Best livebearer to breed?

Guppy123 · 07-24-2005, 04:21 PM

Hello, ive just been thinking about starting up another smaller tank with a few livebearers to breed. In your opinion, which kind is the easiest,most intersting, or just other good qualities to start this kind of tank with? Thanks for your opinion

**Damon** · 07-24-2005, 04:34 PM

I perfer platies. While maybe not quite as prolific as guppies, they don't get as large as mollies, thus you can have more and they are hardier than guppies (lfs guppies that is).

**fish_doc** · 07-24-2005, 05:49 PM

Swordtails were the first liveberer I ever had that I got to breed. I was in gradeschool. So they have a special place with me. But my guppies are super easy to breed and once you get a good breeding stock they breed with no care on your part.

Guppy123 · 07-24-2005, 07:15 PM

I'm assuming that you can breed the different colored platies and such, so would there be a lot of color variation in the offspring? For some reason ive had really bad luck w/ guppies, males especially with finrot, idk if its my lfs or what, but... So i'm thinking between platies and swordtails, anyone else have any options?

**Damon** · 07-24-2005, 07:37 PM

Your colors won't vary like a guppies tail but there will be some variety. Platys and Swordtails can be crossbred. Swords get larger and thus you will have to keep fewer. Males also take a while to develop their swords.

Guppy123 · 07-25-2005, 08:53 AM

Will it be harder for differnt kinds/colored platies to breed, then ones that are the same kind with simliar colors? And are platys alot harder to breed then guppies? Thanks

Mr Aquarium · 07-25-2005, 08:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Guppy123

Will it be harder for differnt kinds/colored platies to breed, then ones that are the same kind with simliar colors? And are platys alot harder to breed then guppies? Thanks

'With a name like guppy, you have to ask that? lol

I had mollys bread in my 75g comm tank, only found one fry from it.
Guppys breed like rats, never had a plattie bread, but they must be good at it, as you see bags come in the pet shops of mixed molly, platty n swords in fry form all the time.

Guppy123 · 07-25-2005, 09:41 AM

Haha, my name doesn't really imply. I originally had the name of Fish, then changed it to guppy123. My next trip to the lfs, i will see which ones look the best, thanks for your help.

**Damon** · 07-25-2005, 09:57 AM

Platys may be slightly pickier who they mate with than guppies but they still breed like rabbits.

Guppy123 · 07-25-2005, 01:06 PM

How perfect does the water parameters have to be in order for them to readily breed?

**Damon** · 07-25-2005, 09:52 PM

Water should ALWAYS be of good quality.

mlefev · 07-28-2005, 04:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Guppy123

How perfect does the water parameters have to be in order for them to readily breed?

Well my platy had been majorly stressed out and had poor water for a long time (well not long...but a couple days) and happily had even more fry in about 4 days after I got the tank set up. I was moving and kept having to transport my fish in an ice chest with no light for hours. Plus I forgot to tell my dad not to feed them before he brought them here, so they had an ammonia problem to deal with too.

I don't know about the actual pairing up, since mine was pregnant when I bought her. But I think if you keep the tank clean, and ammonia, nitrates etc, at a reasonable level platies would be happy.

cucci67 · 08-18-2005, 09:12 PM

I had 4 guppies at once (1M 3F). The next year I had over 250 guppies. I gave all of them to the LFS, the origional ones all started dropping like flies, one a week almost. My water parameters were good at the time, they were the only fish having a problem. I found out that many people have guppies only live about a year. I also had 3 platies (1M 2F) they never breed. Traded them in a long time ago.

Jonno · 08-19-2005, 06:15 AM

All liverbearers are easy to breed but gupps are the easiest it just depends what you like better!

guppys r best · 10-27-2005, 10:45 AM

iv had experiance in breeding guppys and platies and guppies are by fare easier

Fish Friend · 10-27-2005, 02:18 PM

you go the extreme of the extreme in livebearers..try breeding the endlers or something on the lines of that..try breeding a fish that is very rare..it may be a pain to get endlers, but its worth it!!!

mrpotato · 03-25-2006, 10:12 PM

I breed feeder guppies. It takes no action from my end for them to spawn babies. Plus, its really inexpensive to give it a try.

Ownager2004 · 03-29-2006, 10:22 AM

you will have no trouble breeding any of them really. Its just a matter of what you prefer. Ive had guppies and platies and the guppies seem to drop more fry... that could be due to a lot of factors though...

good luck

emc7 · 03-30-2006, 01:32 AM

If you want to be different get goodieds. They're babies are bigger and they're not as inbred. Also more agressive, ie less boring.

**TheOldSalt** · 03-30-2006, 08:02 AM

Hmmm... a five-month old thread lives again, eh? Well, why not?

Here's a suggestion for the list: Those new Koi Swordtails. Very pricey and attractive, you'll never have any problems unloading those as fast as you can grow them. Come to think of it, I might give them a go myself this year.

07-24-2005, 04:21 PM	#1
Guppy123 Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Age: 22 Posts: 51	Best livebearer to breed? Hello, ive just been thinking about starting up another smaller tank with a few livebearers to breed. In your opinion, which kind is the easiest,most intersting, or just other good qualities to start this kind of tank with? Thanks for your opinion

07-24-2005, 04:34 PM	#2
Damon Aquatic Naturalist Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Dayton, Ohio Age: 32 Posts: 14,982	I perfer platies. While maybe not quite as prolific as guppies, they don't get as large as mollies, thus you can have more and they are hardier than guppies (lfs guppies that is). __________________ For in much wisdom [is] much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow. Member of the AGA (Aquatic Gardner's Association) Member of the IBC (International Betta Congress)

07-24-2005, 05:49 PM	#3
fish_doc Advisor to Neptune (Mod) Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Northern Illinois Age: 40 Posts: 3,825	Swordtails were the first liveberer I ever had that I got to breed. I was in gradeschool. So they have a special place with me. But my guppies are super easy to breed and once you get a good breeding stock they breed with no care on your part. __________________ Dave (fish_doc) A World of fish

07-24-2005, 07:37 PM	#5
Damon Aquatic Naturalist Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Dayton, Ohio Age: 32 Posts: 14,982	Your colors won't vary like a guppies tail but there will be some variety. Platys and Swordtails can be crossbred. Swords get larger and thus you will have to keep fewer. Males also take a while to develop their swords. __________________ For in much wisdom [is] much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow. Member of the AGA (Aquatic Gardner's Association) Member of the IBC (International Betta Congress)

07-25-2005, 09:57 AM	#9
Damon Aquatic Naturalist Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Dayton, Ohio Age: 32 Posts: 14,982	Platys may be slightly pickier who they mate with than guppies but they still breed like rabbits. __________________ For in much wisdom [is] much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow. Member of the AGA (Aquatic Gardner's Association) Member of the IBC (International Betta Congress)

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07-24-2005, 07:15 PM	#4
Guppy123 Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Age: 22 Posts: 51	I'm assuming that you can breed the different colored platies and such, so would there be a lot of color variation in the offspring? For some reason ive had really bad luck w/ guppies, males especially with finrot, idk if its my lfs or what, but... So i'm thinking between platies and swordtails, anyone else have any options?

07-25-2005, 08:53 AM	#6
Guppy123 Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Age: 22 Posts: 51	Will it be harder for differnt kinds/colored platies to breed, then ones that are the same kind with simliar colors? And are platys alot harder to breed then guppies? Thanks

07-25-2005, 09:41 AM	#8
Guppy123 Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Age: 22 Posts: 51	Haha, my name doesn't really imply. I originally had the name of Fish, then changed it to guppy123. My next trip to the lfs, i will see which ones look the best, thanks for your help.

07-25-2005, 01:06 PM	#10
Guppy123 Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Age: 22 Posts: 51	How perfect does the water parameters have to be in order for them to readily breed?

07-25-2005, 09:52 PM	#11
Damon Aquatic Naturalist Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Dayton, Ohio Age: 32 Posts: 14,982	Water should ALWAYS be of good quality. __________________ For in much wisdom [is] much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow. Member of the AGA (Aquatic Gardner's Association) Member of the IBC (International Betta Congress)

08-18-2005, 09:12 PM	#13
cucci67 No Longer Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Texas Posts: 481	I had 4 guppies at once (1M 3F). The next year I had over 250 guppies. I gave all of them to the LFS, the origional ones all started dropping like flies, one a week almost. My water parameters were good at the time, they were the only fish having a problem. I found out that many people have guppies only live about a year. I also had 3 platies (1M 2F) they never breed. Traded them in a long time ago. Last edited by cucci67; 08-18-2005 at 09:14 PM. Reason: platies

08-19-2005, 06:15 AM	#14
Jonno Senior Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Devon, UK Age: 20 Posts: 512	All liverbearers are easy to breed but gupps are the easiest it just depends what you like better!

10-27-2005, 10:45 AM	#15
guppys r best tom ;) Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: leicestershire Age: 17 Posts: 15	iv had experiance in breeding guppys and platies and guppies are by fare easier

10-27-2005, 02:18 PM	#16
Fish Friend Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 234	you go the extreme of the extreme in livebearers..try breeding the endlers or something on the lines of that..try breeding a fish that is very rare..it may be a pain to get endlers, but its worth it!!! __________________ "Good advice is always certain to be ignored, but that's no reason not to give it." ================================================== 32g:Freshwater Community 10g: Rearing tank soon to be upgraded to a 15g and turned into a nano setup!! -Parky

03-25-2006, 10:12 PM	#17
mrpotato Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 37	I breed feeder guppies. It takes no action from my end for them to spawn babies. Plus, its really inexpensive to give it a try.

03-29-2006, 10:22 AM	#18
Ownager2004 L33t n00b Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Athens, Ohio Age: 25 Posts: 466	you will have no trouble breeding any of them really. Its just a matter of what you prefer. Ive had guppies and platies and the guppies seem to drop more fry... that could be due to a lot of factors though... good luck

03-30-2006, 01:32 AM	#19
emc7 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Age: 39 Posts: 2,893	If you want to be different get goodieds. They're babies are bigger and they're not as inbred. Also more agressive, ie less boring.

03-30-2006, 08:02 AM	#20
TheOldSalt Darth Ichthyos Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 4,250	Hmmm... a five-month old thread lives again, eh? Well, why not? Here's a suggestion for the list: Those new Koi Swordtails. Very pricey and attractive, you'll never have any problems unloading those as fast as you can grow them. Come to think of it, I might give them a go myself this year.

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