Experiments with Guppy Foods
by Dr. E. C. & Associates
The following statistics are the results of an extensive series of test run by Drs. Larr, Johns and Tobins. To determine which kinds of foods would cause female guppies to drop the largest number of fry.
Each test group consisted of three pairs of adult guppies which were fed only the one kind of food- - and no others—during the 120 day test period. Each tank of test fish were fed three times a day: morning, noon and afternoon (4 pm.). The dry food tests consisted of alternate feedings of regular and flake food; the regular food being a 50/50 mix of two leading brands of dry food; the flake foods being a 50/50 mix of two leading brands of flake foods. (Since these tests were conducted. Another brand of dry food has been tested which fits between #5 and #6 for production of young.)
FOOD TEST NUMBER 6642 (LARR, JOHNS, ROBINS)
FOOD TOTAL YOUNG MALES FEMALES
1: Earthworms, chopped 178 87 91
2: Earthworms, chopped frozen 164 81 83
3: Beef heart 143 64 79
4: Tubifex 141 61 80
5: Brine Shrimp, Hatched 101 48 53
6: Gordon’s Formula (Liver) 79 39 40
7: Brine Shrimp, Adult Frozen 76 37 39
8: Dry Food, flake & regular 52 24 28
9: Freeze-dry (brine shrimp & tubifex)40 23 17
10: Leaf lettuce 37 21 17
11: Peas 28 19 9
12: Farina 18 9 9
13: White worms 16 7 9
14: Oat Meal 12 5 7
15: Bran 9 5 4
16: Bread 6 5 1
All low producing pairs were given earthworms at the end of the above test and all quickly gave results as in # 1
17: Earthworms and dry food 194 93 101 18: Earthworms, beef heart and lettuce 221 107 113
In the testing of beef heart it was found that feeding this material, even every other day, prolonged the guppy’s life from 25% to 50%.