stewardwildcat (Feb 24, 2010)

I talked with Petco and they said they will not take them. I am not opposed to giving them to the LFS but the two main stores here in Tucson do not take care of their animals. I wouldn't have a problem if their tanks were clean and did not have dead fish floating in them. I just got all of them from a friend who let the population explode and I wanted to figure out the best options BEFORE I got my hands full. I will post on the AAPE website and see if anyone wants any. They are all healthy and happy.

I plan on keeping a number of them but I wanted to know the best way to get rid of the extras I know I will acquire. I don't really want to get into breeding but I don't mind it happening in the tank at a low rate. I can afford to have them breed for a while so I will search out some new places to sell them off to good homes.


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## fishsandwitch (Apr 20, 2008)

Not allowed to use them as live food? Thats ridiqulous, but I would just get a semi predatory fish for the tank. An angelfish would be good if it is at least 29 gallons.


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## stewardwildcat (Feb 24, 2010)

Well I have a 55g and I don't have a problem with feeding them to someone, i promised the friend i took them from that I wouldn't (at least while she still lives in my town). So in a few months I can find a turtle friend. Can you keep just one angelfish?


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## TeamTeal (Mar 31, 2010)

i feed them to my clownfish and other saltwater fishes. its pretty cool, because guppies can live in saltwater lol


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## gnomemagi (Dec 9, 2009)

If you're keeping some for yourself, either keep all males or all females. Just one female can pop out enough young to stuff a tank.

At this point, the only way you'll be able to get rid of a batch of guppies is as feeders. They aren't rare, most places won't take them for free. Find someone with a larger Oscar and let him go to town. An adult Oscar would go through 20-40 a day.


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## fishsandwitch (Apr 20, 2008)

stewardwildcat said:


> Well I have a 55g and I don't have a problem with feeding them to someone, i promised the friend i took them from that I wouldn't (at least while she still lives in my town). So in a few months I can find a turtle friend. Can you keep just one angelfish?


yes you can keep one angel.


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## stewardwildcat (Feb 24, 2010)

Well I wouldn't feel bad giving them away as food. I will let the tank be for now as I have room but I will look around. Thank you for all the advice!! My mom is a vet so I know first hand about irresponsible breeding. I can always skim off a few females every few weeks and it not be too noticable.


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