Guppies!

[peacock_101]

I have a 5 US gallon tank and i can't figure out how many guppies i can put in. Also, how often do they breed?

A few completely different questions, would i be able to breed platies in a lightly planted 5 us gallon tank?
If not, what size?

How do i breed platies in the first place?

I NEED ANSWERS FAST!!!!!

 

[CoolWater]

Hmm instead of those i would go with endlers.
Guppys and platies eat the young if i am not mistaken, while endlers don't for sure.

Personally i once had 3 endlers in a 5.5 gallon (one male and two female).
But other people might not recommend that.
While if you are breeding (even if 3 are okay), the moment the fish gives birth you will be badly overstocked...

Do you have good filtration? And i presume the tank is cycled?

 

[linda1503]

I think platties grow too big for a 5gal, not sure about guppies think thay might be too. You need 1 male to 3 females and they don't need any help to breed, you'll have loads of fry!! If you want to breed them i'm sure somone will tell you the best size tank to buy soon. Also make sure you have someone who will take the babies off your hands, like your lfs.

 

[Qays]

5 guppies sounds good too me. theyre only an bout an inch (not including long tail)

5 male guppies in a cycled 5.5 gallon tank. What would be the problem Gold?

If he keeps a 25% water change every week

if u want too breed them, that tank is way too small!

 

[peacock_101]

ok i'll get 5 guppies ASAP but how often will they have fry and how big a tank do i need to breed a couple guppies?



SiMoN

 

[linda1503]

Actually thats a good idea of Golds to try endlers. they are lovely fish, the males especially are colourful and they don't eat their young the same as platties and guppies. There are different types so you would need to do a bit of research first though.

 

[jonny-5]

Personally i would buy something bigger and use the 5 gallon for all your guppy fry cos if you have guppys your guaranteed to have fry at some stage,i started off with 3 guppys i now have over 60 and thats in 2 months

 

[dwarfgourami]

ok i'll get 5 guppies ASAP but how often will they have fry and how big a tank do i need to breed a couple guppies?



SiMoN

If you are going to breed you need a ratio of 2-3 females per male; otherwise he will wear his female out. I would start with a 15-20 gallon tank and tbh you might as well just get 1 male+ his females. Once he has impregnated a female, she will give birth roughly once a month, regardless of whether he is still there or not (they can store sperm for up to 7 pregnancies).

20- 40 fry per batch is not unusual. Many (though not all) guppies eat their young, so you may want to save a few out of the first batch into another tank, or plant your main tank heavily so they can hide from their parents. For the first few weeks you can even keep them safe in a small breeding trap that floats in the main tank, but once they are a little more active you must release them so they have room to develop.

Guppy fry need a reasonable tank (at least 5-110 gallon) to grow up in; if they do not have enough swimming space in the first few months their muscles won't grow strong enough and that will be a handicap later in life.

 

[peacock_101]

i have a 5 gallon tank with a bushy plant, if i get rid of the platies, can i get 2 female and one male and breed them in that tank?

If they eat fry, is that ok? I'm thinking breed them in a 10 gallon and only keep like 10 fry and raise the in that tank?

SiMoN

 

[jonny-5]

i would say that tank is really too small to breed anything in,only reason being is because of the tank size the females will be harrased and need plenty of places to hide while she gives birth.If the tank is small the fry may not have enough places to hide either and will get eaten for sure...ive got guppies from my last breed and there 6 weeks old and the bigger fish are only just leaving them alone now.prob because there too large to be eaten but the parents used to try all the time but the fry are to quick,but this isnt always the case. I left them in the tank is because the spawn was massive and couldnt catch them all as they were hiding in the plants and under decor. My other point is even if you only raise 10 fry in a 10 gallon tank,when the fish are a few months old you will be massively overstocked,guppys grow more and faster than some people think.Im just goin off my personal experience and have overstocked my tanks in the past and it only results in poor quality fishes and illness

 

[speedingorange]

while we are on the topic of guppy's doing the wild thing,

how well would the young fend for themselves with a thick carpet covering of say glosso, or something similar?

would that be plenty of hiding space?

 

[jonny-5]

nah i would say they need at least a few plants to hide in otherwise hungry parents will eat them for sure,the more hiding places the better

 

[peacock_101]

i have a 5 gallon tank with a bushy plant, if i get rid of the platies, can i get 2 female and one male and breed them in that tank?

If they eat fry, is that ok? I'm thinking breed them in a 10 gallon and only keep like 10 fry and raise the in that tank?

SiMoN

make that a 20 gallon with a lot of java moss, is that ok?

 

[Annastasia]

It's fine, the more room the better. Add in some floating plants to increse the fry's survival rate though. Most of mine survive by hiding in the floating plants. It makes it easier for them to eat too, without having to worry about getting eaten themselves, and fighting for food.

 

[peacock_101]

okey dokey, but a few questions, i'm just a kid and i only get 5 bucks a week (IT SUCKS!!!!!!!) but do you think it would be worth saving money forever just to breed guppies?