Working on my own strain of guppy. - Journal and discussion

As some of you may know, I've got dreams of being a show breeder for guppies. That said, I've started to work on my own strain of guppies.

I'm at the second generation.

So I'm still pretty early on... But still.
I'm curious about what I should do next... And I know we have a few with experience in breeding on here so I want to ask y'all.

I can either breed directly brother / sister, picking the best male and female, and work from there. (I'm willing to bet I'd get a random mixture of stuff this way, but may get enough of a solid ground work to keep the color as is)

Or I can select the best male and cross him with his father's mother ("pure" Tiger Endler, bolder pattern, but may weaken desired color)

Or Cross my best female with her father. (this would weaken the desired color, but create a bolder pattern, or so I assume)
A forth option would to cross back a male to the mother, but she is no longer with us sadly...

Mother


Father

 

Re: Working on my own strain of guppy. - Journal and discuss

Description of current stock - of the 9 fry, only 8 were fathered by the correct male. Of the 8, 4 males, 4 females
All are uniform in color. Being a sort of teal tone.
Males - half of them have black spots in there tails. The other half do not, but seem to be gaining the Tiger Chest's faster.
Females -Some have a bit bolder tone to there tails, one exhibits an almost blurred sword to her tail.

 

Re: Working on my own strain of guppy. - Journal and discuss

Male observations for the morning
The males, secluded to there own tank now, have all started to make use of there gonopodium, on each other that is >>;
So I added a larger female from one of there mother's other drops to the tank. While she is a half sister, they will have her to practice on and chase. Some males have a bit of red, wound looking tissue at the base of the gonopodium, I assume this is from them starting to use it. Until today I've never seen one use it, tho I admit, I've never really looked for the behavior, so all the girls in the female tank may very well be pregnant. If they make any drops, I will discard the fry until I know who the father is. (Fry will not be killed, but placed into my larger community tank)

 

Re: Working on my own strain of guppy. - Journal and discuss

Feeding schedule and notes
Feeding a combination of either frozen brine shrimp or blood worms in the morning with freeze dried dahnia for lunch and dinner is regular flakes.
There are also scuds and a few other copepods. Those along with algae provide a minor nutrition to the fish. Occasionally the other shrimp will release offspring, these are another minor source of nutrition. My fish rarely eat there own offspring, but it does happen from time to time.


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Males colors seem to have ceased to increase. If I see no differences by the end of the month I'm going to make my selection by what little there is. Potentials are there, but may not be exact.
Without the Mother, I have no choice but to drive the blood line into a slightly different path; one of her other daughters may be substituted for her deceased mother. Trouble is her father was a red guppy. Her brothers have been know to be a mostly red fish with blue in the center of tail and belly, with a lot of strange black. May attempt to substitute her a little later. If not, then I could always find another pair of blue fish and start a second line with them, using my results from this line and working out.

 

Re: Working on my own strain of guppy. - Journal and discuss

Weather or not it exists is irrelevant.
What the point is that I can say that I did it.
An no one can take that pride from me when I finish =D

The Blue color is what I'm after AT THIS TIME. Either that or true green. True green, according to my research, is rather rare.
Then I'm after the Tiger Endler's marking, along with a sleeker body and less aggressive temperament than the Tiger Endler's. I may strive for a smaller body size as well.

 

Re: Working on my own strain of guppy. - Journal and discuss

Right now, my current generation is a sorta teal tone.

Removing two of the males tomorrow morning right before feeding. They are not showing the desired chests.
If later they start to develop them I may use them in a later generation. Never hurts to have a plan B, right?

More scuds are to be ordered soon. I'm thinking either next week or week after. About 200 or so should work well. Too many to get eaten in one day and gives them time to eat more of the algae.

I may add 2 five gallon bare bottom tanks onto the top of my 10 gallons... I need more room, and they shouldn't be too hard to keep in place.

 

Re: Working on my own strain of guppy. - Journal and discuss

After a greater deal of thought than is recommended at work I've decided to do this :
Take all three 10 gallon tanks down and replace them with five or six 5 gallons. This reduces my overall ability for the sort of tanks I would rather keep, but does allow for some more breeding pairs and appropriate room for the fry grow outs.
I can then set up, after some rearranging of my room and getting rid of some old junk, a few more tanks. If I get my step-dad to build me a shelf for my games I'll then have even more room. Mostly I'll go with 5 gallons. Big enough for what I'm doing, without taking the amount of space....

 

Re: Working on my own strain of guppy. - Journal and discuss

Male tones have improved!!!
Tails on the two non-spotted ones are getting a black edge. Black spotted ones are not improving at all.
Addition of the two extra females (half sister and niece) has improved there behavior. Selection of the male tiger endler I'll be using gives them some mature competition. All interact with no aggression.

Females are likely already pregnant. I was slow to remove the males...
Fed everyone some blood worms for breakfast.
Flakes will be given for lunch.
Freeze Dried dahnia for dinner.

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I went scouting for 5 gallon tanks. LFS says he sells them for about 17 bucks. More costly than a 10 gallon? Is this the norm? (Asking Dawn mostly =P)

 

Re: Working on my own strain of guppy. - Journal and discuss

The males are quite excited to have a few live vinagar eels for a snack =3

 

Re: Working on my own strain of guppy. - Journal and discuss

Still can't get ahold of a camera =/
No one wants to loan one to me!!! =(

 

Re: Working on my own strain of guppy. - Journal and discuss

Sorry for the poor quality =(

Sister and Father

Spotted Tail Male

Solid Color Male

 

Re: Working on my own strain of guppy. - Journal and discuss

Half sister dropped her fry yesterday.
Still waiting to next month to do anything.

If I'm right, I can replace the 3 (10) gallons with at least 6 (5.5) gallon tanks, and most 7. When I do, that'll give me the required space to work with, and if I clean out my closet and put a shelf in there, I can fit 4 to 6 (5) gallon tanks, or half as many 10 gallons.

 

Re: Working on my own strain of guppy. - Journal and discuss

I suppose you do have a good point, but at the same time completely separate tanks will be easier for me to clean over all.
They'll be bare bottom with sponge filters. I have a space heater to keep the room warm all winter.

But ya never know. What you said does make some sense. The dividers would have to be fine enough to let water pass, but that risks letting the fry pass with any materials I can find locally, or let males make hits across the screen. I've had males make hits on girls I had in the plastic breeder thing.

Another problem is the screen has to be non-see through.

 

Re: Working on my own strain of guppy. - Journal and discuss

Another issue is how well divided another tank would be.
It's gotta be wider than tall, but 49 inches across and only 15 inches wide.
at 8 inches wide I can fit them sideways 6 strong.

 

Re: Working on my own strain of guppy. - Journal and discuss

the 5.5 gallon tanks that is, I can fit 6 >>;