As livebearers, guppies regularly give birth to new fry that require special care and feeding for optimal growth and health.
Proper nutrition is essential during the first few weeks after birth to ensure your guppy fry survive and thrive.
This article explores the best feeding options and techniques for your precious guppy babies.
Understanding the Guppy Fry Growth Cycle
To determine the ideal diet for guppy fry, it’s important to understand their growth cycle.
Guppies have a gestation period of around 4-6 weeks before giving birth to fry.
Female guppies can store sperm for up to 10 months and give birth every 4-6 weeks once gestation is complete. Each birthing session can result in 20-60 fry.
Guppy fry grows rapidly in their first few months.
While size can vary based on genetics, most fry reach sexual maturity and their maximum body length within 3-4 months.
Proper nutrition is crucial for healthy development, especially in the first 4-6 weeks after birth.
Best Food Options for Newborn and Juvenile Fry
During the first 1-2 weeks after birth, guppy fry are incredibly small and require specialized diets consisting of microscopic foods.
One optimal option is infusoria, a nutritious soup of microorganisms that naturally grow in established aquariums.
This can be easily harvested by collecting aquarium water and providing the fry with a steady supply.
Another suitable choice is powdered fry food, such as Hikari Tropical First Bites or Omega One Fry Food.
These specially formulated blends offer a balanced mix of proteins, fats, carbohydrates, and other essential nutrients.
Also, liquid-fried foods like Liquifry No.1 provide an easily absorbed source of nutrients, which can be conveniently dropped into the tank in small amounts.
As the fry grows over 2-4 weeks, their diet can be expanded to include larger foods.
One option is newly hatched brine shrimp, a nutritious live food rich in protein, lipids, and fatty acids.
These can be easily hatched at home using brine shrimp eggs.
Another choice is microworms, tiny live worms that are packed with protein. They can be cultured at home or purchased ready-to-feed.
Crushed flake food is also suitable for growing fry, with high-quality brands like Hikari Tropical Micro Pellets or Omega One Super Color Flakes being recommended.
Daphnia, small aquatic crustaceans, are another excellent source of nutrients and can be offered in live, frozen, or freeze-dried options.
After 4 weeks, the fry can transition to most standard guppy foods in appropriate sizes.
Still, it is important to continue offering a varied and nutrient-rich diet to ensure their optimal health.
Innovative Feeding Techniques for Fry

Getting food into the mouths of tiny, fast-moving guppy fry can be challenging. Here are some creative feeding techniques to try:
- Feed Powdered Foods Dry – For the first 10-14 days, simply sprinkle powdered fry food directly on the water surface. Fry will dart up to feed.
- Liquid Dropper – Use an eye dropper, pipette, or syringe to suck up liquid foods and release tiny drops into the tank for easy feeding.
- Hand Feeding – Crush a pinch of flakes between your fingers right above the water to disperse powdered food. Fry will swim up to grab particles.
- Feeding Rings – Place fry in a clear plastic cup or ring floating on the water surface. Drop food within the ring so they can eat the confined particles easily.
- The Guppy Fry Food Mill – Grind up flakes to a powder using a cleaned, repurposed pepper mill. Crank over the tank to disperse.
- Feed After Water Changes – Fry becomes active and hungry after water changes. Take advantage to ensure they eat.
Avoid Overfeeding with Proper Schedules
Feeding guppy fry is a critical aspect of their growth and development, but it is important not to overfeed them.
Their tiny stomachs can only handle small amounts of food at a time.
To ensure proper nourishment, it is recommended to follow specific feeding schedules based on the age of the fry.
Newborn fry, for example, should be fed up to five small meals per day, consisting of microscopic foods such as infusoria.
As the fry grow older, the number of meals and types of food can be adjusted accordingly.
It is essential to only feed them as much as they can consume within a few minutes to avoid negatively impacting water quality.
Observing the fry’s behavior during feeding times can help determine the appropriate amount of food to offer.
Providing a Balanced Fry Diet
Variety is essential to provide guppy fry with a balanced nutritional profile containing:
- Protein – For proper growth and muscle development. Offer live foods and quality protein-rich flakes.
- Fats – Important energy source. Found in live or frozen options like brine shrimp.
- Vitamins and Minerals – For overall health and vibrant coloration. Include spirulina-enhanced foods.
- Fiber – Promotes digestion. Obtain from soft plant-based matter like pulverized peas.
Aim to feed at least 3 different food types daily. This keeps the diet interesting, provides nutrition diversity, and prevents fry from fixating on just one food.
Caring for Fry Beyond Feeding
While nutrition is crucial for the growth of guppy fry, other care factors also play a significant role.
Firstly, it is important to initially house the fry separately from the adults, as this prevents them from being eaten.
Once they have gained some size, they can be transferred to the main tank.
Also, maintaining proper water quality is vital. Regular partial water changes and filter maintenance help to keep the water parameters ideal, as fry are sensitive to fluctuations.
Moreover, it is necessary to maintain a comfortable tank temperature of around 74-82°F, as cooler water can hinder digestion.
Providing ample hiding spots with plants and decorations is crucial, as it helps the fry feel secure.
Monitoring their growth is also important, as it allows for early detection of any signs of malnutrition, such as sluggishness or lack of color development.
By understanding and implementing these care factors and the feeding tips provided, you can ensure that your guppy fry has the best start in life.
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