# What to breed next?



## FAIRCHILD (Jun 30, 2011)

I will have some 10 and 15 gallons available to use a breeding tanks. I am already breeding a platy pair and guppy pair. 

Now I would like to breed something fun, I have been looking at Killies & Nicer strains of guppies from Lotsoffish on aquabid as well as an endler pair from a local breeder. The killies I hear can be a little tougher due to the fact you need to use spawning mops?

Anyone have any suggestions?


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## snail (Aug 6, 2010)

I don't think any fish is as easy as live bearers to breed and even more than the breeding the fry are very easy because the fry are already huge compared to most fish fry. Most egg layers classed as easy to breed are still much, much harder than guppies. It's not so much getting the fish to lay eggs or getting the eggs to hatch, but the raising of the tiny fry with their tiny mouths. However you might enjoy the challenge of something a little harder. 

Some Killies are fairly easy to breed. The fry need live food but then most fry do. Some need to go through a dry period before the eggs will hatch the good thing about that is you can buy eggs and have them sent through the post. Many Killie males will fight so are often kept in small tanks as pairs or trios.

I love white cloud minnows and Vietnamese white cloud, they are relatively easy to breed. Cory cats might be another good choice to start with.

Whatever you decide on remember you need to be ready to feed the fry with the appropriate sized and usually live food. It may be worth choosing a fish that is easy to sell or trade as it is easy to become overrun with offspring. Many fish shops will take fish for trade but only once they are close to adult size so consider how long it will take them to get to that size, some fry grow much faster than others and while they are growing may need extra tank space.

If you want something really easy but a little different how about red cherry shrimp? They breed like crazy with minimal input and no special feeding. A large colony can be kept in a 10 gallon tank and they should be fairly easy to trade or sell when you want to.


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## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

I would stay away from killies unless you can get hold of plant spawners, The others are very time consuming and unless you have experience with them there are usually many losses. Most killie breeders hatch the eggs in petri dishes that has the peat moss the eggs are in and a little water, then it takes time to get them big enough to even put into a small 1/2 gal jar.


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## FAIRCHILD (Jun 30, 2011)

Thanks all. As of right now I have around 400-500 red cherry shrimp being bred. And just want to have some fun making my own strains of guppies , platy and endler varities. Can you just name your own strain. I see all different types of names on aquabid. How do they come up with these names. 

Per sae what are your higher end most sought after guppy strains? 

Thanks!


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## snail (Aug 6, 2010)

Oh yeh, I didn't notice you already have the shrimp .

It will likely take you many generations and several tanks if you really want to develop a new guppy strain so you might want to stick to that as your only breeding project. If you just want to mess around that is great fun too and can be a very good learning experience but is unlikely to get you a proper new strain. Once you have a strain that breeds true in order for it to be recognized I would imagine you have to register it with some one, there is probably an American, or international guppy society where you can do that. Again I'd imagine for them to register a new strain they would want to confirm that it breeds true and is suitably different from strains which are already registered.

Here are some links that might help:
Breeding Guppies
RMGA - GUPPY CULTURE
Guppy Genetics Info
Aquarium Fish International: First Steps to a New Fancy Guppy Strain
Guppy Designer - New "Pied Blue" Guppy Strain


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