Guppy Madness... plus a question!

[SAMollyBreeder]

Hello TASA,

Yes, I know it's been a while since I have last posted but I am back for now!

Alright, my guppies have literally exploded my tank with fry! I am wanting to breed these new ones soon but I need to ask a question.

I am wondering if maybe I should add some new stock as to not interbreed so much. Would this be a good idea?

Thanks,
SAMB

[SalmonAfrica]

If you add more, you're gonna get a whole lot more, just saying :blink1: but yes, it'll help with that whole inbreeding problem.

[Firefly]

It would help a lot. Even try and cross breed with some different color variations.
P.S. Welcome back.:smile1:

[kratzfa]

Hi, I do not think you have to worry about inbreeding. I have a strain of guppies from my first pair I received in 1961 with my first aquarium. In those days sword guppies were not highly regarded, as everyone wanted "show guppies" that is veil tail types. I kept my strain without new blood for long intervals, sometimes over 10years, without adding new blood. If any cripples appear you just remove them. I did not have any drop in fertility or other inbreeding problems. In fact that is one way for hidden genes, eg albino, to make an appearance! I read somewhere about a professor in Denmark, who kept a strain since the early '50's without ill effects! I even intensified my inbreeding, as I removed all young males as soon as I identified them and only put the best back again when fully grown and usually had about 5 males at a time! So they were very inbred! Some years I would put them out into my fish pond, when the weather warmed up enough and had literally thousands in the pool within 2/3 months. I then chose the best 5 males and about 30females for the aquarium in April and the rest died off when it became too cold! So they were very fertile!