Guppies are ravenous eaters and will feed every time you serve food to them, whether hungry or not. With such feeding behavior of guppy fish, it can become challenging to know when they are hungry. So, How to know if guppy is hungry? Let us find out.
Signs like swimming at the top of the tank, digging at the substrate, and aggressive behavior indicate that the guppy is hungry. Ensure feeding your guppies on a regular schedule and in a quantity that they finish in 1-2 minutes to avoid underfeeding or overfeeding your guppy fish.
We will discuss how to know if we are underfeeding or overfeeding our guppies in this article. Also, we will know how often to feed our guppies. So, let us get into it.
Contents
Are there any signs to know if my guppy is hungry?
Some signs indicate that your guppy fish is hungry:
- Your guppy will wait at the top of the aquarium.
- Your guppy will dig at the substrate in search of food.
- Your guppy will show aggression because of hunger.
- Your guppy will become inactive.
Guppy will stay at the top of the tank.
Guppy waiting at the top of the tank is also a sign that your guppy is hungry.
Guppies also swim at the top of the tank because of oxygen deficiency and other environmental problems.
If there is no lack of oxygen and other problems, then your guppy is hungry and waiting for their food.
Guppies in captivity know that they will get food from the top from their owners, making them stay at the top of the tank.
You will notice that your guppies swim at the top of the tank when you are close to the aquarium.
Also read: Why Is My Guppy Swimming At The Top Of The Tank?
Guppy will dig at the substrate in search of food.
You will notice your guppy fish digging at the substrate, searching for food when they are hungry.
When guppies don’t get full from the food you have provided, they will start searching for food as they do in their natural habitat.
They will dig at the substrate in search of food or will nibble on plants.
Guppy will show aggression.
Guppy will show aggressive behavior when they are hungry.
Irregular and inadequate food supply to your guppies will make them come under stress, resulting in aggression.
However, there are many other reasons for guppy fish coming under stress and showing aggressive behavior.
But, if your guppy is showing aggression by quickly gobbling down the food when you are feeding them shows the sign of hunger.
Guppy will become inactive.
Your guppy will become inactive when they are hungry.
Guppies will become sluggish because of hunger as they are not getting food, giving them the energy to remain active and swim comfortably.
How do I know If my guppy Is being underfed?
All the above signs of guppy fish being hungry indicate that you are underfeeding your guppy fish.
Guppies don’t get food every day in their natural habitat.
They get to eat food when they can catch it by themselves, which doesn’t happen every day.
But, in captivity, owners provide food to their guppies.
When we provide food to our guppies every day, once or twice, or every alternate day, guppies develop a habit of getting food according to that manner.
They become hungry when we miss the regular schedule of feeding food to our guppies.
So, the missing schedule of feeding guppy fish in captivity will indicate that they are hungry.
Also read: Best Food For Guppies.
How do I know If my guppy Is being overfed?
These are the signs that indicate that you are overfeeding your guppies:
- Your guppy tank will get dirty with leftovers of food.
- Your guppy will suffer from constipation.
- Your guppy will sit at the bottom of the tank because of a bloated belly, making them suffer to maintain buoyancy.
Overfeeding your guppy fish can result in a life-threatening condition of your guppies.
Guppies being overfed will suffer from constipation.
Constipated guppy will stop eating and will develop an enlarged abdomen.
Your guppies can suffer from a swim bladder disorder because of overfeeding.
They will usually sit at the bottom of the tank and will not swim actively because of a swollen abdomen.
You should feed your guppies in a quantity that they finish eating in 1-2 minutes.
If your guppies are taking more than that time, you are overfeeding them and consider feeding in less quantity every time until they get able to finish it in one to two minutes.
If your guppies finish their food in seconds, you are underfeeding them, and consider adding more quantity every next time until they finish it in one to two minutes.
Also read: Can Guppy Die From Overfeeding?
How often should guppies be fed?
Guppies are ravenous eaters and will feed on food every time you serve them, whether they are hungry or not.
Such behavior of your guppies can confuse you, and you can end up overfeeding your guppy fish.
So, it is essential to know how often should we feed our guppies.
Feed your guppies according to their age.
Feed your adult guppies one to two times a day, young guppy two to three times a day, and guppy fry three to five times a day.
Ensure feeding your guppies in a quantity that they finish in one to two minutes, not less or more than that time.
Also read: How Often Should You Feed Guppies?
Conclusion:
Signs like staying at the top of the tank, digging at the substrate, searching for food, and showing aggression indicate that your guppy is hungry.
To avoid overfeeding or underfeeding your guppy fish, ensure providing them food in a quantity that they can finish in one to two minutes.
Feed adult guppy one to two times, young guppy two to three times, and guppy fry four to five times a day.
Reference: ResearchGate, ACADEMIA