Microworms
In stockPanagrellus redivivus
The go-to first food for betta, gourami, tetra and cory fry
Size±1–3 mm
Culture mediumOats / instant porridge paste
Temperature18–27 °C (room temperature)
DifficultyVery easy
R50 · 15 ml starter culture
Fry feeding guide
Best live food for guppy fry
Guppy fry are born able to eat — but “able to eat crushed flake” and “growing fast and evenly” are different things. Live food in the first two weeks is the easiest growth upgrade there is, and guppy fry are big enough to start one rung higher than betta fry.
Photo: Schumi4ever, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
The feeding plan
| Stage | Feed this | Why it works |
|---|---|---|
| Days 1–7 | Microworms (plus vinegar eels) | Newborn guppies can take microworms from day one; eels add swimming food for the smallest, slowest fry so nobody gets outcompeted |
| Weeks 2–3 | Newborn daphnia / moina + microworms | The size step-up that drives the fastest growth phase; rotate both so runts keep a food they can manage |
| Weeks 4–6 | Daphnia, young grindal worms | Bigger, meatier feeds as juveniles; start separating sexes as they colour up |
| Week 6+ | Adult rotation: daphnia 2–3× a week | Live food alongside a quality staple keeps growth and colour coming |
Practical tips
- Feed little and often — 3–4 small live feeds a day beats one big one, and keeps ammonia down in fry tanks.
- Keep a daphnia culture running before the female drops; the week-2 demand arrives faster than a new culture can.
- Uneaten daphnia do not rot like flake — a few living in the fry tank are a standing snack, not pollution.
Watch out: Adults eat newborn fry. Feed the fry in a separate tank, breeder box or heavily planted tank, and do not judge portions by adult feeding — fry tanks foul quickly on overfed dry food.
Common questions
What should newborn guppy fry eat first?
Microworms from day one — guppy fry are born large enough for them. Add vinegar eels for the smallest fry, then baby daphnia from week 2 for the fastest growth.
When can guppy fry eat daphnia?
Newborn (baby) daphnia and moina from about week 2, and regular daphnia from weeks 4–6 as they grow. Sift the smallest from your culture at first.
How often do guppy fry need feeding?
3–4 small feeds a day for the first weeks. Live food helps here: daphnia and vinegar eels stay alive in the tank, flattening the feast-and-famine of dry feeding.
Start these cultures
In stock in the Western Cape, dispatched Monday to Wednesday, door-to-door across South Africa.
Vinegar Eels
In stockTurbatrix aceti
The tiniest first food — cultured on oats, despite the name
Size±0.3–2 mm
Culture mediumOats / instant porridge paste (like microworms)
Temperature18–27 °C (room temperature)
DifficultyVery easy
R50 · 15 ml starter culture
Daphnia (Moina)
In stockMoina sp.
The small “daphnia” that suits fry and small fish — and breeds fast in warm water
Size±0.4–1.5 mm (adults ±1–1.5 mm)
Temperature20–30 °C (fastest at 24–28 °C)
FoodGreen water, yeast, spirulina
DifficultyModerate — keep a backup culture
R50 · starter culture
Fry Starter Kit
In stockAll four fry cultures in one parcel
Every fry size covered, from first bite to grow-out, in one courier parcel
IncludesDaphnia (moina), microworms, banana worms, vinegar eels
Culture mediaWater tub (moina) + oats paste (worms & eels)
TemperatureRoom temperature (moina warmest, 20–30 °C)
DifficultyVery easy
R200 · 4-culture bundle
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