Breeding Guppies

Signus said:
We only have 1 female and 7 or 9 males, so we're going to buy a box if the class that uses them ever starts back up again.

I'll keep you all posted.
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It is never a good idea to keep livebearer females outnumbered like that. Chances are, the males are persuing and heckling the female constantly causing her great stress. It is not likely she will ever be able to bear fry is this condition.

You should keep a ratio of at least 3 females to every 1 male to provide the female enough rest. You can't have too few Males. 1 Male will keep a whole school of females gravid, but you have to be careful that you don't get too many males.
 
Sorry if I missed this somewhere, but what exactly is the purpose of these Guppies? If they have to keep buying boxes of 500, where are they going?

If they're kept alive, I'd suggest you just go out to a LFS (preferrably not a chain store as they seem to always have diseased Guppies), and buy half a dozen fancy females for a couple of dollars each. If you mention they're for a school, you may even get a discount.

They'll be pregnant when you buy them and start giving birth immediately. Their babies will bring some color and fancy finnage to the breeding pool.

If buying frozen bloodworms or brine shrimp isn't an option, you'll find Livebearer flake at most stores. Its high-protein so it should encourage breeding as well. Thawed peas, heated just enough to soften them a bit, pealed and quartered, are a big hit and the fresh vegies also seems to enhance the mood. They're good for fish and they love them.

A bit of aquarium salt is always beneficial to livebearers, and as has been mentioned, water changes will make them frisky every time.

Keep us posted :-)
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A bit of aquarium salt is always beneficial to livebearers, and as has been mentioned, water changes will make them frisky every time.
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This is a myth, and in the long run freshwater fish are far better off without the salt Mollies included. for more info try this link.
http://tcoletti.tripod.com/molly_salt_debate.html

Otherwise all things mentioned are pretty well on track, as far as feeder guppies and disease, this is no lie, however they are far more resilient than most fish including fancy guppies, and if they are to be the only inhabitants adding a few feeder females won't hurt anything. Quarantining would be ideal, and if someone is buying them 500 per, I imagine they are using them for feeders. Just scavenge some females out, reduce the male population in the subject tank, and go from there. you should be rewarded with more guppies than you know what to do with shrortly. All guppy males will show color to some degree. feeders are often cross bred or even pure endlers, but they still show color and will still produce at an alarming rate. As a rule the parents won't eat the fry, some claim guppies will. I have never had issue with guppies eating fry, and they certainly don't eat enough to limit numbers well. You may get some hybred fish as mentioned above if endlers are mixed in, but you won't have any trouble keeping a good population going. Furthermore, If the other tanks are being fed feeders, they will be far better off with tank raised feeders, that are disease free than they are with purchased feeders from bulk tanks.
Dave
 
Oh! The guppies are not used as feeders. THey use them in a demonstration of conditioning in the class. However, I think we do use endlers to feed the cuddlefish. Really cool tank inhabitant for a saltwater tank, btw. I say he's worth every buck they bought him with.
 
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