Since there was some interest in it, I decided to plop all of my stuff into one thread.

The Objective:

To breed a variety of new guppies with two tail fins, ranging from roundtail to ragtail, single sword to double sword, and delta.


Our female, Gee, carries a gene for two tails... evident by the dispay of a second tail fin. The problem will be in trying to discover if this is a recessive or a dominant trait. Her mate, BlueGrass, carries the recessive trait for ragtails, roundtails, deltas, single and doubleswords.





Her mate:


* Name: BlueGrass

Gee may already be carrying a brood of fry from her time spent in the pet store. Those fry will be carefully inspected to see if any carry the double tail trait. If they do, I will select some mates for those particular fry for more crossbreeding.

Sounds like an intresting experiement Bubbles good luck keep us updated

Yes very fun and exciting experience,have loads of fun
and update us on how it's going good luck

That is WONDERFUL. Hey, if I EVER figure out how to keep my guppies alive, I would be happy to raise a separate line for you and cross back...... I LOVE genetics. ( I created 2 accepted new breeds of cavies!)

What a neat idea!

And, of course, your pictures will accent it all. This is fantastic!!!!!

I'll be sure to keep everyone updated.

daryl, I love genetics too!! That is very cool about the cavies! I just might take you up on the separate line! In fact, I'd like to eventually have a total of four people (including myself) working with these guys... Let's hope Gee is gonna give us some doubletail offspring.

Checking out my seven new fry... it is possible that one of them might have a double tail. I can't tell if it's the lighting... the flash illuminated the picture almost right on top of the fry, so I had to darken it to see the features.



I can see what sort of looks like a double tail... but to be sure I won't say it's definite until it matures. Also, this fry came from what I believe is my half black yellow female (since she is no longer fat)... And she does not have a double tail.

BlueGrass Jr decided to try courting our Gee girl....

I have volunteered to help the wife of the breeder take care of his guppies while he is gone. It is a lot of work, but I am hoping I shall learn. He literally has thousands of guppies.

He told me I could have a lot of guppies in return if I wish. I told him I did not need alot of guppies - I only wanted a pair or possibly two. He laughed and said he meant a "lot" meaning 144 guppies!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Instead, I have permission to pick out anything I want from his retail tanks, and anything I want from the fry tanks, or, select a choice from the show tanks and with permission, take those.

I am going to stick to the retail tanks. I need to make sure I can keep them alive, first. In the future, I am sure I can fenagle a really fancy pair from him.

I am going to take my big magnifying glass on a stand - I use it for stitchery - over and see if I can find any double tails for you, BubblesOwner. He has thousands to search through, so maybe I can find you still more DNA to insert into your program......I will go this afternoon.

Guppies can be fun. I hope I get guppy puppies in the future!!!! Mine is still courting the algae eater.......

Ack. 144?? Well I may end up there pretty soon myself!

Your male guppy is hillarious!!

Thank you for looking for more doubletails for me, daryl! It would be nice to have more than just the one genepool to work with here.

Your breeder's setup sounds a lot like the breeder's greenhouse I visited. Except he had lots of other kinds of fish, not just guppies. (... turtles, 5-foot alligators... ) Stacks upon stacks of fish tanks... I had to crawl up on a ladder to see one particular strain of guppy that I was interested in.

I don't care what the coloring is on any of them for now. I'm just interested in producing the doubletails for a few generations, and then I'll worry about color. That's why I selected the Japanese Blue. He's definitely a pretty fish, but it's the recessive tail genes that drew me to him.

Here's the new plants...



Did I mention that I got 20+ snails for free too?? (Hitched a ride on all the free plants!) The breeder did say that any respectable breeder keeps snails in their tank because they eat up the food that the guppies leave behind, and that they work a lot better than Plecos... Speaking of Plecos... he had bristle-nose plecos?? They looked like they had spikes or horns growing out of their noses upward towards the top of the tank. They were kinda neat looking!!

I was horrified to discover some small snails in the guppy tank yesterday!!!! I removed them all. I sterilized all the plants, never added the water from fish directly to the tank, etc. but I STILL ended up with some little cone shaped snails. I would rather have the ravenous algae eater. I have to feed him algae wafers for I simply do not have enough algae to satify him! He has that tank SPOTLESS! (but he is not a guppy and will not breed with the silly male, no matter how cutely he waggles his tail! )

Well, I sat like a myopic idiot staring in guppy tanks with a magnifying glass for several hours. There was really no work for me to do there. We tested a few tanks and that was it. The rest of the time I stared at guppies until my eyes crossed.

Unfortunately I did not see any that showed even the slightest double tail. I am sorry. I shall ask the breeder to keep an eye out for any that may spontaneously appear.

That's okay, daryl. If it were a common occurance, this whole little project wouldn't be nearly as exciting. Thank you so much for looking though!!

Is that DuckWeed and HornWort Bubbles? Both terrific plants..I have some duckweed starting to multiply in my 10 Gallon, is that a 10 Gallon and a 50 Watt Heater? I think I have the SAME exact heater except I cant seem to get the water high enough to accomadate the --- Water Line? Have you had any problems with that? And also when you first put it in how did you make sure it was on the lowest setting? I've never used mine

Hello, PondCometer!

That is Duckweed, indeed. I'm not sure what the other plant is called though... the breeder told me, but I'm so utterly horrible with names.

I'll have to look at the box for my heater tomorrow and tell you more about it. It came with a 10 gallon kit that I bought the other day. I didn't really want to fill the tank up to the water line on the heater, as I was worried about the fish jumping (and I have to get a lid for this tank still). But you know... the duckweed has placed a thick layer of protection on the water surface (except where the filter is running). So I'm not so worried anymore. I still need to add just a smidgen more water.

The heater's instructions said to let the heater sit in the water (with the water at the water line) for 15 minutes, with the water 5 degrees below desired temp. Then you turn your knob until the pilot light turns on, leave it sit for an hour, then go back and check the temp. Adjust it one notch at a time, letting it sit inbetween each knob turn to adjust for a while, until you reach desired temperature. Then it's suppose to keep the water at that temperature.

Alright thanks Bubbles becuae mine dosn't have any instructions..yours has a plastic clamp that you can adjust right? If so then its probbaly the same one..I probbaly dont need it considering my water is a warm 80 degrees all the time..guess its just Southern California weather right there

This is so cool. I have actually been toying with the idea of having a guppy farm. I had a baby guppy hitch a ride home with a pleco I got a few weeks ago. It was so small the employee didn't see it. The little one lives in a fry net with lots of java moss to hide in in my 55 gallon. The fish can't get to her, I'm positive. Let me know if you want another "lab tech" to work this with you. I'd be honored, and VERY excited!

PC: Yes, it has the plastic adjustable knob on the top, with a red plastic cover. If you need to (at least on mine), you are able to pull the knob off and rotate it, then stick it back on just in case you need more room to turn it for the right temp you want.

erika, I'd love to have you on the DoubleTail team!


Gee update: I believe she is about to drop some fry. Her gravid spot (black spot on the back part of her belly) has been slowly turning more squareish. I've got to watch the tank today and try to save as many fry as I can from being eaten. Another guppy owner was explaining to me his experience in witnessing the birth of his fry. The mother would move her tail up, then down, and as soon as a baby popped out, she'd turn around and eat it. He watched this for a few minutes, then decided to take a hose and siphen the fry out. He ended up with 45 after all was said and done. I will most likely be using the same method if I manage to catch her birthing.

I have one of those little plastic boxes about 8X4 inches. You place the mama guppy in the top when it looks like she is about to drop. The babies always fallwhen first born and they fall down the slot in the middle of the box and stay below, protected from mom. When she is all done, , you pout her back in the main tank, you can raise the babies in the box for a while if you want. I think it is called a "breeding box" I dug it out of an old box of stuff I had, but I think they are readily available at the store for very litttle money. That way, if Gee looks like she is ready to go, and you do not want to lose a single baby, pop her in the box for the day.....

I'll have to run out and look into that today. Hopefully someone comes home to watch the kiddoes for me. (It's rather hard dragging a 3-year-old and a 3-month-old out by myself these days!)

Thanks for the tip, daryl!!

Cutest. Guppy. Pic. Ever.



He's nibbling on his flake food. Awwww.

That is very cute..where are you located Bubbles? And also I've decided that we do have the same heater hehe..and today I found someone that would take my Guppy Fry so I can make room for Endler's.. So they'll soon be off all 3 Months of fish..hard letting go since you've raised them..but gotta do what I gotta do..should be receiving my Endler's tommorow or Friday..cant wait

I'm in Michigan! Sorry I missed your AIM earlier!!

Let me know how the Endler project goes! I would love to use Endlers as part of my project but several people already pointed out that Endlers are an endangered species so I shouldn't mess with the gene pool. Sorry I didn't get back to you sooner about the fry... but I think my hands are gonna be full in just a day or two here.


Okay... Gee has been moved into the fry-saving breeder box. I'm only gonna keep her in there two days, since it's so tiny... I felt bad putting her in it. She was darting all over the place like she was claustrophobic.

Interesting behavior... I thought it was odd when I moved Gee into her own tank earlier this week. She was going up and down the back side, which is saddled up next to the other tank with the three other guppies.

When I put her in the little breeder cage, after becoming accustom to the smaller quarters, she and the males have been following each other along the side of the box. Here I thought she'd be happy for a breather away from them.

What I'm coming to realize is that guppies are rather social fish. I don't know if they'd do well as singular occupants.

New photo of my older fry.

Great pictures YET again Bubbles, if only I could capture my 4 week old yellow and black fry, arg As for the Endler's I dont plan on messing with any strains, just picking a few to selectively breed, raise and spread the hobby hopefully making Endler's more popular among aquarist, but not sure..have to see how the tides turn, Endler's should arrive today thats when my fry have to go..good thing my friend has a 30 gallon tall with 4 corys, great place for the fry to grow even larger..oh ya I recently purchased some Golden Pearls, they minimic BBS and my fry LOVE them..when it hits the water its every fry for themself..very cool to watch them eat GOlden Pearls

What are golden pearls? Sounds like something that may be good for me to use.

Did you get your Endlers yet?

It was a "false alarm" with Gee the other day. I had removed her from the breeding box, as I thought for sure my other female would go first (Wiz). As it turns out, Gee became a true "box tummy" today, so she's back in the box. I couldn't capture a great picture of her tummy, but I'll try to do so tomorrow. However, I did get two more pics showing off her double tail. Enjoy!





I wish her head had been in focus more... but I'll take what I can get as far as clear double-tail pictures.

My Female Guppy is 4 Months from her last batch and has been very gravid and quite plump for a long time..awaiting a drop anytime now..haven't gotten my Endler's yet..starting to worry..I'm expecting there was a problem and he decided to send tommorow to avoid any risk

Lemme know when they arrive. I'd like to see pics!!


(A few more... Gee says Hi from the breeder box!)

Heh I see the clove of duckweed right there..the duckweed I added my pond..barely covered 1/4 before it was devoured the next day by my hungry comets, well scratch that idea..I STILL cant seem to get my camera to focus on small images..I dont get it arg..

My guppies are munching on the duckweed too. So is Bubbles. Her poop has been a deep deep green.

Here's the cozy temp in my tank for my guppies!

Bubblesowner-so everything doing good right?

My guppies are starting to show color,dark black, and blue with a very flashy orange it looks neat.Im wondering do you ever get kinda angry after the males for running after the girls all the time.My older sister gets extremly made at me
for not seperating them.... is it wrong
I do give them a Rest time to time.

Some people say that the breeder traps are death for the females (I've been researching on some guppy boards). But in my case, where I have two of the fancy blue males in with Gee, it gives her a break from all the chasing. Plus with all the plants in there, she can manouver through quicker than they can (because of their long tails).

Everything is good now, as far as I can tell! I'm still waiting to see any real color on my baby gups. Out of the seven, I've only got three left. I was told that the babies will do better out of the breeder's nets (in a planted enviroment). The advice left me with only three babies. But they are the strongest and quickest of the lot that I had, no doubt. No color on them yet. Here's what they looked like last night:

That's arround my water temperature bubbles, planning to do a cold water change b4 I add my Endler's to see if I can get my Corydoras to spawn if not the temp will naturally go back to 78-80 F range..

Black_Oranda:
Mine are 4 weeks old, I "dont" think they have developed yet but for some reason 1 or 2 fry have black "gravid spots" may just be coloration..


EDIT:

Heh Bubbles you posted just as I did, your fry look good if only I could get my camera to focus on the little guys I could show you mine, darn camera, I personally have never used breeding traps, death rate shoots way up, for various reasons I have a 2 gallon, with plants and heater and airstone for my female B)

My gupy fry are like 4 months old and they just started to get alittle
color,im not sure why it's takeing so long for them to grow there at the
most only 3 cm long.

Mine got color 2nd week..odd

hmmmm the adults are still rather small compaired to the
last "leader" female,she was 2 to 3 inches long the new females are all
1 inch and 2 cm long.

Maybe it depends on color strains, food and temperatures?

Ya, tank size, temperature and food probably the 3 largest inhibitors of growth, warmer water faster growth shorter life span, larger tank faster growth less stunting and picking, food more nutrition and all that IMO

Hmmm alright, but im sure they will grow .....

Aaaaaaaagh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You can't even trust Brand NEW tanks... I had purchased a 5 gallon glass aquarium brand new for Gee to be in for her fry birthing. Had it all set up for about two weeks straight... when suddenly I noticed that the towel I had her tank set up on was soaking wet... (and this was all on top of a brand new expensive custom-made wood night stand ). I just spent the last hour doing a mad scramble to transfer her and her two new male buddies back over into the other guppy tank, along with the fry. On the good side, I found 5 fry (I thought I only had 3 left). I hope this didn't stress my poor babies beyond survival. I lost Wiz already.

Wow that is really bad, sorry to hear that happened I'm sure the guppies will be fine, mine made a 3 tank transfer same day they were born without any problmes..hope all goes well

Luckily, barring the loss of Wiz, everyone appears to be doing just fine.

Here's Gee as of today. She's not as square as I would have hoped. I have a feeling I've a while yet before she does actually birth. I was comparing her shape to Golly, who's still quite boxy. Now that they're in the same tank it was easier to compare.

I will end up crossing some of Gee's babies with some of Golly's for some fresh genetics at my "gene station". Depending on how many, if any at all, doubletails I end up with from this batch from Gee, I will be making some shipments (If you two gals will be ready for them!)

Here's Golly (photograph taken today)

Wow, you're busy girl!!! Baby guppies coming, baby humans already there! My 3 year old keeps me busy, but I always have my time outs where I take care of all the tanks, fish, frogs, etc. How long is the gestation period of a guppy anyway? Also, is it possible to tell a male from a female when they';re fry? I have my one baby guppy that I acquired by accident thru the petstore, but I just can't tell if it's male or female....... I'm going tp put the little one in my 10 gallon with the baby apple snails since I feel badly for everyone having to live in the breeder net. I want them all to have room to roam!!

I'm excited to see what goes on with your fry!!

I can't yet tell what my fry are either. At one month of age though the females become breedable... so I would assume you would be able to see coloring at that point!

Guppy gestation, from what I've read, is about 28 days. Yes, every month I could have more and more babies... (Time to go get more tanks!)

It does get a bit busy... Baby humans, baby fish (baby snails! Oyvey), and muddling through the mortgage process. It's enough to make you go bald at times.

My mommy guppie is even fatter than that! Every morning I look to see if there are any guppie puppies. None, yet.......

I will be happy to accept a set of babies from you when you are ready to cross out a line. Let me know how you want it documented......

Just do not send me a "lot" !!!!

Ooooooo........ the good ol' mortgage process.... I hated that. If you don't yet, you'll know your husband's social security # by heart!!! Going thru all that red tape gave me nightly headaches. Stock up on the advil.

Yeah but what makes it worse is we're doing a "construction" mortgage... Conventional mortgages stink as it is... but the mortgage lady said that construction loans/mortgages can be 100 times worse. I believe her.

No worries on sending out Lots!! I realize not many people can handle 100+ fish at a time... besides, with two, you could still end up with 100 after a few months.

I just bought two more females (bad me!! ) to replace Wiz. One looks ready to pop NOW... I'll take a picture so you guys can see what I mean about "boxy" looking. And the other is white... almost like an albino. But she's got a little color to her!

Gimme about 20 minutes. B)

Note her belly... It's "boxy" rather than "round". That's just about when they're ready to pop.


I can't quite tell what color she is. I see black, yellow and a hint of blue? Hmmm.

And the white female...