Colour and breeding success come from consistent nutrition, not overfeeding. Guppies respond best to small, regular meals with variety across the week. The trick is balancing protein for growth and fertility with enough plant matter and restraint so the tank stays clean.
Start with a strong staple
Your staple should be the “boring” food you can feed often: a quality micro pellet or flake with stable vitamins. This prevents you from relying on treats for nutrition. Guppies can look amazing on staples alone if water quality and temperature are stable.
Daily cadence that works
- Morning: small pellet/flake feed (clears within ~60 seconds).
- Evening: rotate foods based on the plan below.
- Fry: tiny meals spread through the day beat single big dumps.
Weekly menu (simple rotation)
- Mon / Thu (staple days): pellet/flake + a tiny second feed if fish are growing.
- Tue (veggie day): spirulina flake or blanched spinach/peas (aids digestion).
- Wed / Sat (growth & fertility): live/frozen foods like baby brine shrimp or daphnia.
- Fri (light treat): a smaller portion of a higher-protein food.
- Sun (reset): light feeding only, or a “half ration” day.
How to feed for colour
Colour improves when fish are not stressed. That means stable water, good oxygen, and consistent nutrition. Rich foods can help, but they can also foul the water. If nitrates climb and fish clamp, colour often dulls — even if the food is “premium”.
Feeding fry for strong growth (without dirty water)
Fry do best with small meals 3–4 times daily if possible. Use powdered fry food, crushed flake, and baby brine shrimp rotation. Keep the tank clean with frequent moderate water changes. It’s better to feed slightly less and keep water pristine than to push growth with heavy feeding and then battle ammonia.
Portion control cues
- If food sits after 2 minutes, it’s too much.
- If guppies look bloated daily, cut portion size and add veggie days.
- If water clouds after feeding, reduce feeding and increase maintenance.
When in doubt: feed a little less, more consistently. Guppies thrive on routine, and your water will stay stable — which keeps fins, colour, and breeding performance strong.
