# Best Guppy Fry Saver contraption?



## Soothing Shrimp (Nov 9, 2011)

Anybody believe they know the *best* guppy fry saver contraption?

I need a better one than what I have. :icon_eek:


----------



## Warlock (Feb 28, 2012)

i saw a guy in the IFGA or Guppy Fanatics..

that took that plastic crafts mesh.. cut a strip.. wrapped around a 2" pvc and rubber-banded it.. then dipped it in boiling water for a few seconds.. then it was permanently a tube that floated.. the guy said it was good for female and fry..

my heavily planted tank is just FULL of fry! by far most active tank..


----------



## roadmaster (Nov 5, 2009)

Well,I usually select best looking male and place him in 10 or 20 gal tank with three or four females.
After three day's,I remove the male.
Once females have prodcued fry,I remove them.
Leaves only the fry and lot's of floating plant's where they like to hide/feed.


----------



## Soothing Shrimp (Nov 9, 2011)

Problem is, my fry are eaten by the fems. Heck, they eat them when they've popped out!


----------



## Warlock (Feb 28, 2012)

i saw another breeders set up.. the put prego female in a DROP TANK.. 5g tank with just the female.. until she has babies.. and i also read keep the female well feed helps her from eating.. 

check in the breeding supplies in aquabid.. there is a Acrylic guy that fabricates.. fry saver that hangs into tank.. 

but yes.. floating plants are extremely helpful!


----------



## roadmaster (Nov 5, 2009)

I normally place a bunch of watersprite on the surface and fewer fish are eaten,but i do lose a few that venture out from the cover of the floating plant's.
Could alway's use nylon separater or plexiglass to isolate the adult's from the fry.


----------



## Soothing Shrimp (Nov 9, 2011)

Roadkill, the fry have their own 10g. 

I have a box where when the fem guppy gives birth, the fry are supposed to drop to the bottom through slats. The problem is most of the fry didn't drop, but swam...free mom snack.

Maybe I'll try designing something...


----------



## Subtletanks91 (May 29, 2013)

I think the best way and I haven't tried this. Is to use the concept of the breeder box. You have a space in the top that allows the female to roam in the small space. And when she pops the babies out they go to the lower section through the grating, you could to the same in a smaller tank say 2.5, just get an ugf or something similar to the grating the babies fall through in the breeder box and put legs on it and have it 2/3 the way up the tank. That way the female has the top and the babies fall to the bottom. 

What I did when I was breeding guppies was I got a penplax nursery breeder box. An sirline Hooked up to the box fry section and pulled water from the female section and thus the fry into the box. http://www.kensfish.com/aquarium-supplies/fish-breeding-supplies/penn-plax-aqua-nursery.html

Or just use a lot of ground and floating cover


----------



## roadmaster (Nov 5, 2009)

Soothing Shrimp said:


> Roadkill, the fry have their own 10g.
> 
> I have a box where when the fem guppy gives birth, the fry are supposed to drop to the bottom through slats. The problem is most of the fry didn't drop, but swam...free mom snack.
> 
> Maybe I'll try designing something...


 
Shrimp breath,,
hope it work's out for you.


----------



## Hobbes1911 (Mar 2, 2009)

I haven't found a good contraption. I find floating riccia and ceratopteris to be very effective. In general, offering a lot of fine-leafed plant cover works best in my opinion. Think about a way to break the line of sight for the mom to the fry. And keep your female well fed!


----------



## rcs0926 (Jun 14, 2013)

I'm pretty fortunate (or unfortunate depending on how you look at it) in that the guppies and neons in my 20 gallon have no interest in my guppy fry. When I had a GBR, it actively hunted my fry, but it ended up jumping out of my tank. The only thing that will eat fry in my tank are my 2 ghost shrimp if they can catch them unaware at night.


----------



## Soothing Shrimp (Nov 9, 2011)

Subtletanks91 said:


> ...What I did when I was breeding guppies was I got a penplax nursery breeder box. An sirline Hooked up to the box fry section and pulled water from the female section and thus the fry into the box. http://www.kensfish.com/aquarium-supplies/fish-breeding-supplies/penn-plax-aqua-nursery.html


May be worth a try. My challenge I had though was the fry swam almost immediately, and thus- didn't go down into the floor.


----------



## rininger85 (Jun 30, 2013)

I haven't needed anything special... I started with a 10 gal just fake plants and left everything in (I'm not trying to get any specific colors, so they are just breeding like crazy) until they overpopulated the tank, then I upgraded to my 55 and they were still populating like crazy to the point I was about ready to start listing ads in craiglist to sell guppies cheaper than the LFS' when I decided to plant my tank and changed the substrate causing it to crash the tank... so I added a few guppies back in afterwards and it has taken a few months, but my tank is full of fry right now more so than ever (probably due to all the live plants now that they have better hiding places)... heavily planted = higher survival rate...


----------



## Duck5003 (Oct 1, 2012)

Bryce, i'm thinking a DIY addition to a breeder box would help. It will limit your swiming space for your female, but what i'm thinking is breeder box (hang on with bubbler to circulate water) go get some of the knitting or what have you plastic grating from michaels. Cut and silicone two pieces to quarantine the female in the top right or left side of the box with plants in the open side for the fry to want to escape to. Then, when she gives birth they can fall through the bottom, or just swim right out the side. If they dont, only the strong survive! lol I'm hoping my description makes sense. I have no experience with this, however i would think it should work?? Let us know what you end up doing!


----------



## Warlock (Feb 28, 2012)

http://www.guppies.com/forums/showthread.php/30904-Guppy-Breeding-Box


----------



## Warlock (Feb 28, 2012)

http://www.guppies.com/forums/showthread.php/27009-DIY-Breeding-trap


----------



## ADJAquariums (Jul 5, 2012)

Take a look through this thread that i created about cherry barbs a while back. Msjinkzd posts a good setup that she has used for the cherry barbs that might work for the guppies, especially because the fry's first instinct is to swim down to the bottom

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=199765&page=2


----------



## James M (Jun 21, 2012)

Floating water lettuce/roots.
I wish more of my fry would get eaten actually.


----------



## Art by Stef* (Jan 27, 2013)

We cut "windows" in the plastic breeder box under the grated/slat area. The fry fall a level, then swim out the "windows" directly into the 10 gallon. Otherwise, they pop up and down through the slats of the grate like popcorn. And Ma might eat them like popcorn. Very simple. Then just remove Ma when she is done, and all the fry are safe and secure in the tank.
 Stef*


----------



## amcoffeegirl (May 26, 2009)

I don't like breeding boxes. I had some albino parents that were terriblefry eaters. The best way is just to move the fry or the parents to a seperatly tank.


----------



## Art by Stef* (Jan 27, 2013)

I don't put the expectant mother in the box until she's squared off and ready to pop. 
It's a big box, and I put plenty of plants IN the box also. I found the smaller ones with no plants tend to panic Ma. I never seen my males eat fry, but they don't go in a breeder box. (Females are a different story). I think the males don't want to eat a potential partner 
Shortage of fry is no problem here, but the male to female ratio is. 20 females to every male. I tried all different methods-from temperature, lone broods, etc, still seems the girls rule.
-Stef*


----------



## Soothing Shrimp (Nov 9, 2011)

Art by Stef* said:


> We cut "windows" in the plastic breeder box under the grated/slat area. The fry fall a level, then swim out the "windows" directly into the 10 gallon. Otherwise, they pop up and down through the slats of the grate like popcorn. And Ma might eat them like popcorn. Very simple. Then just remove Ma when she is done, and all the fry are safe and secure in the tank.
> Stef*



VERY good idea!!! :thumbsup:


----------



## DarkCobra (Jun 22, 2004)

Stef mentioned a breeder box I modified for her. She asked me to post full details.

Everyone is surely familiar with these:










The problems are:

1) The expectant mama sees the larger tank area, and naturally tries to get to it; which causes stress.
2) The fry are trapped in the small area underneath the grate, and are liable to pop back up and get eaten if you don't remove mama right away. Or if she's taking her sweet time finishing up! Which isn't optimal if the tank the breeder is in is actually fry safe to begin with, often the case with us.

So I modified the box:










To address problem #1, I frosted the back of the box with some fine sandpaper. Light can still pass through, but the fish can no longer clearly see its surroundings outside of the box; so the fish doesn't perceive itself as trapped away from other fish, and no longer wastes energy trying to escape. A few floating plants also help relax it.

To address problem #2, I cut two windows to allow the fry to escape from the protected area to the tank at large. (Ignore the window in the front, I cut it accidentally - the cuts should only be on the frosted side). The plastic is brittle and can be cracked easily. I started each window by making a starter hole using a soldering iron (a woodburner or other heated tool would work), just large enough for me to get a hacksaw blade in to create the final shape. Cut gently, and afterwards smooth any rough edges with sandpaper.

Finally, it's secured to the front glass with a couple of epoxy-coated supermagnets I got from some toy. The windows/frosted section face away from the front glass.

The windows also allow the uneaten food and mulm that accumulates while you're waiting for mama to give birth to be washed out very easily.

We have the lid on this one since this guppy is a known jumper, but most don't try in this improved box.


----------



## midlife_hobbyist (Jul 4, 2012)

Dark Cobra,
You ought to patent that cantraption!!!!
Great thinking.


----------



## Art by Stef* (Jan 27, 2013)

Oh, it's also dishwasher safe.
 Stef*


----------



## Diana (Jan 14, 2010)

What if you just removed the whole bottom part? Once the fry drop through the grating they are into the tank.


----------



## Art by Stef* (Jan 27, 2013)

Seems like it would work, but more cuttin' I guess. Maybe a big hole on the bottom? It IS thicker, and harder to cut thru (the bottom). Also you might compromise structural integrity? The grated bottom just rests on the main frame and is not connected? Too much work and not necessary? I'll ask DarkCobra.
-Stef*


----------



## DarkCobra (Jun 22, 2004)

Diana said:


> What if you just removed the whole bottom part? Once the fry drop through the grating they are into the tank.


That was my original intent. You'd have to leave some of the bottom, maybe a 1/4" - 1/2" border for structural integrity, especially since the side slats extend all the way to the bottom.

But when I went to actually start cutting, something intuitive told me that if I did it this way, then it wouldn't work quite as well. Fry _already_ in the tank would be able to more directly see the bottom grate, and might want to find out what's on the other side. Mama would also be able to more clearly see that she's trapped too. Now I'm not sure if that's _actually_ true, but when intuition bothers to speak it's usually correct, so I followed it.

It could be interesting to try both methods though, and see which works better.


----------



## wicca27 (May 3, 2009)

a friend of mine has several strains that are fry eaters like that soothing best thing she has found is stuff the tank with that cheap christmas garland from the every thing for $1 store. the stuff that looks as fake as easter grass. she stuffs the tank with it. fry can get into it and females are just to big. she has tried all kinds of live plants and with fry munchers like that they even get in this moss so i would try the xmas garland from dollar tree.

i stopped using traps of any kind as they can really stress the females, and most of the time they would abort the fry or with in a day end up so stressed they would die or be almost dead. ive tried breeder boxes, nets, traps of all kinds. a small tank stuffed with the garland is the best way to go. i plan on doing it with my red picta x supercross when i get back home.

also thing to remember with most guppy fry is once dropped the fry go straight to the surface so most of those traps dont work cause the fry swim right back though them and get eaten.


----------



## roadmaster (Nov 5, 2009)

I might would consider such trap's if I were trying to breed particular strain and only one or two females were carrying fry at any given time. However I, and I suspect many other's often times have numerous females pregnant.
Would need two or three dozen such trap's.
Nope,MUCH easier for me to net out the females from the small 10/20 gal tank tank and just leave the fry be to feed on infusoria,small micro citter's among the floating plant mass,moss, and I might also add some dried green marine algae for the fry to nibble on.(small meal's three or four times a day)
I agree with those who feel these trap's are unnecessarily stressful for adult females, and also agree that the fry are instinctively drawn to the surface where theyr'e upturned mouth's suggest they are indeed largely surface orientated feeder's, and floating plant mass provides a source of both food,/shelter.
Also makes catching or scooping fry from the surface almaost too easy.
Opinion's vary,and some folk's will alway's find a way that suit's them, and satisfies theyr'e need to tinker.


----------



## Soothing Shrimp (Nov 9, 2011)

LOL I'm one that tinkers. 

Dark Cobra, thank you for taking the time to write your How To!


----------



## Warlock (Feb 28, 2012)

no kidding.. that trap is awesome!! 

but now it means.. i need more tanks!! for the dropped fry  

LOL

ps.. i originally thought the female was on the bottom half.. so the fry would go up, .. LOL


----------



## DarkCobra (Jun 22, 2004)

Funny how some people's fry go up, and others go down. Ours mostly go down. Must have something to do with the setup of their immediate environment, rather than a hardwired instinct to head for the surface.

Wicca27 mentioned gravid females aborting, or apparently stressing to death. I want to comment on that in particular, because years ago we used to see a lot of that too; and we did at one point suspect breeder boxes might be a contributor. But then we learned we had a callamanus worm infestation, which tends go to undiagnosed because they can stress and kill most guppies before the worms grow large enough to be visible externally. The added stress of birth (some of which is unavoidable) often resulted in abortions or death for the already heavily weakened guppies. Since eliminating the worms with Levamisole in every tank simultaneously, and adding it to our QT procedure for new fish to prevent reinfestation, we haven't had a single problem.


----------



## Soothing Shrimp (Nov 9, 2011)

DarkCobra said:


> ...To address problem #2, I cut two windows to allow the fry to escape from the protected area to the tank at large. (Ignore the window in the front, I cut it accidentally - the cuts should only be on the frosted side). The plastic is brittle and can be cracked easily. I started each window by making a starter hole using a soldering iron (a woodburner or other heated tool would work), just large enough for me to get a hacksaw blade in to create the final shape. Cut gently, and afterwards smooth any rough edges with sandpaper.
> 
> Finally, it's secured to the front glass with a couple of epoxy-coated supermagnets I got from some toy. The windows/frosted section face away from the front glass.


I wanted to update this and say I just tried this method. Well, kinda. I did not frost and the breeder box already had suction cups, so no magnet was needed.

I cut the windows in the bottom side by heating up a metal putty knife over the stove top flame and melting straight cuts. (I had to come up with an alternative after breaking a breeder box trying to cut it with a knife.)

Absolutely fantastic! This simple mod works like a dream! Thanks!


----------



## Warlock (Feb 28, 2012)

UPDATE:
a guppy breeder does this to hold a prego female..


----------



## Art by Stef* (Jan 27, 2013)

Wow, Warlock.
Now I know what to do with all those jars when my bettas vacate/find new homes 
Addresses a much needed space issue I'm encountering for a new guppy strain (Cherry Vanillas).
Thanks for posting!!!!

-Stef*


----------



## Warlock (Feb 28, 2012)

Stef.. those are ken archers.. 1 gallon pickle jars.. he said he leaves fry in there for a week.. then moves them later.. once mom drops she is out...


----------



## Warlock (Feb 28, 2012)

Simeon told me.. he puts female in 2.5 gallon tank alone.. if she eats the fry.. he culls her.. they only get one chance.. he does not allow any fry eaters in his lines


----------



## Art by Stef* (Jan 27, 2013)

Harsh, but very effective.
My gals are pretty good about not eating fry, but there's always a bad apple in every bunch. I've yet to see a male guppy eat fry. I think they don't want to risk a possible future date.
Is the coiled up mesh in the jars to give the fry a sporting chance until he can remove Ma Guppy?


----------



## Warlock (Feb 28, 2012)

Yep. Fry are small enough to get in and out


----------



## Art by Stef* (Jan 27, 2013)

Ha! I have all those ingredients for this recipe.
Thanks for this weekends project


----------



## Soothing Shrimp (Nov 9, 2011)

Cool. Thanks for the pics and the details. Does he heat the jars at all? How often wc?


----------



## Warlock (Feb 28, 2012)

SS.. he has filters but said.. female is only in there to drop fry...once she is done.. she's out...fry are there for about a week.. so its easier to feed bbs. . Then into larger growout


----------



## Warlock (Feb 28, 2012)

Ken is president of Texas guppy association.. on facebook


----------



## SmellsFishy (Dec 9, 2013)

I put java moss at the bottom and some type of floater in my breeder tanks. The java moss protects the newborn fry since they tend to fall to the bottom and the floaters protect them once they starter swimming.


----------



## Art by Stef* (Jan 27, 2013)

Not as a practice, but I have grown guppies to maturity in betta bowl conditions- no heater or filtration. When swiping water from existing tank for betta WC, sometimes a gup fry gets in the pitcher. I already raised a female gup in a carboy with betta fry (accident, but didn't feel like removing her) and had to remove her eventually because she was beating up the bettas, even though they were larger. She'd line up with the bettas at chow time, and was quite rude.

Also, my male betta, RnB, tried repeatedly to blow a gup fry in his bubble nest.
Gave him a past time for a bit...

Had some in various vase bowls when I was too lazy to remove them when watering bamboo and peace plants. They made themselves right at home, but seem unhappy if kept solo. 

-Stef*


----------



## wicca27 (May 3, 2009)

there is a lady i have talked to a few times on guppies dot com, she does fry this way in the 1 gal pickle jars. she uses desk lamps for lights over them and that will help heat them as well.


----------

