How to Make a Guppy Fry Grow Faster

Guppy fry are very young guppies, which have just been born. Guppy fry care can be challenging, as they require very specific conditions and food in order to remain healthy. Making sure your guppies are getting larger and more self-sufficient is very important. Although you never want to force fish to grow faster than they should, as this can lead to serious health problems, there are several steps you can take to ensure your guppies grow steadily.

House the guppy fry in an appropriately sized aquarium. A 5-gallon aquarium, with minimal decorations and no substrate, works best for a single group of guppy fry. This size aquarium makes cleaning and maintaining the water easier, and because it’s relatively small, it helps the guppies to easily find their food.

Feed the guppy fry between four and eight times a day. Guppy fry need to be fed quite frequently as they are growing rapidly. Feeding more often can sometimes increase the rate of growth. Give foods such as high-quality crushed guppy flakes, baby brine shrimp, microworms and daphnia. Increase the size of the food as the fish grow.

Keep the water in the fry aquarium at about 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Although guppy fry can be kept at cooler temperatures, such as the mid-70s, a higher temperature often increases the rate of growth. Use an underwater thermometer to monitor the temperature. An aquarium heater can be used to raise the temperature if necessary.

Maintain clean water in the guppy fry aquarium. Polluted water can cause health problems and will not aid in the growth of the young fish. Although aquarium filtration can be used to keep the water clean, partial water changes, performed once a week, are often the best way to go. Partial water changes involve removing some of the dirty aquarium water, in this case about half, and replacing it with fresh, clean water. These water changes not only keep the aquarium clean, but they seem to stimulate growth.

Maintain a light and dark schedule for the guppies. Guppy fry require a strong light source during the day in order to grow properly. Guppies kept in murky, dim or dark conditions can develop problems with their spines. Conversely, guppy fry need a dark period, of about seven or eight hours at least, during the night in order to properly rest. This schedule will aid in the growth of the young fish.