nacaairfoil

I got about 20 guppy fries about 2 month ago. Now the fries are still colorless and about half inch long. I feed them with grounded flakes. Does anyone know why they grow so slow. I put them in a 10 gallon tank. Thanks

Dino

Increase your water changes to 2-3 a week.
Feed a variety of different flakes.

susitna-flower

If you are testing your water, you need to keep the nitrates down around 5, thus the water changes Dino stated.

It helps to give baby brine shrimp in addition to the crushed flakes. You can also use vita chem every other day. Just like with people, you have to provide the right environment, and good nutrition to grow healthy babies.

Chief_waterchanger

The reason for the increased waterchanges that Dino and S-flower recommended is because fish secrete a group of hormones that inhibit growth. That is a natural evasion so that the large group in the wild doesn't out grow their area, but in the fish tanks if properly housed they can each grow to full size and be fine. (This is not an excuse not to do waterchanges to prevent growth, both the rise in nitrates and the inhibited growth will kill your fish if you do that.)

So increased waterchanges keep those hormones to a minimal.

nacaairfoil

Thanks. I learned a lot. I alreay bought brine shrimp. I am gonna do the water change.

tan.b

also, the females may lack colour anyway as they arent as colourful as the males.

baby brine shrimp is what they thrive on! get some eggs off ebay and grow your own in an old pop bottle. works out very cheap! ;-)