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Keeping Records
                        by Stephen Kwartler

In my last article I mentioned the importance of keeping accurate records. There are many breeders who may keep records as well as those who never do. I have spoken to some top breeders who tell me they keep all their breeding information in their head. Well if you ever try to pick their brains you will probably get one response on Tuesday and a completely different reply to the same question on the following Saturday. You see, most answers to difficult questions regarding breeding techniques cannot be answered off the top of one's head, they must be backed up by fact. In order to prove a fact you need proof. By keeping an account of all lineage of all your breeding stock you will have a full understanding of what is going on with your breeding program. I have been using the same method of maintaining my records since becoming involved with breeding show guppies. I use Midge Hill's method of record keeping which was published in an old issue of the IFGA Bulletin. With a few changes, and using a small book instead of index cards I have been able to keep between 3-5 years of breeding setups in each book. There are several very important entries needed to maintain your records. Lets' say for example you acquire a trio of blues from John Doe. If your lucky enough to know when these fish were born, whether or not they are siblings and what generation they are you will be way ahead of the game. Usually this information is not offered unless you request it. Sometimes even if you request the information there is no guarantee that the breeder will disclose the information requested. So let us assume we know nothing about this trio of fish other than that they are of blue delta stock. Carefully look over each fish and take note as to their overall color. Does the dorsal match the caudal? What is the body color of the females? All characteristics should be noted. Now we will enter the necessary information in our record book. I use a book that is a small composition type book. I remove the top four lines from every page with a good sharp razor blade. With this done, you will have an area on the inside front and back cover where you will set up a section of columns. The columns are as follows:

By making the columns on the inside of the front and back covers it will appear above each page of your book. Now transfer the lines from each column so they run down to the bottom of each page. Allow three or four lines per entry You now have a ledger type book for your records. 

Now to make your first entry. In the column for #ID enter #1, since this will be your first entry. Under males/females" enter 1 male and 2 females, as trios are generally used in guppy breeding. Under generation [GEN] if unknown enter f1 or unknown. The rest is self explanatory. The litters produced and breeders produced columns will be updated when necessary. This is how your first recorded entry should book like.

Now that you have recorded your first breeding setup, lets' jump ahead into the future. If your trio had young on 3/5/93 this should be recorded. This batch of babies should be kept in their own tank and they should be identified as #1 [3/5/93], and should be so noted on their tank. I use a strip of tape that I place on each tank and I use a permanent marker to write with. This way of identification is fool proof. Even if you have a drop from the other female from the same #1 setup on the same day, all you have to do is give that batch of young the next days date. When the time comes to sex females [app. 3-4 wks] this same label is placed on the tank that will hold the virgin females. The next step [within the next few months'] will be to set up new breeders. Lets select a sibling [brother to sister] setup. We will be using a male and two females from the tanks labeled #1 [3/5/93], and we will assign this new setup #ID as #2 We will also us a setup using a male labeled #1 [3/6/93] and breeding to females from the tank labeled #1 [3/5/93]. We will call this set up line breeding, and give it the next #ID which will be #3. Now lets' see how our entries look in our record book. 

As you see I use the next #ID in numerical order. You can [as I do] keep all breeder setups regardless of what color strain in this same book. With this system in place for several years, all you have to do to look up the lineage of any offspring is to take out your book and turn some pages. As I said earlier, I have been using my current record book since 1989. I average about 100 breeding setups per year. Each page lists about 9-10 setups. I have tried to make this system even simpler by using my computer but even with all the latest programs and spreadsheets I find my little record book is much faster. Well good luck. Always remember, guppy breeding is not hit or miss, but rather quite scientific.

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