Breeding Fancy Guppies

[Melody]

The original fancy Livebearer, the Guppy, is a genetic wonder that fascinates me to no end. Like many people, my first breeding experience was completely accidental with a Guppy female and I was hooked. Never looked back & I've been a Livebearer fan ever since. In all my years (as an adult) of fishkeeping, I have never once been without Livebearers in my tanks.

I keep getting out of Guppies and getting back in...lol...their lack of health & immunity these days is discouraging. Their beauty and the aforementioned genetic possibilities always lure me back. There's not just color, but patterns and a wide variety of finnage possibilities. Boggles the mind.

Genetic information is scarce for some reason, perhaps a closely guarded secret for some. There are some good articles out there though. Guppy master Frank Schwab has a great article on basic Snakeskin Genetics (http://community-2.webtv.net/@HH!67!EF!71D3B4EDEA93/gupman/Snakeskins/) (Scroll to bottom for article). There is a wealth of information available at the BC-based website Guppy Designer (http://guppyinfo.com).

I'm heading back into Guppies a bit (uhuh, a bit, right :rolleyes: ) and I'd like to find as much as I can on genetics to top off what I already know. I'd like to hear anything you know about genetics, or links to good genetics information, if I could please.

Show me your Guppies while you're at it - I love looking at Guppy pic's!

For those who are considering the Guppy experience, there's a good article (http://www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/pfk/pages/show_article.php?article_id=492) from Practical fishkeeping Mag that you may want to check out.

[Melody]

I have wanted these Guppy Genetics (http://guppyinfo.com/index.php?option=com_ezcatalog&Itemid=3&task=viewcategory&cid=1) books since the very first time I heard about them. In fact, I was on a list to be notified before they were even published. I didn't have the cash to hand out for them at the time, too busy buying fish....lol....then as I wandered in and out of Guppies I forgot about them.

I got lost in the site today and I'm after those books again with shameless want :laugh: . Those aren't hype claims - there really isn't anything else that is even close to that comprehensive and in depth on the market, to my knowledge. If I can spend the money on a glorified picture book like Aqualog's All Livebearers & Halfbeaks, I can certainly spend it on something as informative as these books.

I'll own them before the year is out and I'll review them here, but in the meantime I can already recommend them to those who are into, or would like to get into, breeding Guppies.:smile:

[Melody]

Well if you people aren't gonna help me then I'll have to help you....lol. Check out the amazing Guppy Strain Library (http://www.canadianaquariumconnection.com/forum/showthread.php?t=903), published with permission from the GuppyDesigner.com (http://www.guppydesigner.com)website.

Warning: If you weren't into Guppies before, you will be when you're done viewing the photos included!

[Melody]

For some fantastic discussions on genetics and all things Guppy, check out the Canadian BC Guppy (http://www.bcguppy.com) forum! I've been out of Guppies for so long I forgot about the forum, but I've been a member since 2003 - some very smart, friendly fishies there. :smile:

[fishykisses]

here's my one and only guppy - she's quite deformed from her pregnancy of over 130 fry.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b245/fishykisses/2007_02182weekbetta0035.jpg

[Melody]

She's a beaut - I love half-blacks. Did the fry get eaten? She looks like she's expecting again - has it been more than six months? Looks like the bent back might be a healed break of some kind - she must be very tough!

[fishykisses]

she's the only guppy i have - i think it's been more than 6 months and i have no idea how she could have gotten a broken back.
Also she's been that big forever! I think she might have glandular issues.
Oh - she last dropped fry early early last summer. I sold most of her fry - kept a few but all but her died during the big GH spike i had way back when.

[Melody]

I suppose it would be hard on her to carry so its probably just as well. The injury theory is just a theory - could be anything. She has a good weight & color, her eyes look good.... doesn't appear to bother her, in other words. Amazing what they can handle. She has fantastic finnage color for a female, in my opinion.

Guppies are such an underrated fish as a whole and I'm not sure why. I guess because they're common, but you can't beat them for beauty and color. I'm really looking forward to getting back into them at least to some degree. I'm trying to restrict myself to certain groups but its SO difficult when you see some of the others flaunting that finnage. :laugh:

[fishykisses]

i agree - i've been thinking about getting more for a long time but with her being so deformed, i didn't want to risk her health with males in the tank.