Danios And Guppies?

[FreshwaterFishie]

Will Zebra Danio and Fancy (male) guppies be OK together?
Also, how mature should the tank be before adding the guppies?

 

[Annastasia]

Nope. The Zebra Danios tend to be nippy, and the Guppy's tails are prime targets! Don't risk it, you could end up with lots of shredded Guppy tails.

I'd have the tank cycled, and stable for maybe...1-2 weeks before you add Guppies to a tank. They aren't very weak, they just don't take bad or very fluctuating water quality very well.

 

[FreshwaterFishie]

Nope. The Danios tend to be nippy, and the Guppy's tails are prime targets! Don't risk it, you could end up with lots of shredded Guppy tails.

I'd have the tank cycled, and stable for maybe...1-2 weeks before you add Guppies to a tank. They aren't very weak, they just don't take bad or very fluctuating water quality very well.

Do you know another very hard, but colorful addition to Zebra Danio, Mickey Mouse Platy, annd soon Dwarf Cory Cats?

 

[Annastasia]

What size tank?

 

[consp]

I've kept guppys and danios together no problem. As long as you have enough danios (6 or more) they should keep to themselves. They'll establish a pecking order and enforce it within their group rather than bullying the guppies.

Guppies and danios I have found to be quite hardy fish. So they can be the first to add once your tank has cycled (Of course depending on the size you will be limited to how many you can add).

Platies should be fine early on too but you should really have your tank established for at least a month before adding corrys. Remeber to use sand as your substrate because stoney substrate can damage their barbels.

 

[Lynden]

Almost all freshwater fish can be used as cyclers, and a really good one for the job is guppies, as well as danios and platies. These animals can survive in water with a collosal poison content, even the babies. They do that even in the wild.

For substrate, sand is the way to go. The tank should indeed be cycled before adding cories, although they are very hardy.

As for stocking, it will probably be fine. Unless, of course, you add just 1 danio, it will turn into a tiger barb right before your eyes, and beat the bullcrab out of the guppies. Cyprinids, when in singles, will nip fins purely for entertainment. Definetly a no-no for veil finned fish.

I can see a nice tank coming up

 

[FreshwaterFishie]

I've kept guppys and danios together no problem. As long as you have enough danios (6 or more) they should keep to themselves. They'll establish a pecking order and enforce it within their group rather than bullying the guppies.

Guppies and danios I have found to be quite hardy fish. So they can be the first to add once your tank has cycled (Of course depending on the size you will be limited to how many you can add).

Platies should be fine early on too but you should really have your tank established for at least a month before adding corrys. Remeber to use sand as your substrate because stoney substrate can damage their barbels.

Really? I have seen Corys in with gravel! Do I have to get rid of gravel, or will they be OK? They aren't really sharp gravel pieces.
My tank is a little over a month, but there hasn't been an ammonia spike. Someone said that there has to be an ammonia spike for it to be cycled?
It is a 20 gallon fish tank with 6 Danios and 4 Platys.

 

[dwarfgourami]

Almost all freshwater fish can be used as cyclers

Sorry, Chestnut, but this sounds like dodgy advice to me.

 

[consp]

I would never use a fish to cycle a tank... it's cruel and unessecery!

Really? I have seen Corys in with gravel! Do I have to get rid of gravel, or will they be OK? They aren't really sharp gravel pieces.

Just because you've seen it doesn't mean it's right. A lot of shops keep them on gravel because they can't be bothered to fork out more putting sand in when they'll get sold within a week anyway. People that want to buy them that see them in the shop on ravel think that is fine and copy.

I would say rather than getting rid of your gravel, compormise... Put some sand over the top of your gravel OR add a dish (Those things that stand under plant pots are ideal!) full of sand and when you feed them, feed them on that to stop them damaging themselves when poking about for food. They will wonder of the sand frequently but at least you're giving them the option

The water cycle goes Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate. The first being more harmful to fish. Unless your process has gone through this cycle then the tank isn't safe for fish as the neccersery bactiera has not form which you need to break down fish waste. If you want to learn about water quality I reccommend the TANKMASTER book "A practical guise to creating and maintaining Water Quality" ISBN 1-903098-00-9. It is a fabulously handy book to have around Have you added any chemicals or fish flakes to start the cycle?

I'd still reccommend buying other fish first before cories as they are the most delicate fof the list you've mentioned so will not do as well if your water quality fluctautes. It is likely to do this being so new when you add your first few fish.

Hope this helps

 

[FreshwaterFishie]

I would never use a fish to cycle a tank... it's cruel and unessecery!

I'd still reccommend buying other fish first before cories as they are the most delicate fof the list you've mentioned so will not do as well if your water quality fluctautes. It is likely to do this being so new when you add your first few fish.

Hope this helps

I let it sit with Cycle (I know it was worthless...), NovAqua+Plus, and conditioner. I never added BioSpira, should I add it know. It is in the back of my fridge.
It has been up for a little over a month and it contains 6 Zebra Danio and 4 Mickey Mouse Platy, sorry if I didn't make it clear. It meant, it should be cylced by know, but there was no ammonia activity and already have fish in there.
Also, would the Corys suck the gravel when it isn't feeding time? Or would they stay in the little dish?

 

[consp]

Yeah they'll venture out and pick up bits of food missed by your mid & top dwelling fish as they are scavengers.

Yeah they'll venture out and pick up bits of food missed by your mid & top dwelling fish as they are scavengers.

 

[Annastasia]

I've kept guppys and danios together no problem. As long as you have enough danios (6 or more) they should keep to themselves. They'll establish a pecking order and enforce it within their group rather than bullying the guppies.

Guppies with most Danios are okay, as not all Danios are nippy. It's namely Zebras and Leopard Danios that are very nippy.

Anyway, it's up to you if you want to risk it or not. I personally would play safe rather then sorry. But that's just me.

 

[consp]

I've kept leopard danios, pearl danios and zebras all with guppies and no problems

 

[Annastasia]

Well, it's up to you if you want to risk it. Personally, after what I have seen, I wouldn't. But each to their own.

Edit: Another thing I want to add, is it depends on the Guppies. The ones with the shortish tails seem to be fine with Danios. The ones with the REALLY long, flowy tails can't move as fast, and the fins seem to be a prime target for the Danios. Do you have a picture of what kind of Guppies you'd like, FreshwaterFishie?

 

[consp]

Also depends on the danios too. You can get some right little buggers and then again you can get a nice angelic bunch. Suppose fish are like humans... unpredictable

*goes to bite Annastasia*